I volunteered at Inside Book Project tonight and it was a great experience! IBP is a volunteer led non profit organization that provides free books to people incarcerated in the state of Texas. All of the books provided are free of charge! You read letters for book request, curate a small package of books found in IBPs library and write a letter to send back to each person. This is a really awesome way to provide support to all kinds of humans, who've been through all kinds of challenges. The 30 minute volunteer orientation was thorough and informative! They have volunteer time slots on Sundays and Thursday starting at 6pm! I hope you consider volunteering! I'll definitely be back to volunteer again. read more

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I just started volunteering with IBP and have loved the experience so far! My boyfriend and I found IBP at an event at Meanwhile Brewing Co maybe a month ago and immediately signed up for an orientation training session. IBP is located in East Austin, housed inside of a church (although IBP is NOT a religiously affiliated organization). They have a huge library built on donations from the community. Every Thursday and Sunday evening, volunteers come to read letters from people incarcerated all over Texas, match them with books, and write handwritten letters back to them. It's truly such a wonderful initiative. People who are incarcerated have the opportunity to request books every 2-3 months and get books sent to them completely free of charge. IBP received around 1500 letters requesting books per month, which is so incredible. If you are someone who enjoys volunteering, this is the place for you! If you don't have the time to volunteer, consider donating to IBP! read more

This is an organization you don't come across in every city. It's become my favorite place to volunteer over the years. Inside Books Project is a local nonprofit that sends free books and educational materials to incarcerated individuals in the state of Texas. The organization typically receives over 1,500 letters a month from inmates all over the state. Volunteers read their letters and respond with handwritten messages and a customized package curated to meet the areas of interest specified in their request letters. Since its founding in the late 90s, IBP has sent over half a million free books to Texas inmates. The IBP donation library is housed in a neat little East Austin neighborhood event space and it's where volunteers go on designated evenings and sometimes mornings. The procedure is organized and peaceful and I've met wonderful people in my time doing work there. A volunteer shift usually begins with a brief overview of what the organization does and a summary of various volunteers' tasks. There are stations arranged around the space that make the duties stress-free and easy. The bulk of our time spent browsing the bookshelves trying to locate books that align with requests and then answering letters. We weigh the books and prepare each package, making sure each one is securely sealed, and then we add them to the outgoing shipments pile. It is a unique, rewarding thing that happens here, and it's a privilege to be able to contribute. read more

This is a really cool volunteer opportunity on the east side of Austin that provides free books and educational material to inmates incarcerated in Texas prisons. By donating books or volunteering your time to fill orders, you can help promote reading, literacy, and education in a population of people who don't have a lot of options. Many of these people will get out of prison one day, and it'd be great to give them some knowledge and hope when they do. IBP will accept your old books into their library. They maintain many bookshelves in their warehouse on East 12th Street and use them to fill orders. On Thursday and Sunday nights, their facility is open to any volunteers that want to come in and help them fill book orders. Volunteering at IBP is actually rather interesting work. There is a large stack of letters from prisoners. You pick up a letter, read it and determine what type of book the prisoner wants. Then you go into the bookshelves and find that type of book, package it up, write them a letter back, address it, and put in the mailing bin. A lot of prisoners will request educational material, novels, how-to books, magazines, dictionaries (wtf!? who uses dictionaries any more?), or romance novels (presumably for wank-off material, but I don't judge). What makes it interesting is the correspondence with the prisoners. Sometimes they will include pictures or drawings they've done in prison, or the occasional lonely or crazy one might send a love letter to the previous person who sent them books from IBP. One time, I had a guy request, "Mein Kampf or any white power literature", but I sent him some more enlightened history books instead. :) The crazy ones are few though, and most prisoners just want some educational material or a good book to keep their minds occupied. I'm glad to help. It's a pretty good way to spend a couple hours on a free night. They also don't mind if you bring along snacks or a couple beers as you work. It's a pretty laid back atmosphere, and you feel good about yourself after doing it. I would recommend it. read more

I really love this organization. The work they do is so important, and the letters from inmates prove it. This is a great volunteer experience and you can really feel you're making a difference. BUT, the people who run it are incredibly rude, condescending, and unwelcoming to volunteers and never seem to recognize me, even though I've been here probably a dozen times. Maybe it's just me. I'm sorry that I come here straight from work, in my work clothes, and I'm not a dirty militant vegan. That doesn't mean I don't share an appreciation for what you're doing. Why be rude to your volunteers?? I don't get it. The attitude should be more "thanks for being here" and less "why are you wearing deodorant, yuppie scum?" read more

This is a cool place to volunteer especially if you're a fan of 1) books and 2) writing letters. This is a nonprofit that focuses on sending books to inmates for a variety of reasons I'm sure you can imagine. You get to read an inmate's letter, select books for them based on their requests and your own knowledge of books, and write a letter back to them! It's awesome reading their letters and knowing how much these books mean to them. I remember one letter said, "PS Thank you folks for making our time a little easier." Finding the books is difficult. Being nonprofit and nonpaid, the library is as organized as it can get. There isn't a digital database, but the books are separated into genres. It makes it easy to look for books in broad categories, but when you get a letter that requests one of the 14 favorite authors they list out (seriously, they listed 14!!), and you can't find a single one, it's heartbreaking. It's like finding a needle in a haystack! You can bring non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. Also, there is a sweet dog that roams the building, although she can be a little smelly. If it's your first time, come at 7pm for the orientation where they go over rules and the process. The orientation is the most tiring part of the entire experience because you have to stand for like 30-40 minutes while you listen to one of the staff explain everything. I feel like they could work on their orientations to make it easier on the legs (after all, you're going to be running around looking for books right after) and quicker. You can purchase any of the books on the shelves for a donation of $5. And if you have a lot of books that you don't read anymore, really consider donating to Inside Books Project because they are lacking in some genres since it's requested so often like dictionaries, art books, western novels, mystery and thriller. read more

Love this place. My son's high school requires community service hours at an Austin non-profit organization, and we had heard about this, so we gave it a try. Very friendly, laid back vibe. No commitment - just show up at one of their work nights and work as long as you're able to. The work is interesting, especially if you're a book lover. You can jump right in - you'll get a 5-10 minute orientation & you're ready to go. We go as often as we can and plan on continuing to volunteer there after his community service hours are completed. read more

I was in prison serving ninety-nine when I began writing Angels in the Shadows. I was broke and without support, but I had a good story. I thought I knew how to write, but when I finished the first draft of my novel, it was trash. I rewrote it about half a dozen time before I realized I didn't know enough craft to do a professional job. There I was stuck in a hard spot. I needed books to learn from. I went to the unit library, and I read everything they had that applied. Then I rewrote my novel, and it was still trash. I desperately needed books that would give me the craft I needed. I began writing to Books to Prisoners programs, and one of the most beneficial of them was Inside Books Project. I don't know how, or where, they found some of the books I needed, but almost every time I requested books, they sent me exactly what I needed. Angels in the Shadows was accepted for publication by the first two publishers who read it. It is already on Amazon, available for preorder. The release date is November 17. If not for the help of Inside Books Project and others like them, it wouldn't exist. If you want to get rid of your old books, I can't think of a better place to donate them. Your help could change someone's life. Look at me. Author Joseph Blanche Angels in the Shadows read more

Love what this organization does for inmates in Texas. Volunteering here is a lot of fun and also a breeze. They have everything setup for you so you just need to pull a letter, find some books that match the request, write a letter back and stuff it all in an envelope. Makes a huge difference for those who are in need and sometimes forgotten. Anyone looking for a volunteering opportunity or community service should definitely swing by and rediscover the art of letter writing. read more

Texas leads the nation in incarcerated citizens. Texas doesn't believe prisoners should be paid for their labor. Texas prisons and therefore their commodity are privatized profit. Texas continues, furthers and propagates the ongoing tragic stigma placed on American citizens who make mistakes and are imprisoned, dehumanizing them, revoking their rights and dignity, ignoring that everyone deserves second chances and the circumstances that they battled before being locked up. Inside Books Project does not stand with those views. IBP exercise empathy and compassion through a wonderful non profit effort driven by volunteers who donate books and are willing to write to inmates and flip the bill for the shipping and handling. Take part. Do it. read more

My favorite charity in Austin, nay, the world. These people do good work, helping out people who need it the most. I've spent many evenings stuffing envelopes and mailing packages to prisoners, so I know that just about every dollar the IBP gets goes to their mission, and their mission is essential. I think it means a lot to people who are getting the sharp end of society to know that people haven't forgotten them. If there was one charity that I would advise supporting, it is this one. read more

I had heard about this place, and been serviced by them a very long time ago. Now that we have things like personal computers and Facebook I keep myself connected to things that matter to me. Inside books project provides a very valuable service and I have just this year managed to find some time to go volunteer there and once I was even brave enough to take my three boys with me, they were able to play in the playroom while I was able to fill orders. I really enjoyed it and the time flies by when you are there! Glad to be part of something like this! read more

Inside Books is great. Good people doing good stuff. Don't be intimidated and volunteer!

I am amazed by what this place is able to do given the obvious lack of funding and support. They are able to provide up to 15,000 books per year to Texas prisoners. Many people believe that the prison system needs to be reworked but so few are doing something to solve the problem. Here is a group that actually works to help rehabilitate folks in prison by providing books free of charge to any Texas inmate who asks for it. read more

What a great way to give back! Prisoners are often looked over and the system is debunked. What these volunteers do is truly amazing! I have learned so much about how terrible the prison system is and the lack of human rights these people suffer. Donating a few hours of my free time each week knowing that I am making a (small) difference is quite possibly the greatest feeling a person can ask for. The inmates are always so grateful no matter what they receive and you can almost hear the sincerity in their voice through the letters they send. The staff is so knowledgable and easy to talk to about any questions you have regarding the prison system, how it works, and what we can do to help. The atmosphere is so laid back and easy going it's like you aren't even volunteering. You come and go as you please....stay for an hour or 4. It's great to know that this is a TRUE non-profit organization. They aren't out to make a quick buck. They obviously care about what they do and it shows. I am so grateful to be afforded the opportunity to give my time. read more

I have volunteered here with an organization I am a part of several times, and I definitely plan on continuing to do so. The staff is very chill, helpful, and clear with directions. The building itself is super cozy. It's definitely a great experience. read more

It's amazing what IBP is able to accomplish with its limited resources. They get around 1500 letters from prisoners a month requesting reading material and work tirelessly to address each and every request. The organization is completely volunteer-run and is very welcoming to new folks with an orientation at the beginning of every shift. I started volunteering a few weeks ago and keep coming back! Definitely worth considering volunteering at or donating to! read more

I live in Virginia, but when I visit Austin I volunteer a few hours at Inside Books. A very friendly place, welcoming, with dedicated volunteers. It is very satisfying to see my pile of packaged books grow as the time passes, and I know they are going to people who will treasure them. This is a very worthwhile charity, one that is easy to support. read more

Inside Books Project is a really great organization. It's a great feeling getting to help people better themselves. The most satisfying thing is reading the letters the inmates send and how truly appreciative they are of our services. It's a pretty fun organization. I definitely recommend anyone to go out and volunteer here. read more