Appalachian Prison Book Project (APBP)

Thank you to everyone for your support and generosity. It’s what makes this work possible! We couldn’t do this without you. ❤️

For the curious, here are some stats from February 2026:

Total books logged: 642
Top state: Virginia (406 books)
Top genre: Reference (97 books)
Book highlight: "Dungeon Crawl Classics: Quick Start Rules and Brand New Adventure", sent to Cody in Virginia

A green and white graphic with a photo of a book on it. The text reads: “Appalachian Prison Book Project Community Wrapping Party. Help us wrap books to send to incarcerated people in Appalachia! Wednesday, March 18. 6-8 pm. Ascend WV (1279 University Ave.). Questions? Contact us: AppalachianPBP@gmail.com.

Attention Morgantown, WV folks: Mark your calendars for our March wrapping party! 🎉

Join APBP at Ascend WV on Wed., March 18, to help us send books to people behind bars. Stop by anytime between 6‒8 pm. New and experienced volunteers welcome.

We hope to see you there! ✉️📖📦

Infographic with text: Only 4% of the world’s women and girls live in the United states, but the U.S. confines 25% of the world’s incarcerated women and girls. Source: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/global/women/2025.html

The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate for women in the world.

This #WomensHistoryMonth, we're thinking of all the women locked behind bars, away from their families. They can't get lost in the fight to end mass incarceration.

Thanks to everyone who joined our February community wrapping party! ✉️📖📦 We had a few more than 20 folks there who wrapped six boxes of books and processed a large bundle of new letters.

Our next wrapping party is on Wednesday, March 18. Same time, same place. Hope to see you there! 🎉

See y’all there! 📖

Last week, we held a discussion with Cohort 15 of the WVU Presidential Student Ambassadors. Thanks for talking with us about books, incarceration, education, and community service! 💙💛

And shoutout to our volunteer coordinator, Jordan Pugh, for leading the conversation. 🙌

E-News | WVU expands ‘Inside-Out’ program Undergraduate students are learning alongside incarcerated students at SCI Greene, a maximum-security prison in Pennsylvania, as both groups work toward their degrees through a partnership coordinated...

Some good news from our partner, the WVU Higher Education in Prison Initiative (HEPI), and an update about the impact of education behind bars and HEPI's plans for expansion:

I Took Care of My Friend While Cancer Took Over His Body One man's defiant struggle navigating radiation, chemotherapy, and hospice while trying to secure compassionate release from prison.

"When I realized that this young man of 44 had been given a death sentence, I was overcome with grief. The letter I typed for him highlighted all the treatments and procedures he had been through. It was an appeal for help."

APBP's founder and current education coordinator, @katyohearnryan.bsky.social, wrote about her experience taking a creative writing course and how it changed her perspective as a teacher (of both inside and outside students) and writer.

Read her full essay. 👇

Mail went digital in Alabama prisons. Families say it isn’t being delivered Incarcerated people and their families are raising concerns about long delays, difficulties sending legal documents, and invasions of privacy

“What they’re wanting to do is separate us from our loved ones... They want us to have nothing to do with the outside world."

When prisons ban physical mail, incarcerated folks & their loved ones pay for it – emotionally and financially.

prismreports.org/2026/02/02/d...

“A pink and white graphic with a photo of a book on it. The text reads: “Appalachian Prison Book Project Community Wrapping Party. Help us wrap books to send to incarcerated people in Appalachia! Wednesday, February 18. 6-8 pm. Ascend WV (1279 University Ave.). Questions? Contact us: AppalachianPBP@gmail.com.”

Attention Morgantown, WV folks: Mark your calendars for our February wrapping party!

Join us at Ascend WV on Wed., Feb. 18, to help us send books to incarcerated people in Appalachia. Stop by anytime between 6‒8 pm. New and experienced volunteers welcome.

We hope to see you there! ✉️📖📦

Thank you to everyone for your support and generosity. It’s what makes this work possible! We couldn’t do this without you. ❤️

For the curious, here are some stats from January 2026:

Total books logged: 276
Top state: Virginia (114 books)
Top genre: Reference (31 books)
Book highlight: "How to Open a Sober Living Home" by Caiden Delaney, sent to Jonas in Virginia

Voices from the Inside | Appalachian Prison Book Project People behind bars are often silenced. At APBP, we're here to listen. Visit this page to read quotes and responses directly from incarcerated Appalachians.

See more quotes from people behind bars: appalachianprisonbookproject.org/why-we-do-it...

A blue graphic that looks like a stamp. The text reads: "Reading is my only way out besides my job and again thank you for giving me a chance to get out of my head." - West Virginia

From an incarcerated reader in WV: "I just wanted to thank you for the William Johnstone book. I just started reading it and got to chapter 5 last night. . . Reading is my only way out besides my job and again thank you for giving me a chance to get out of my head." 📖

What Extreme Cold Feels Like in Prison Prison writers from across the U.S. describe how cold their prisons get in the winter — and what small dignities could make it more bearable.

See other stories about how incarcerated folks across the country deal with the bitter, extreme cold:

Alex in Tennessee: "The winters in Tennessee can be bitterly cold. During particularly cold nights, I’d run a hair dryer under the covers. That would help for a short while but I’d have to do it again, and again, and again."

Christopher in Ohio: "During winter days when the sky is dead and gray and tendrils of cold root through my joints, my mood swings widely. At times, I feel tired and depressed, anxious and restless. It doesn’t help that the prison restricts our outside activity."

Lieyleen in Maryland: "I’m originally from Siberia, but I don’t feel comfortable during winter in my Maryland prison."

What Extreme Cold Feels Like in Prison Prison writers from across the U.S. describe how cold their prisons get in the winter — and what small dignities could make it more bearable.

Most of us are preparing for winter weather this weekend. ❄️ People behind bars are doing their best to get ready too.

What’s it like dealing with extreme cold when you’re incarcerated? Here are some highlights from @prisonjournalism.bsky.social’s report. 🧵

Tennessee’s First Prison Pay Raise in at Least 33 Years Isn’t Enough The new salaries are still not enough for us to afford items from the prison commissary.

Tennessee Raises Prison Wages for the First Time in 33 Years

Volunteer | Appalachian Prison Book Project At APBP, we rely on the hard work of our volunteers. Visit this page to learn how you can start volunteering with APBP today.

Spring 2026 volunteer training sessions are live! 🎉 If you've been looking for a sign to start volunteering with APBP, this is it.

Sign up today to grab your spot:

How ‘routine’ strip searches traumatize people in U.S. prisons In my 20 years of incarceration, I’ve been strip-searched at least 500 times. Each was an act of humiliation and sexual violence

In my 20 years of incarceration, I’ve been strip-searched at least 500 times. Each was an act of humiliation and sexual violence. Story via @prismreports.org.

For the curious, here are some stats from December 2025:

Total books logged: 354
Top state: Virginia (175 books)
Top genre: Reference (59 books)
Book highlight: "Amateur Astronomer’s Handbook" by J. B. Sidgwick, sent to Bryan in Virginia

From an incarcerated reader in WV:

"I just wanted to thank you for the William Johnstone book. I just started reading it and got to chapter 5 last night. . . Reading is my only way out besides my job and again thank you for giving me a chance to get out of my head."

Mail book donations to

Appalachian Prison Book Project
c/o Special Requests Team
PO Box 601
Morgantown, WV 26507

Please comment if you can donate so we can check this request off our list!

We have a book request from an incarcerated reader we're trying to fill.

Erick in Maryland wants an English-Hebrew Bible. 📖

Can you help by donating a paperback copy? Mailing info below. 👇

What Are the Holidays Like Behind Bars? Here’s what people inside had to say.

We hope you all have a happy holiday season.

This time of year, we are thinking of our friends behind bars and how they spend the holidays. Here’s a roundup of @prisonjournalism.bsky.social writers sharing a bit about what it’s like:

The Year in Books - Inquest Inquest staff recommendations of not-to-be-missed decarceral books from 2025.

Williams's essay is in 'This Book Is Free and Yours to Keep' by @appalachianpbp.bsky.social @wvupress.bsky.social — recommended by IEMI's Corinne Shanahan in our Year in Books list as "A read for anyone who has ever loved a book."