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Prison Library Campaign
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Submitted by Nepal Library on Sun, 08/07/2022 - 00:00
Nepal Library Foundation strongly believes prisons should have facilities where prisoners can educate themselves and learn new skills. Upon their release, the knowledge and skill acquired in the prison will help them to rehabilitate into the society with honour and dignity. Until now, except a few libraries in prisons in western Nepal established about three years ago (NLF was involved in the establishment), Nepal’s prisons did not have libraries. Cognizant of this, about six months ago, the NLF Nepal started a campaign to establish libraries in all district level prisons in Nepal. The prisoners are consulted to decide the genera of books they would like have in the library. Generally, the library holdings consist of books on various skill development; Nepal and world history; general knowledge and so on. Besides providing books, NLF also trains the prison staff /prisoners in library management and in setting up a Book Club, where the inmates meet periodically to discuss books they have read. Nepal’s Local Government’s officials and prison officials have been very helpful in executing the project.
The project is financed by the community associations of Non-Resident Nepalis who hail from the particular district where the prison is located or individuals interested in prison library. Each project costs about NRs. 500,000. To date, libraries have been established in prisons in Udaypur, Baglung and Dolakha. NLF is presently working with NRNs seeking funds for Mygdi; Parbat; Kaski and Sarlahi.
