Access to the library

Earlier this year we wrote a column about time out of cell and the impact that staffing shortages were having on regimes in some prisons. An evident knock-on effect of this which we get regular reports of is difficulty gaining access to the library.

The Prison Rules (1999) states that ‘a library shall be provided in every prison and, subject to any directions of the Secretary of State, every prisoner shall be allowed to have library books and to exchange them.’

Libraries are important to prisoners for a number of reasons. Reading can be a fulfilling and productive way for people to spend their time. Improving literacy is recognised as an important step in rehabilitation. Some prisoners also need access to the library to support education courses or to work on legal cases or to access information about prisons law.

As with time in the open air and access to showers, there are minimum entitlements which the prison must adhere to when it comes to library access. These are referenced in PSI 02/2015 Prison Library Service. You should be able to access the library weekly and for a minimum duration of thirty minutes. When this might happen is down to local arrangements, but it is up to the prison to allocate enough staff to make sure this is possible – it is not the responsibility of library staff to make sure you can get there.

Some prisoners may not be able to visit the library due to being located in hospital wings or in segregation. However, the PSI mandates that a service should still be provided so that if you are in this situation you can still at least borrow and exchange materials. This service should be provided at least as often as if you were able to visit the library. The guidance also says that consideration should be given to prisoners working full time and prisoners on ROTL who are unable to access the library during the normal working day.

The range of materials available in the library should take into account the nature and requirements of the population of people in that prison. This should include giving consideration to the provision of materials in a range of languages and print sizes and to the provision of audio or visual material for those who need them.

There is a Mandatory Publication List contained in Annex D of the instruction. This states that ‘prisoners should have access to information about their rights and obligations under the prison regime and to legal materials which may be relevant to any legal proceedings they are involved in or wish to pursue’.  You must therefore be able to access any current Prison Service Instruction (PSIs) or Prison Service Order (PSOs) other than those which are restricted, and relevant sections of a reasonable length should be provided on request – though a reasonable charge can be made for printing or copying. The guidance recommends that the Human Rights Act 1998 and European Convention on Human Rights, the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are also available. For other legal matters the library should contain a copy of Archbold’s Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice, and The Civil Procedure Rules as well as other legal resources.

Further to this, according to Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, individuals must be afforded enough time and facilities to prepare their defence. The PSI recognises this by stating that accessibility may be more frequent and for longer duration for prisoners wishing to research legal issues. Priority should also be given to inter-library loan requests made by prisoners for the purpose of pursuing legal cases.

You can contact the Prison Reform Trust’s advice team at FREEPOST ND6125 London EC1B 1PN. Our free information line is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 3.30-5.30. The number is 0808 802 0060 and does not need to be put on your pin.