GET INVOLVED
The Jail Library Group has University of Wisconsin student, staff, and faculty volunteers, as well as volunteers from the Dane County community. Take a look at the lists below to learn about the different tasks that our volunteers do inside and outside the jails. If you'd like to learn more about any of these tasks or how to become a volunteer, contact us with your questions. If you want to be updated on the most recent news for JLG volunteers, make sure you request to be added to the JLG email list.
TASKS
Inside the Jails
At least five JLG volunteers go into the jails each weekend: two in the City County Building, two in the Public Safety Building, and one for Kids' Connection. Each JLG volunteer that works in one of these areas is required to submit a Jail Request Form and attend a Jail Orientation before starting as a volunteer. Once these requirements are fulfilled, new volunteers are added to the JLG email list and given access to the private JLG volunteer website where they can sign up to go into the jails with an experienced volunteer to teach them the procedures. Find out more about how to volunteer in the jails here.
City County Building
Volunteers at the CCB library fill inmate requests and load the requested materials into crates. Deputies then deliver those requests to the inmates.
Public Safety Building
Volunteers at the PSB fill inmate requests and deliver those requests to the inmate pods, while also supplying each pod with a cart of new reading material. Volunteers should have the ability to lift at least 20 pounds and push book carts.
Kids' Connection
Volunteers with Kids' Connection help inmates record themselves reading books to their children.
City County Building
Volunteers at the CCB library fill inmate requests and load the requested materials into crates. Deputies then deliver those requests to the inmates.
Public Safety Building
Volunteers at the PSB fill inmate requests and deliver those requests to the inmate pods, while also supplying each pod with a cart of new reading material. Volunteers should have the ability to lift at least 20 pounds and push book carts.
Kids' Connection
Volunteers with Kids' Connection help inmates record themselves reading books to their children.
Outside the Jails
Processing Materials
Attend monthly "processing parties" to prepare books and magazines for the shelves of the jail libraries. At the end of these processing parties, we also need volunteers with cars to deliver the boxes of materials to the Public Safety Building. Find out more here.
Fundraising
JLG has three main sources of funding: individual contributions, grants, and used book sales. Because our library collections are mostly donated materials, there are a lot of holes in our collection, like recently published books or popular books. We fundraise in order to buy specific materials that inmates often request.
Social Media and Website Management
The Jail Library Group has a Facebook, Twitter, and website in order to keep the community informed about what our group is doing and to attract new volunteers.
Amazon Wishlist Management
Inmates often request materials that the jail libraries do not have. We keep track of these requests, and a volunteer adds them to our Amazon Wishlist so that donors can buy materials that have been specifically asked for.
Shopping
When JLG has enough money to buy materials for the jail libraries, a volunteer goes shopping for materials on our Amazon Wishlist or our more general "most wanted list." Our volunteers buy these materials at library book sales and used bookstores.
Recruitment
The Jail Library Group needs at least four volunteers every weekend of the year to go into the jails to keep inmates supplied with reading material. We also need volunteers for all the other tasks listed above. We are always in search of new ways to recruit more volunteers to fulfill the responsibilities of our group.
Attend monthly "processing parties" to prepare books and magazines for the shelves of the jail libraries. At the end of these processing parties, we also need volunteers with cars to deliver the boxes of materials to the Public Safety Building. Find out more here.
Fundraising
JLG has three main sources of funding: individual contributions, grants, and used book sales. Because our library collections are mostly donated materials, there are a lot of holes in our collection, like recently published books or popular books. We fundraise in order to buy specific materials that inmates often request.
Social Media and Website Management
The Jail Library Group has a Facebook, Twitter, and website in order to keep the community informed about what our group is doing and to attract new volunteers.
Amazon Wishlist Management
Inmates often request materials that the jail libraries do not have. We keep track of these requests, and a volunteer adds them to our Amazon Wishlist so that donors can buy materials that have been specifically asked for.
Shopping
When JLG has enough money to buy materials for the jail libraries, a volunteer goes shopping for materials on our Amazon Wishlist or our more general "most wanted list." Our volunteers buy these materials at library book sales and used bookstores.
Recruitment
The Jail Library Group needs at least four volunteers every weekend of the year to go into the jails to keep inmates supplied with reading material. We also need volunteers for all the other tasks listed above. We are always in search of new ways to recruit more volunteers to fulfill the responsibilities of our group.