Books Through Bars Philly
booksthroughbars.bsky.social
Books Through Bars Philly
@booksthroughbars.bsky.social
We are a books to prisoners project located in West Philly! ❤️📚
Come volunteer with us!
📍4722 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143

https://linktr.ee/btbphilly
Join us for a packathon on MLK day! Anyone who has attended a volunteer orientation is welcome! If you haven’t, sign up on our website to start volunteering with us!
January 3, 2026 at 7:23 PM
2025 was a record breaking year for us! We filled over 10,000 book requests! And we’re not slowing down! We need volunteers to help us catch up on our backlog of letters. If you have already attended a volunteer orientation, join us during our regular drop in hours Mondays and Thursdays 6:30-8:30!
January 2, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Reposted by Books Through Bars Philly
We played Mindustry so much we dreamed about it, and now — after a ban last summer — we miss it.
This Game Captured Minds in Prison. Then It Disappeared.
The video game Mindustry makes people think about logistics and strategy. It helped people grow in one federal prison. Then it was taken away.
prisonjournalismproject.org
December 29, 2025 at 11:05 PM
BOOKS ON STONKS PLS 🙌
December 30, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Reposted by Books Through Bars Philly
How I found my Korean prison dad. He needed help navigating incarceration. I needed a father.
Happiness, Healing and Hot Jook: How I Found My Korean Prison Dad
Destiny intervenes in an Illinois prison and an incarcerated Korean man finds his prison dad to heal his wounded soul.
prisonjournalismproject.org
December 27, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Reposted by Books Through Bars Philly
You can do a lot locally with a dedicated group of 15 to 40 people. Regular people should be thinking at that scale rather than at the scale of thousands.
December 27, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Happy holidays! We need books about wild animals, do you have any lying around to donate?
December 27, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Do you have books to spare about Islam? We get many requests like this, especially for books in Arabic! Help us fulfill these requests! Donations are greatly appreciated!
We are entirely volunteer-run and donation-based!
December 22, 2025 at 10:38 PM
2025 has been a year full of serendipitous connections for us here at Books Through Bars. Read our newsletter to learn about the highlights here; tr.ee/B3xgaBMoJN

And consider giving to help us sustain our work for many years to come! booksthroughbars.org/donate
December 2, 2025 at 11:12 PM
We have posted many testimonies at this point; this week we are sharing something that hits a little harder. Please use discretion reading this week’s story. We have shared it to demonstrate how books to prisoners projects like our own can be lifesaving.
November 11, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Reposted by Books Through Bars Philly
Yes we have a new zine for people who are interested: www.librariesforthepeople.org/resources#fo...
November 11, 2025 at 12:01 AM
We are proud to be partnering with Fruits of the Family Table again for their annual care package drive! We're collecting items for their donation list; drop by during our regular volunteer sessions (on Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30-8:30) to contribute!
November 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
We are super excited to share that we were featured on Good Day Uncut with Hank Flynn on Fox 29 last week!! Watch it here! www.fox29.com/video/1731463
November 4, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Join us this weekend at Kingsessing Library and Making Worlds Bookstore for our final two teach-ins this season! Register here; forms.gle/mkwG4hYq7o7E...
October 28, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Prison Banned Books week starts next week and we're celebrating by hosting teach-ins throughout West Philly!

Join us this weekend! We'll be at Walnut Street West Library on Saturday and in the Books Through Bars Space on Sunday! Register here; forms.gle/grRPqoM5rA9s...
October 15, 2025 at 6:20 PM
We are absolutely blown away by everyone’s generosity! If you bought books from our registry last week, thank you so much! We’re receiving nearly 200 books - which will all be sent to people in prison. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you! ❤️📚
October 13, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Last chance to double your impact! Saturday, October 11th is the last day to buy books from our registry for us to have your impact doubled! Buy books here; bookshop.org/wishlists/c8...
October 11, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Help us get the books we need and maximize your impact! Today and tomorrow bookshop.org is hosting an anti-prime day event with free shipping on all orders. All books bought for us from our registry this week will be matched up to $1000.
October 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Now through Saturday, buy books from our wishlist and your donation will be matched in dollars! bookshop.org/wishlists/c8...

Check out one of our events later this month too! forms.gle/vmD8Vq7dz8bz...
October 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
This year’s Prison Banned Books Week is October 19th-25th! As part of this, Books Through Bars is hosting a series of teach-ins! You’ll learn about the books to prisoners movement and the challenges we face, and you’ll have an opportunity to experience one part of our volunteer process!
October 2, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Volunteer or donate today to help us provide the gift of books to people in prison!
September 30, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Last weekend, Books Through Bars went to the Philadelphia Public Library’s Civics Fair! This was our third time going to this event, we enjoyed meeting everyone there!
September 19, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Lions and tigers and Bears, oh my! We need books about animals (with the exception of books about dogs and cats). If you have any to spare contact us at [email protected]
Go Birds!
September 16, 2025 at 6:41 PM
September 15, 2025 at 11:16 PM
September 8, 2025 at 10:29 PM