An estimated 70,000 Oregon children have a parent in custody, with a disproportionate number being youth of color and youth in poverty. Visiting an incarcerated parent can also be uncomfortable for the child, and correctional facilities often lack the resources and training to support the child’s needs. The Book Is a Bridge program helps adults in custody more fully participate in their child’s literacy development, while also building the skills they need to succeed after incarceration.

The library employed a multi-tiered approach for literacy success: offering monthly classes for parents in custody to learn strategies to support their child’s literacy development through reading and other activities; improved lobby and family-visit areas that include age-appropriate, linguistically and culturally diverse reading materials and play activities for visiting children; one-on-one tutoring for adults with low literacy; and workshops about using the library for when they transition out of custody.

In total, 110 adults in custody attended early childhood literacy classes, and 96% reported learning new information about helping their children get ready to learn. Families of adults in custody reported their children are more comfortable and engaged during visits. For adults in custody, the program is helping them to build strong family ties and learn how to access information and job resources that can lead to lower recidivism rates.