NCJ Number
133724
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 53 Issue: 7 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 188-190,192
Date Published
1991
Length
4 pages
Annotation
One of the main differences between public and correctional libraries is the variety of ways in which inmates try to manipulate and intimidate prison librarians for their own purposes.
Abstract
While the main requirement to being a good correctional librarian is to love librarianship, the professional must also be able to handle personal threats and threats to the institution. In one type of "game," inmates try to convince the librarian that they share a special bond which transcends the prison's petty rules and regulations; the inexperienced librarian may be tempted to do small favors for the inmate. Sometimes, several inmates may decide to intimidate a librarian through physical aggression or threats of litigation. Inmates may try to use guilt to win special dispensation from the prison librarian. Another way in which inmates may try manipulation is through the romantic pursuit of the librarian. Inmates often try to impress the librarian in order to garner favors; they may proclaim their innocence to sympathetic librarians or attempt to quash library development plans by planting seeds of self-doubt. Another technique used in an inmate's quest for power is the technique of manipulating staff members against each other by spreading or inventing rumors. While these games may interfere with daily prison library operations, they are probably inherent to the nature of correctional librarianship.