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Officials in both the State Department of Corrections and the individual institutions recognized immediately the value of the library in the rehabilitation process and entered into a joint financing agreement with the State Library. Since state funds are not presently available, the officials and the inmates themselves have approved the use of the Inmates' Welfare Fund for the projects.

Following the plan found to be successful in the parish demonstration libraries, the State Library is administering these libraries as pilot programs for two years. At the end of that time the Department of Corrections will assume the responsibility for full financing and administration, with the State Library giving advice and assistance on a continuing basis.

The books and other library materials for each project are carefully selected to meet the needs of the residents and to correlate with the education, rehabilitation and recreation programs of the institutions. The wide range of reading interests as well as reading levels are given special attention. There is a good selection of paperbacks and current magazines on a wide variety of subjects. The paperbacks, available on a "Borrow one, Return one" basis, are especially popular.

The initial success of the program can be attributed in large measure to the enthusiasm and real dedication of the librarians. They have shown an interest and concern for the welfare of these men and women, who somehow have gone wrong, and a desire to help the inmates use the library to improve their lives. Though the libraries are similar, each has been adapted to the institution and the inmates served. Each librarian has been asked to describe some of the unique features of his program.

LCIS LIBRARY

(By Robert Ivy, Librarian, Louisiana Correctional and Industrial School) The response and enthusiasm to the library and its service since it opened its doors to some 470 trainees has been gratifying. In the words of one trainee "When you enter, it's like being in a free world. There's an atmosphere of tranquility."

After browsing for a while, another young man noted, "The advantages are great! You can get just about all the education you want!"

Two Great Books discussion groups with approximately 12 trainees in each section have been active for 7 months. Each group meets twice monthly for 2 hours. The purpose of the program is to provide the trainees with a life-long program of liberal self-education through reading and discussion. The program is designed to teach members to think constructively and express themselves.

The library also sponsors monthly film discussion sessions in which some 20 to 25 trainees participate. A trainee "leader" chairs discussions following the viewing of a film or films selected by a committee made up of trainees.

Trainees state that they have become more observant and aware since participating in the film and book discussion groups. They feel that these two new educational and rehabilitative methods have given them the opportunity to express themselves freely and the opportunity to "disagree agreeably."

Other activities include a library orientation program on an individual basis for new trainees, recommended reading lists, tours and a reading program in which State Library reading certificates are awarded. Fifteen trainees were presented reading certificates in an impressive presentation ceremony held in the library during National Book Week.

Three trainees assist in operating the library, each having a specific job assignment such as maintaining the circulation desk, shelving books, checking in periodicals and newspapers and assisting in interlibrary loan service. There is also opportunity to work together in carrying out some duties.

The carpeted and airconditioned library is furnished with shelving, tables, desks, office and work room counters made in the carpentry shops at LCIS. The trainees, in contributing their own special talents in the planning of the library, felt that they were a part of it long before its doors were officially opened.

The library program is actively stimulating interest and concern on the part of both staff members and trainees. One of the trainees summed up the two-year demonstration program this way: "A library is like the value of a dollar. You have to learn the value of a dollar before you can make it work for you. Well, the same thing applies to the library. After you learn what it has to offer, you can begin to gain from it."

READING AT ANGOLA

(By Jim Johnson, Librarian, Louisiana State Penitentiary)

After more than one and one-half years of service, the library at the Louisiana State Penitentiary can now begin to answer the question of whether the service was necessary. Based upon the circulation statistics for the period April 1968 to October 1969, the service was indeed long overdue. A total of 45,969 books were circulated during this period.

Prison records throughout the country reveal a number of case histories when men have educated themselves in prison. Self-education is possible at Angola, too, because of the amount of time available for reading. After working hours, the men are free to pursue whatever leisure time activity they enjoy, within the scope of the institution's rules. Reading occupies a good portion of this time for many inmates. After the evening meal, it is either television or books. Thus it can be seen that enough time is available to begin a reading habit, which hopefully will continue in post-institutional life.

At the Louisiana State Penitentiary, fiction accounts for approximately 35 percent of all books circulated. Since Angola is a "closed" society, the popular authors maintain their popularity long after it has waned on the outside. Particular books are in demand long after they have ceased to be popular “on the streets" (inmates terminology meaning the free world), because the prison market cannot be saturated by paperbacks and movies.

Popular areas of fiction are ones with lots of action: mysteries, science fiction, western and historical fiction by authors such as Zane Grey, Jack Schaffer, Isaac Asimov, Andre Norton, Ian Fleming, Earl Stanley Gardner and Frank Yerby.

In addition to being male-oriented, these works are very easy to read, permitting the less-than-adequately prepared reader to enjoy them. Prisons are notorious for having a large percentage of their populations illiterate or nearly so, and Angola is no exception.

Adventure and excitement are very important in nonfiction reading at Angola. History, especially when it concerns World War II, is exceedingly popular. Because of the numerous motion pictures and television shows about World War II, the men bring a large amount of knowledge to their reading. Inmates are interested in adventurous wartime activities about frogmen, pilots and paratroopers. This type of reading allows the reader a release from the everyday tensions of prison life.

American history has not been as popular as general world history, all through the Civil War and the expansion of the westward territories have captured the fascination of many.

Many library patrons are armchair travelers and can tell you all about Piccadilly or the Kremlin without ever having been farther than their public library. This is also true of Angola patrons. Latin America is a popular area of reading. Interest in the TIME-LIFE series is high.

Since the penitentiary's population is entirely male, it is understandable that books about sports are favored by many and include both how-to-books and books about particular teams, heroes and general sports.

Sports serve as an excellent leisure time activity, allowing men to enjoy themselves while keeping physically fit. Angola has a wider-ranging recreational schedule, and the library's books on sports complement this program.

Art is another means of recreational expression at Angola where many artists use the library's art collection.

Games, such as chess and bridge, are also popular, and clubs have been organized to play these games. Again the library's collection aids the players in their strategy.

Sociologically speaking, a prison can be called an artificial society with its inhabitants coming from various subcultures. Many of the men are aware of certain social shortcomings, and for this reason the social sciences are read rather extensively.

Negro history holds a commanding lead in circulation within the social sciences. The prison community at Angola is approximately 60 per cent Negro, and the Negro inmate, just as his brother on the outside, is feeling the same pains of a social awakening; therefore, there is constant demand for books which relate to the Negro.

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The inmate is practically cut off from society, and he must have something to make him realize that the end of the world is not at hand. The suffering of the inmates is slight compared to that which some of history's famous, and sometimes tragic, figures have endured. By reading biographies of some of these men, the inmate can gain the knowledge that he has not sunk to the nadir of existence, that there is still something to be realized from life.

Poetry seems to hold a wide fascination among the inmate population. Anthologies containing the works of many poets, rather than those of one particular bard, are especially appealing. The greatest use is made in volumes on love poetry, possibly indicating the insecurity of the men. Some of these poems find their way into the letters which the men write home to their loved ones.

Popularized accounts of the pure sciences, particularly those of Isaac Asimov, have been popular. Biology and its allied sciences have been read more than any others, with mathematics following a close second.

The applied sciences are well represented in the library by books on automobile mechanics, carpentry, welding and electronics. All of these subjects are taught at the vocational school at Angola.

Alcoholism and narcotic addiction are two illnesses which frequently send men to prison. In an effort to better understand their problems, the alcoholics and the addicts have formed organizations to discuss ways of combating their problems. They read extensively and view films in an effort to better understand what it is all about.

Psychology is a field which interests many inmates. They are constantly trying to understand what makes them tick and have discovered that the library is the place to begin exploration.

The writings of Billy Graham and Norman Vincent Peale comprise the bulk of religious reading. Stories from the Bible and popularizations of the life of Christ and of His disciples are also valuable. The more philosophic theological tracts are not read as much.

The requests are as varied as the backgrounds of the men, making selection of materials a challenging experience.

A NEW LIBRARY AT THE WOMEN'S PENITENTIARY

(By Lois le Blanc, Librarian, Women's Penitentiary at St. Gabriel) A bright yellow bookmobile filled with new books is a popular place at the Women's Penitentiary at St. Gabriel. During library hours, many women can be seen on their way to the used bookmobile which was renovated and installed to house the library because of limited physical facilities at the prison. The unit is secured on concrete supports. The motor and driving controls were removed, and storage cabinets, a card catalog, magazine display shelves and a dictionary shelf were built. Colorful curtains of gold and yellow, a carpet of gold and red, and new paneling make the library cheerful and comfortable. An air-conditioning and heating unit was installed in the rear window.

A metal canopy attached to the "immobile bookmobile" covers the area between the library and the building housing the prison's ceramics shop, garment factory, classrooms and dining hall. A sidewalk was recently built here. A folding table and bright canvas chairs provide reading and browsing space. Here the women read the latest newspapers from Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport, and pore over magazines. The buildings at the prison are light green so the sunshiny yellow library and the colorful canopy and chairs provide a bright spot on the prison landscape.

The majority of the women at St. Gabriel are Negroes, and most of them are under 35 years of age. The average educational level is eighth grade. These women have a wide range of interests and come to the library for facts and information on a variety of subjects.

One group meets to discuss and study ontology (the science of being), and the library fills requests for information for them. There is usually a special Christmas program staged by the women. Several came to the library to get material to plan this event. Ideas for inexpensive Christmas gifts were supplied from the library's collection to readers interested in making small gifts and items to sell.

Many readers want books on religion and the Bible. One woman reads all she can find about Che Guevara. Another is interested in Louisiana history and especially in the folklore of the state.

One woman looked through the library copy of Good Reading and launched her own planned reading program. Her selections include Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Martin Buber, Shakespeare, Francis Bacon and many others.

Witchcraft is a popular subject with many readers. They have enjoyed Petry's Tituba of Salem Village and Tallant's Voodoo in New Orleans and are always requesting more on this subject.

Many of the women studying for high school diplomas read to supplement their textbooks. Vocational information is available on a variety of occupations. Books on beauty culture are most in demand. Materials on drugs and alcoholism are provided to support rehabilitative programs. Many books on crafts, needlework and art are in the collection. The books on ceramics are popular with the women who work in the prison's ceramics shop.

The most generally asked for items are books by and about Negroes. The library provides personal experiences of Negroes, Negro history, commentaries on current social changes and ideas about the future of the Negro. Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, and Lerone Bennett are popular authors at St. Gabriel.

Other subjects in demand are philosophy, psychology, jazz, poetry and written experiences of other prison inmates, especially Bill Sands' The Seventh Step and My Shadow Ran Fast.

Special requests for books and information from the State Library have included the following: yoga, ontology, Hinduism, famous opera houses, Chinese paperfolding, how to stop smoking, and hotel and restaurant management.

The library is open Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. until dark when the women must return to the dormitories. Saturday hours are 2 to 5 p.m. Mrs. Frances Peltier, library assistant, is in the library for most of these hours. She is very enthusiastic about library work and has a good knowledge of books, although she has no formal library education. She is sincerely interested in people and her relationship with the women at St. Gabriel is a major factor in the success of the library there. Mrs. Peltier has become a good friend to many of the women and many times when one is leaving the prison, she will come by to tell Mrs. Peltier good bye. At these times one hears comments about how much the library has meant to an inmate. One person said that reading library books had made her time at St. Gabriel seem shorter and more pleasant. Several have said they would keep up the reading they started in prison by becoming library patrons in places where they will be living. One girl, who had been paroled the day before, came to tell Mrs. Peltier good bye and said she had told the parole board and Colonel Sowers, head of the Department of Corrections, that the library at St. Gabriel has been "the best thing that ever happened to me. The library has received the full support and cooperation of the prison staff. Matrons and other personnel often stop in to borrow books. Loss of books and damage to them has been very slight. Overdue books are usually easily recovered by posting notices in the dining hall. One reader has become the library "scout"; she tracks down borrowers of overdue books.

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Plans for the future include the development of a record collection and the organization of a regular film forum.

That the readers are appreciative of this new library is apparent from this quote by an inmate in the prison newspaper: "A small library just opening up might not seem like much to the rest of Louisiana, but it is something that we have never had here, and because of this, we appreciate it much more than most people would a great new building filled with all imaginable books."

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Present Position:

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA OF ALEXANDER P. ALLAIN

Attorney at Law, in active private practice, P. O. Box 329, Jeanerette, Louisiana, and Member, St. Mary Parish Library Board of Trustees, 1953 to date.

Previous Experience:

Career has been as an attorney in private practice. However, see Library Activities, Professional Activities and Military Service, below.

Professional Activities:

Junior Member of Legislative Committee, Louisiana State Law Institute; Member, Iberia Parish Bar Association; Member State Bar Association; Assistant Examiner, Bar Admissions, Louisiana State Bar Association (by appointment of the Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana).

Library Activities:

Vice Chairman and Chairman, Louisiana Library Trustee Section, 1963– 65; Council of Louisiana Library Trustees, 1963; Member, Legislative Committee, and Chairman, Intellectual Freedom Committee, Louisiana Library Association, 1965-; Chairman, American Library Trustee Association Library Freedom Committee, 1963-65; Louisiana Library Development Steering Committee, 1965; Chairman, Louisiana Library Development Committee, 1967–69; ALTA Board, 1967-68; ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, 196671; National Board of National Book Committee, 1968–69; Louisiana Library Modisette Award for Trustees, 1965; American Library Association Trustee Award, 1969; President and Chairman of the Board, Freedom to Read Foundation, 1969-70.

Civic Activities:

Scouting-Institutional Rep., K. of C. Council 1425, Troop 16; Member, Executive Board of Evangeline Area Council; Member, Bishops Diocesan Lay Committee on Scouting.

Chamber of Commerce-President, Jeanerette Chamber of Commerce, 1950-52; Member, Board of Directors, Jeanerette C of C., 1952-58; Outstanding Citizen's Award, 1956.

Knights of Columbus-numerous offices and chairmanships, including Grand Knight of Council 1425, 1938 to date.

Rotary--1946-50.

Publications:

"Trustees and Censorship" in The Library Trustee: A Practical Guidebook; Virginia G. Young, ed. (New York, 1964).

"The Trustee and Censorship" in The Library Trustee: A Practical Guidebook; co-authored with Ervin Gaines; Virginia G. Young, ed. (New York, 1969).

"Public Library Governing Bodies and Intellectual Freedom" in Library Trends, July 1970.

Education:

Loyola University, New Orleans, A.B.; Loyola Law School, LL.D., 1942; Retroactive Juris Doctor, 1968.

Military Service:

U.S. Naval Reserve, 1943-46 (full lieutenant); inactive reserve, 1946–61 ; retired reserve, 1961-.

Mr. BRADEMAS. Thank you very much, Mr. Allain.

Mr. Chairman?

Mr. PERKINS. I just want to compliment both the distinguished lady, Mrs. Warden, and the distinguished gentlemen from Franklin, La., for an outstanding statement.

The committee will, I am sure, under the able leadership of John Brademas, waste no time in reporting the bill. We will try to follow your suggestions as closely as possible and get the legislation enacted before Congress adjourns,

Mr. BRADEMAS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Steiger?

Mr. STEIGER. I have no questions.

Mr. BRADEMAS. Mr. Hansen?

Mr. HANSEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman."

I do not have any questions to pose at this time, but I would like to join the chairman of our full committee and our subcommittee chairman in expressing our appreciation to both of you.

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