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Monday 7:30pm - 9:30pm Sunday 2pm - 5pm

NYC Books through Bars

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NYC Books through Bars

Books Through Bars sends free books to people in prisons across the country. We mail book packages to individuals rather than prison libraries.

We work using books donated by local community members & publishers, volunteer labor, and postage money raised at fundraisers and via donations. Our book collection is donated by members of the community. Because we manage to get by in donated space, with donated books, donated packing materials, and volunteer labor, our only expense is postage. To meet this much-needed expense, we hold fundraiser

s and look for other opportunities for receiving funds. We are a group of activists, librarians and archivists, editors, students, office workers, teachers, authors, and other book lovers, and we welcome you to come to a packing session whenever you can make it, for however long you like. Travelers passing through town are more than welcome, too. Members of the Books Through Bars collective have different beliefs about the American prison system. Some of us are abolitionists, and some are pro-prison-reform. But all of us are startled and angered by how difficult it is for people to access decent educational reading material on the inside. We believe literacy and access to reading material is a human right. Our books, we are often told, enjoy wide circulation among those inside. Our recipients tell us that the books we send are cherished and greatly improve their quality of life. Moreover, we strive to connect incarcerated people to radical literature—prisons intentionally preclude access to such resources. Many of the people who write to us request books on indigenous resistance and history, q***r and trans sexuality, feminism, and more.

07/06/2026

Inside Books Project volunteers have sent used books to Texas inmates for nearly 30 years. A new crackdown is threatening their work.

07/05/2026

https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

Freebird book drive for NYC Books Through Bars

While NYC Books Through Bars operating out of Freebird's basement is currently limiting in-person volunteering and drop offs due to COVID-19, book requests continue to pour in from prisons around the country: nearly 300 per week. In response to the challenges of accepting those donations during the pandemic, we have started a monthly program in which specific, in-demand titles can be purchased through Freebird at a discount.

June 2026 picks for NYC Books Through Bars
Celebrating their 30th anniversary!
Pride Month/BTB 30th anniversary bundle
$30.00

Freebird's June 2026 picks include a variety of LGBTQ+ titles, including works of fiction (genre and literary), memoirs, humor, history, and even adult coloring books-- $30 for three copies that will be sent to incarcerated readers nationwide.

Please note that when Square processes your order they describe it as a "digital delivery". That does not refer to way the books will be delivered to incarcerated readers. Your purchase will go towards NYC Books Through Bars fulfilling requests with physical copies of the aforementioned titles.
Shop

After a few months off from promoting book bundles (the last almanac campaign yielded 500 copies!), we are back to help Books Through Bars mark their 30th anniversary and their remarkable efforts to provide the incarcerated with reading material--against a backdrop ever more stringent restrictions.*

Celebrate Pride Month AND Books Through Bars's 30th anniversary with a selection of LGBTQ-related titles: $30 for three books
For June 2026 we reprise our Pride promotion with a variety pack of LGBTQ+ related titles. Your $30 will allow us to purchase three copies from a list narrowed down by Books Through Bars, including works of fiction (genre and literary), memoirs, humor, history, and even adult coloring books.

*Each purchased bundle will be delivered directly to Books Through Bars so that they can fulfill requests from incarcerated readers. If you wish to purchase one of these titles for yourself, you can go to https://bookshop.org/shop/FreebirdBooks.

PLEASE NOTE that the books purchased through Freebird are ones that will be delivered directly to Books Through Bars so that they can fulfill requests from incarcerated readers.

Looking for a book for yourself? Check out our page at Bookshop.org, including lists of recommended reads from Piper Kerman, Victoria Law, Albert Woodfox, Victor LaValle, Mat Johnson, and others!

Want to give a gift card? Freebird has e-gift cards available here for your birthday and holiday needs (and to redeem for future book drives)!

To get updates on future selections, subscribe to Freebird's newsletter

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06/29/2026

https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

June 2026 Books Through Bars' Pride Month book drive
2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Books Through Bars NYC, and while we will celebrate that milestone throughout the rest of the year, we return with our book bundle program to help support their mission. For $30 (aptly for 30 years!) we will purchase a variety of LGBTBQ+ titles.

Please help us stock up on LGBTQ+ titles in their anniversary year.
$30 purchases an assortment of three titles*
Order at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

After a few months off from promoting book bundles (the last almanac campaign yielded 500 copies!), we are back to mark our 30th anniversary and efforts to provide the incarcerated with reading material--against a backdrop ever more stringent restrictions.
For June 2026 we reprise our Pride promotion with a variety pack of LGBTQ+ related titles. Your $30 will allow us to purchase three copies from a list narrowed down, including works of fiction (genre and literary), memoirs, humor, history, and even adult coloring books.
While donations of used books in this category continue to be dropped off at the store (and please keep them coming), prisons are establishing higher thresholds for the condition and wear-and-tear of the copies. These unstained, undog-eared editions will help guarantee their delivery to incarcerated readers.

Over 25,000 books to date purchased on behalf of NYC Books Through Bars
Since Freebird Books began this drive in June of 2020 in reaction to the COVID-19 quarantine (which shut down volunteer sessions and in-person drop offs at the store), NYC Books Through Bars has been able to keep up with the steady demand from incarcerated readers across the country. Between 200 and 300 packages per week are typically sent out.
This monthly program helps fulfill requests in categories we might be understocked in at a given time. Your generosity has helped us collect books for incarcerated, including 5,000 works on social and criminal justice, history, and ethnic studies, 3,500 novels, 2,000 graphic fiction and manga books, 2,500 dictionaries, 1,500 art appreciation and instruction guides, and now 2,000 almanacs.

Order the bundle at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

06/20/2026

https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

June 2026 Books Through Bars' Pride Month book drive
2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Books Through Bars NYC, and while we will celebrate that milestone throughout the rest of the year, we return with our book bundle program to help support their mission. For $30 (aptly for 30 years!) we will purchase a variety of LGBTBQ+ titles.

Please help us stock up on LGBTQ+ titles in their anniversary year.
$30 purchases an assortment of three titles*

Order at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

After a few months off from promoting book bundles (the last almanac campaign yielded 500 copies!), we are back to mark our 30th anniversary and efforts to provide the incarcerated with reading material--against a backdrop ever more stringent restrictions.
For June 2026 we reprise our Pride promotion with a variety pack of LGBTQ+ related titles. Your $30 will allow us to purchase three copies from a list narrowed down, including works of fiction (genre and literary), memoirs, humor, history, and even adult coloring books.
While donations of used books in this category continue to be dropped off at the store (and please keep them coming), prisons are establishing higher thresholds for the condition and wear-and-tear of the copies. These unstained, undog-eared editions will help guarantee their delivery to incarcerated readers.

Over 25,000 books to date purchased on behalf of NYC Books Through Bars
Since Freebird Books began this drive in June of 2020 in reaction to the COVID-19 quarantine (which shut down volunteer sessions and in-person drop offs at the store), NYC Books Through Bars has been able to keep up with the steady demand from incarcerated readers across the country. Between 200 and 300 packages per week are typically sent out.
This monthly program helps fulfill requests in categories we might be understocked in at a given time. Your generosity has helped us collect books for incarcerated, including 5,000 works on social and criminal justice, history, and ethnic studies, 3,500 novels, 2,000 graphic fiction and manga books, 2,500 dictionaries, 1,500 art appreciation and instruction guides, and now 2,000 almanacs.

Order the bundle at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

06/18/2026

https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

The NYC Books Through Bars Bundle is BACK!!!!

June 2026 Books Through Bars' Pride Month book drive
2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Books Through Bars NYC, and while we will celebrate that milestone throughout the rest of the year, we return with our book bundle program to help support their mission. For $30 (aptly for 30 years!) we will purchase a variety of LGBTBQ+ titles.

Please help us stock up on LGBTQ+ titles in their anniversary year.
$30 purchases an assortment of three titles*

Order at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

We will send these books to people in prison and jail who write us asking for reading material.

06/15/2026

https://www.freebirdbooks.com/home/buy-nowcelebrate-pride-month-and-books-through-barss-30th-anniversary-with-a-selection-of-lgbtq-related-titles-30-for-three-books #/

Celebrate Pride Month AND Books Through Bars's 30th anniversary with a selection of LGBTQ-related titles: $30 for three books
6/1/2026

Picture
After a few months off from promoting book bundles (the last almanac campaign yielded 500 copies!), we are back to help Books Through Bars mark their 30th anniversary and their remarkable efforts to provide the incarcerated with reading material--against a backdrop ever more stringent restrictions.

June 2026 we reprise our Pride promotion with a variety pack of LGBTQ+ related titles. Your $30 will allow us to purchase three copies from a list narrowed down by Books Through Bars, including works of fiction (genre and literary), memoirs, humor, history, and even adult coloring books.

Order the bundle at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

06/11/2026

After a few months off from promoting book bundles (the last almanac campaign yielded 500 copies!), we are back to help Books Through Bars mark their 30th anniversary and their remarkable efforts to provide the incarcerated with reading material--against a backdrop ever more stringent restrictions.

Order at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

June 2026 we reprise our Pride promotion with a variety pack of LGBTQ+ related titles. Your $30 will allow us to purchase three copies from a list narrowed down by Books Through Bars, including works of fiction (genre and literary), memoirs, humor, history, and even adult coloring books.

06/09/2026

The NYC Books Through Bars Bundle is BACK!!!!

June 2026 Books Through Bars' Pride Month book drive. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Books Through Bars NYC, and while we will celebrate that milestone throughout the rest of the year, we return with our book bundle program to help support their mission. For $30 (aptly for 30 years!) we will purchase a variety of LGBTBQ+ titles.

Please help us stock up on LGBTQ+ titles in their anniversary year.
$30 purchases an assortment of three titles*

Order at freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

06/06/2026

https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

The NYC Books Through Bars Bundle is BACK!!!!

June 2026 Books Through Bars' Pride Month book drive
2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Books Through Bars NYC, and while we will celebrate that milestone throughout the rest of the year, we return with our book bundle program to help support their mission. For $30 (aptly for 30 years!) we will purchase a variety of LGBTBQ+ titles.

Please help us stock up on LGBTQ+ titles in their anniversary year.
$30 purchases an assortment of three titles*
Order at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

We will send these books to people in prison and jail who write us asking for reading material.

06/05/2026

Over 25,000 books to date purchased on behalf of NYC Books Through Bars

Since Freebird Books began this drive in June of 2020 in reaction to the COVID-19 quarantine (which shut down volunteer sessions and in-person drop offs at the store), NYC Books Through Bars has been able to keep up with the steady demand from incarcerated readers across the country. Between 200 and 300 packages per week are typically sent out.

This monthly program helps fulfill requests in categories we might be understocked in at a given time. Your generosity has helped us collect books for incarcerated, including 5,000 works on social and criminal justice, history, and ethnic studies, 3,500 novels, 2,000 graphic fiction and manga books, 2,500 dictionaries, 1,500 art appreciation and instruction guides, and now 2,000 almanacs.

Order the bundle at https://www.freebirdbooks.com/shop.html

Address

123 Columbia Street
Brooklyn, NY
11231****PLEASEDONOTSENDMAIL,PARCELDELIVERY,ETCTOTHISADDRESS.SEEWEBSITEFORDETAIL

Opening Hours

Monday	7:30pm - 9:30pm
Sunday	2pm - 5pm

Website

http://www.booksthroughbarsnyc.org/

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