Introducing the Inside Books Project Sustainer Program!
Looking for a meaningful way to improve prisoner education in Texas year round? Why not consider donating to the Inside Books Project on a monthly basis? For only $5 a month, you can help increase the speed at which prisoners receive the package you just filled! With the click of a mouse, you can safely and securely donate money via Paypal to the Inside Books Project every month through either your bank account or a credit card.
$5 a month means that you will help send at least 120 free books to Texas prisoners every year! Its easy and it will take you less than 5 minutes!
You can now donate directly via PayPal using the links on the left. Choose a onetime donation or hit the "subscribe" button to become an IBP Sustainer!
(Remember to be safe with Paypal! Don't ever give out your password and remember that Paypal will never e-mail you soliciting information! Watch out for Paypal spam!)
Inside Books Project is a project of the Rhizome Collective, which is a registered 501(c)-3.
There are many ways you can help out Inside Books:
- Book Donations
- Interested in Being a Book Donation Drop-off Site?
- Monetary Donations
- Office Supply Donations
- Wish List
Book Donations
The Inside Books Project library is stocked almost entirely by quality book donations we receive from community supporters.
Most commonly requested books include:
- Dictionaries (English, Spanish-English, and Law)
- Thesauri
- Almanacs
- Texas Criminal Law
- Native American / Latino / African and African-American history, politics, culture
- GED or Basic Education Materials
- Foreign Language (Spanish)
- How-to books (art, carpentry, any trades, business, etc.)
- Westerns
- Mythology
- Wicca
- Up-to-date science books, especially math
Please DO NOT donate hardcover fiction, magazines, outdated reference books, outdated textbooks, college course catalogues, encyclopedia sets, travel guides, pornography, or martial arts.
Austin-based Books Beyond Borders does accept textbooks, hardcover fiction, reference books, and martial arts books. Books Beyond Borders funds school building in developing countries. Contact them to arrange for pickup, or just come by 622 Pedernales St. #5 during business hours to drop off books.
You may bring all other books to Ecology Action.
If you would like to donate books to Texas prisoners, bring them to one of these convenient donation drop-off points:
EAST
Rhizome Collective Warehouse
300 Allen Street, Austin, TX 78702
(map link)
The Rhizome Collective is a consensus-based non-hierarchical non-profit organization that operates both a Center for Urban Sustaintability as well as a Center for Community Organizing (home to Inside Books Project, Indymedia, and others).
Bring books by an Inside Books volunteer night.
Cafe Mundi
1704 E 5th Street
Located minutes from Downtown Austin, TX, Cafe Mundi is quietly tucked away from the roar of the city, nestled in a beautiful outdoor garden along the tracks. You can enjoy parrot watching to wonderful local art exhibits, live music to quiet time under the crate myrtles, fantastic coffees and pastries to dynamic daily lunch specials, Wednesday evening poetry to Monday night movies...see for yourself.
An IBP donation drop-box sits on the front porch seating area, just across from the door, providing 24/7 access
NORTH
MonkeyWrench Books
110 North Loop, Austin TX, 78751
(map link)
MonkeyWrench Books is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, collectively owned and operated radical bookstore in North Austin. They provide an extensive collection of radical and hard to find literature and media, and a space for community events. In order to offer a real alternative to the homogeneity of corporate bookstores, MWB stocks books, periodicals, pamphlets and zines from alternative publishers such as AK Press, Autonomedia, Black Rose Books, Common Courage, Seven Stories, International Publishers, Kerr, Monthly Review, South End Press, and Verso.
The IBP donation drop-box is located on the sidewalk in front of the store, offering 24/7 access.
SOUTH
Bouldin Creek Coffee House
1501 S. 1st Street, Austin, TX
(map link)
Bouldin Creek is proud to serve a completely vegetarian menu. Their kitchen opens at 7:30 on weekdays and they offer great specials on weekends! All of their food is made from scratch and from their own recipes. Of course they have the full beverage selection you'd expect of South Austin's premiere coffeeshop.
The IBP donation drop-box can be found near the bike rack in front parking lot, allowing for 24/7 access.
CENTRAL
12th Street Books
827 W. 12th Street, Austin, TX 78701
(map link)
12th Street Books is a general used and out-of-print bookshop founded in 1991. It is one of the last full-service used bookshops in the city and will continue to offer inviting surroundings to draw serious readers from all over the country.
IBP donations should be brought inside the store, which is open Mon - Sat 12pm - 6pm.
If you are making a very large book donation, please contact us first to make arrangements.
Monetary Donations
We fund our project in many different ways. We host benefit concerts, art shows, and other fundraisers, however, private contributions are absolutely essential to ensuring that the books we package make it to the people who need them. Your contributions are always accepted and every dollar counts. Even just $2 makes it possible for one person to receive up to 4 books. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please mail it and make checks payable to:
Inside Books Project
c/o 12th Street Books
827 W. 12th Street
Austin, TX 78701
Office Supply Donations
On average, the Inside Books Project corresponds with over 700 prisoners a month. From envelopes to packing tape to stamps, the need for office supplies is great. Donations of office supplies are always appreciated. Here is a list of items we always need:
- Clear packing tape
- Envelopes (most commonly used are 9"x12" and 10"x13" manila)
- Markers! Particularly black Sharpies
- Postage stamps
- Lifetime supply of paperback dictionaries
- Printer ink (hp27 or hp58)Copier ink (___) -->
- A new(ish) working copier
- Copy hook-ups
- Interns!
