A foreign librarian lands in prison

Let's face it. I needed more money. As a foreign librarian without an ALA accredited MLS, my income from my public library job just couldn't cut it. I went to prison because they had flexible hours and needed someone to provide library services.

So from 6-10pm, 2 evenings each week, I pushed a cart of books to the cells of recently sentenced prisoners who were waiting placement to a state prison.

It was the first time I encountered prisoners
It was the first time I encountered correctional officers
It was the first time I encountered transvestites
It was the first time I thought about prisoners and their needs for information.
It was the first time I was exposed to the prison environment with its vagaries and rigidities, and the absolute power dished out by those who held keys to open doors.

Was it difficult to eventually leave my public library job and go work full time in prison? Let's talk about me and the prisoners first. Next blog.