Processing Parties
The Jail Library Group adds materials to our libraries through donations. All these donated materials must be processed before being transported to the jails. During "processing parties," volunteers stamp books, remove anything from the materials that shouldn’t be there (previous owner’s names, old bookmarks, etc.), sort and pack the materials in boxes, and then deliver the boxes to the Public Safety Building. These processing parties take place every 3rd Wednesday of the month at the iSchool Library, located on the fourth floor of the Helen C. White building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Attending a processing party is a great way for a prospective volunteer to get to know the group and ask any questions they might have. Take a look at the list below to find out when our upcoming processing parties are.
Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm
Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm
Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm
Wednesday, December 20th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm (Tentative)
Wednesday, January 17th, 2024 at 12:00pm-1pm
Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm
Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm
Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm
Wednesday, December 20th, 2023 at 12:00pm-1pm (Tentative)
Wednesday, January 17th, 2024 at 12:00pm-1pm
Jail Library Material Restrictions
JLG is unable to put every donated material onto the shelves of the jail libraries.
- Because of space restrictions, JLG volunteers that frequently go into the jail libraries make judgment calls about what donations are accepted into the library based on what is popular with the inmates.
- Based on Supreme Court rulings regarding reading matter in jails and prisons, we cannot provide materials that explicitly give instructions on starting a riot, describe how to break out of a jail or prison in detail, contain detailed images or drawings of the insides of weapons, and that primarily focus on nudity (this includes Playboy but not Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues or Maxim).
- The Dane County Jail System does not allow hardcover books or magazines with staples in the libraries as a safety precaution.