Prison Library Role and Service: the Penitentiary University Center of Florence Case Study

Prison organizations strongly influence the activities of prison libraries as a whole. These are not always freely accessible to prisoners. Internet access is often lacking. The Penitentiary University Center of the University of Florence at the Dogaia prison (Prato) has adopted a participatory approach, starting from the information needs of the communities of prisoners, and tackling the difficulties of reconciling library services, based on freedom of use and maximum accessibility, with the constraints imposed by the prison. Some innovative initiatives are described and objectives and activities planned for the future are discussed.