Portland Books Through Bars

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Portland Books Through Bars Portland Books Through Bars is a volunteer run, donation based organization in Portland, Oregon

https://linktr.ee/pdxbooks

Portland Books Through Bars is an all volunteer collective distributing books free of charge to adults in custody.

Prisons are the largest censors in the United States.Prisons and jails ban more books than all public schools and librar...
10/02/2026

Prisons are the largest censors in the United States.

Prisons and jails ban more books than all public schools and libraries combined.

Prison Banned Books Week is an annual effort to shine a light on this widespread censorship and advocate for the rights of incarcerated and detained people to access literature and express themselves freely.

In partnership with bookstores and orgs that champion free expression, our bi-annual book drive helps us ensure the free access to information and ideas for all.



From October 19 - 25, visit one of our six participating indie bookstores: Always Here Bookstore Belmont Books Midslumber Media Rose City Book Pub Michelle Lewis Charles Hannah Wallace Books

Purchase a paperback book from the bookstore, then ask the booksellers to donate your purchased title to Portland Books Through Bars!

For every book purchased, a financial donation will be matched to support our operations.

Support Indie Bookshops & Fight Book Bans!

Can’t shop in person?
That’s okay, we have online options!

As a nonprofit, we support readers exeperiencing incarceration all around the country!

A few of our bookstore participants and partners will be offering ways for you to support us online, even if you don’t live in Portland.

Thank you to the near 150 of you who joined us for our first ever pancake breakfast fundraiser 🥞You helped us raise over...
09/20/2026

Thank you to the near 150 of you who joined us for our first ever pancake breakfast fundraiser 🥞

You helped us raise over $2,000 which will go directly toward our operations, sending books to our community of readers living their lives behind bars.

We really felt the love, enjoyed swapping books and stores with you, and were so glad to be in community with so many of our volunteers and supporters!

The time for pancakes is now 🥞Check in with our team before digging in, playing yard games, or browsing the book swap!Br...
09/19/2026

The time for pancakes is now 🥞

Check in with our team before digging in, playing yard games, or browsing the book swap!

Breakfast is served from 10am - 12pm 📚

09/16/2026

THIS SATURDAY 🥞

Bring your friends! Bring your family! Bring your community!

Prisons fuel fear, distrust and isolation - the antidote to that is connection, solidarity and care.

Come eat some pancakes, be in community, and learn more about what we do and how you can get involved.

As a grassroots, all-volunteer run organization that provides free books and reading materials to thousands of people behind bars in Oregon and across the country, the money we raise makes a direct difference in people’s lives.

Saturday, Sept 19
10am - 12pm

🥞 Breakfast and refreshments provided in the garden, featuring vegan and gluten free options!
🥞 Yard games and activities for all ages!
🥞 Books books books!

tix available now!!

09/13/2026

You're invited to come eat some pancakes, be in community, and learn more about what we do and how you can get involved!

As a grassroots, all-volunteer run organization that provides free books and reading materials to thousands of people behind bars in Oregon and across the country, the money we raise makes a direct difference in people’s lives.

Your tix include:
- Breakfast and refreshments provided in the Taborspace garden
- Yard games and activities for all ages
- Book swap and free reads donated by local indie bookstores

"My pancake memory is of my late grandpa making piles of flapjacks back in Kentucky," says our librarian Syan.“Everytime...
09/08/2026

"My pancake memory is of my late grandpa making piles of flapjacks back in Kentucky," says our librarian Syan.

“Everytime he made them for us he would bring out the big griddle, all the accumulated bacon grease, and make my siblings & me laugh until we were breathless over the silly faces & animals he could make. After I became vegetarian at 12, his flapjacks were the only meat-adjacent thing I'd still eat because his process was imbued with so much love & joy.”

Join us on Saturday, September 19 for the first annual PDX Books Through Bars Pancake Breakfast at Taborspace !

Tickets to our fund rai ser go to support our weekly operations 📚 Come eat some pancakes, be in community, and learn more about what we do and how you can get involved.

9.19.26
10am - 12pm

Bring your friends! Bring your family! Bring your Community!Prisons fuel fear, distrust and isolation - the antidote to ...
09/01/2026

Bring your friends! Bring your family! Bring your Community!

Prisons fuel fear, distrust and isolation - the antidote to that is connection, solidarity and care.

Come celebrate the end of summer in the Taborspace garden, eat some pancakes, be in community, and learn more about what we do and how you can get involved.

As a grassroots, all-volunteer run organization that provides free books and reading materials to thousands of people behind bars in Oregon and across the country, the money we raise makes a direct difference in people’s lives.

1 ticket = 1 person (adult or child) registered to attend.

Your ticket includes:

Breakfast and refreshments provided in the Taborspace garden with vegan and gluten-free options available

Yard games and activities for all ages

Book swap and free reads donated by local indie bookstores

“There is a big divide in my family over whether buttermilk pancakes are the superior pancake relative to what I would c...
08/28/2026

“There is a big divide in my family over whether buttermilk pancakes are the superior pancake relative to what I would call just a ”regular” pancake," says our board treasurer, Claire. "I don't think the buttermilk makes or breaks the pancake - but my dad and sister would beg to differ.”

We asked some of our volunteers and Board members about what some of their favorite memories, toppings, and even hot takes were about enjoying pancakes as we get ready for our big PANCAKE BREAKFAST!

Favorites:
✅ Marionberry Syrup
✅ Blueberries
✅ Cinnamon Butter

Hot Take: Chocolate chips? BAD.

Well keep sharing some memories leading up to September!

tix available now 🎟️



bit.ly/BTBpancakes

So AI companies are reportedly shredding millions of books after using them to train AI models?And do you know who have ...
08/19/2026

So AI companies are reportedly shredding millions of books after using them to train AI models?

And do you know who have routinely been the test subjects for this technology?

If you guessed your incarcerated community members, you are correct!

We hate generative AI, and we hate the unnecessary scanning and shredding of books and letters as modes of control under the fear mongering claims of substance abuse and smuggling.

Especially when these outrageous claims come for our indie bookstores 😤

Part Two of this conversation will be coming soon: what we can do to combat the adoption of scan & shred.

Address

Portland, OR

Opening Hours

5pm - 7pm

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