OLYMPIA, Wash.-The Institutional Library Services program is in need of resources and donations this holiday season.
As part of the Washington State Library, the Institutional Library Services program provides resources to correctional facilities, patients in adult psychiatric hospitals and youth in juvenile detention facilities.
“The ILS branch libraries are a vital and vibrant part of the psychiatric hospitals, prisons, and juvenile detention centers where they are located,” said Institutional Librarian Anna Nash.
ILS strives to provide a welcoming, neutral place where informational, educational and recreational needs are met and individuals can benefit from diverse reading and audio materials, emphasizing reentry, self-improvement, self-paced learning and digital literacy, according to a press release on the program from the Washington Secretary of State’s Office.
Facilities across the state have put together resources and literature wish lists this holiday season, which are available online, with donation prices starting at $4.99.
“Our patrons’ hunger for books is insatiable,” Nash said, “and support from community members not only helps us meet those needs, but it also communicates to our patrons that they have not been forgotten.”
ILS also has several job openings around the state for qualified candidates with library experience, a full list of openings is available through the Secretary of State’s Office.
