Presented in September 2012 to Books 2 Prisoners volunteer librarians to further explore the genres of Urban Fiction and Manga prior to placing numerous books from a grant into circulation. End of presentation focuses on how statistics will be tracked in the jail B2P's jail libraries.

1. Urban Fiction Collection

2. Let’s Get EXCITED!!!
What is your
favorite
thing about
Urban
Fiction?

3. Who are our patrons?

4. And specific data to Illinois…

5. Background on Urban Fiction
 Donald Goine - Father of Urban Lit
 High school dropout, no interest in writing until
later in life (1971-1974 = 16 novels), died at 37 in
1974
 Dopefiend
 “There’s no doubt about Goine’s ability to turn people
with limited formal education into readers.”
 Vickie Stringer – Queen of Urban Lit
 Wrote 2 novels in prison
 Rejected from 26 publishers, 6 figure advance from
Simon and Schuster
 Triple Crown Publications
 Published over 1 million copies of books
 5 are still writing from inside of prisons

6. Why do readers enjoy Urban Fiction?
Positive Features
 Black characters  Cautionary tales:
negative consequences of
 Themes of power, characters choices
control, and agency  Reader is able to create a
 Readers use as a way to greater understanding of
negotiate an empowered the roles that they have
played on the streets
subject position  Readers identify with
 Spirit of resistance to position of author
dominant white power  Non-readers find a
structures relatable genre

7. I read Urban Fiction because…
Though I have spent most of my earlier years reading mystery novels
written for the European culture I couldn’t relate to the characters. They
didn’t look like me, talk like me or love how I love. I can’t relate to their
affluence and worry free lifestyles. For that reason I am drawn to the work
of Black writers who depict everyday struggle, love and triumphs exactly
the way I see them.
I have finally found a genre that not only represents the daily grind
of a true urbanite but a list of authors who have penned my thoughts.
-Urban Fiction News Blog

8. Patrons’ Voices from the
Satellite Jail
First I want to say thank you for sharing your time with me (us).
I really appreciate it.
I write [Urban Fiction] because it takes me away from the
environment I be in (prison) and it really frees my mind. I write
fiction because you can write about anything and no one can say
you’re wrong.
- P. Taylor, August 2012

9. Reading About Crime & Violence
 Testimonial dialogue with protagonist
 “complex interrelationships between subjective and
social/structural forms of injury, violence, agency, and
healing”
 Gain knowledge and validation of self, tool for sharing testimony
with others, cultivate notion of justice as relational responsibility,
dialogue only with protagonist (control, fewer fears when relating)
 Coming to terms with committing a crime
 Reader can switch roles of being the perpetrator or subject of
violence
 Many prisoners wait to participate in counseling

10. Manga 101
 Translation = whimsical pictures
 maw-nnn-gah vs. main-gah
 Why readers enjoy Manga
 Strong themes
 Defending friends, fighting for what they believe in, trying to be
the best at what they love
 Main character is always the hero
 Rich & involved story telling
 Improving vocabulary
 Visuals provide support, though reading level is
compared to chapter books
 Visuals can provide cues to meanings of words

11. Reading Manga
 Read book
backwards
& from
left to right

12. We have our books… now what?
 Prepare books for circulation
 Train librarians for tracking circulation statistics of
purchased books statistics
 Bring books and statistics folders into the libraries
 Fill out the Purchased Books Project Worksheet
weekly
 Worksheets will be collected & replaced weekly
 Follow-up meeting 3 ½+ months after start of
tracking statistics
 The ½+ month allows for worksheets and information to be
put together into a report.

13. Preparing Books for Circulation (1 of 2)
 Advantages:
 Paperbacks will last longer
 School librarians swear by this method
 Can place our stickers underneath the contact paper

14. Preparing Books for Circulation (2 of 2)
 Add our insert about
the program
& ask for patrons to
return their books

15. Purchased Book Project Worksheet
 Making it as painless as possible If you have
 Checkmark at check-in and check-out
questions,
please write
 ONLY if time permits – describe damages them in the
 Worksheet kept in transport box “notes”
section!
 Librarians will not need to enter data!
 Weekly stats provide:
 Lifespan of book
 Traditionally tracked by
number of reads
 Average circulation periods

16. TIME
FOR
FEEDBACK!
Please share:
1. What you like
2. What we can do improve the project
After we have shared, we will choose our top most do-able
improvements to work on!