Donate books
Book 'Em accepts most non-fiction books and quality fiction. We accept paperbacks, hardbacks, new, and used books. (Due to prison restrictions, however, paperbacks are accepted by more facilities.)
If you have a question about the books we accept, please email us at bookem(at)indypgh(dot)org or call us at (412) 361-3022. Below is information on the books we need the most.
Our number one request is for dictionaries. We accept any type of dictionary, hardback, paperback, used, or new. However, prisoners prefer English dictionaries which contain 40,000 or more words. We are also in constant need of thesauruses and Spanish-English dictionaries. We also welcome all foreign language dictionaries, legal and medical dictionaries, and single volume encyclopedias.
The majority of prisoners in the US are African American, Latina/o, and/or Native American. Many of these prisoners develop an interest in learning about their people and are hungry for any resources they can find. We are in constant need of books on:
- African American history, politics, and culture
- African history, politics, and culture
- Black fiction & memoir
- Native American history, politics, and culture
- Latin American history, politics, and culture
- Works by Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, George Jackson, bell hooks, Carter G. Woodson, Leonard Peltier, and Nelson Mandela are frequently requested.
Legal support. We are in constant need of books and pamphlets on general legal advice, legal terminology, courtroom procedure, criminal law, appeals, etc. Paperback books in this category are especially needed.
Many other prisoners are interested in learning a wide variety of how-to subjects. Some prisoners use learning about various topics simply as a diversion, others who have hope for release are interested in learning skills they can take with them to the outside. We accept most nonfiction, but the following subjects are most frequently requested:
- Yoga and exercise
- How to draw
- How to open a small business
- How to publish your writing, or Writer's Market books
- Real Estate
- Technical how-to, such as welding, carpentry, auto repair, electrical wiring, and plumbing
- Books on cars, motorcycles, planes, and trains
Many prisoners have a passion for studying history and politics. We get plenty of donations of traditional European history. However, we need more:
- Ancient History (especially Egypt)
- Progressive/radical politics (especially case stories & histories of social movements, past & present)
- World & US history told from diverse perspectives (for example, a People's History of the United States, history of colonialism in Brazil, history of the civil rights movement, history of indigenous people in Oceania, etc)
- Almanacs & books of facts (paperback preferred)
Language learning. Some prisoners are trying to teach themselves or a fellow inmate how to read and/or speak English. Some prisoners are immigrants and others were failed by the school system. Still other prisoners are interested in learning a variety of world languages. We accept dual-language dictionaries, foreign language dictionaries, textbooks, grammar books, and books in foreign languages, of any language, but especially the following:
- Learning English
- American Sign Language
- Learning Spanish
- Asian, African, and Middle Eastern languages such as Arabic, Swahili, Thai, and Japanese
- Picture books & children's books of all levels in English or any language
General self-help. If you have a self-help book you think is actually helpful, please donate it. bell hooks and other African American writers are especially needed in this category. Topics include healing from abuse, anger management, health, conflict resolution, inspirational stories, stress management, relationships, overcoming addiction, and more.
Games. Chess is huge in prisons. We accept any chess books ranging from the most basic how-to to the most advanced strategy book. Sudoku and crossword puzzle books are also popular.
Fiction. Please pick over your fiction books before you dump off a truckload. Science fiction and fantasy books are popular, but before you bring them to us, think to yourself: would a science fiction/fantasy buff enjoy this book? If the answer is yes, please donate it. If not, please find somewhere else to send it. This litmus test applies to other genres of fiction as well: mysteries, thrillers, graphic novels, comic books, romance, classics, historical fiction. Westerns are hugely popular in prisons, so we will accept any donations of westerns as long as they are not racist.
Large print books from any genre are welcome.
We welcome your magazine donations in any of the above subjects.
You can bring book donations to the Thomas Merton Center, 5125 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15224 Monday-Friday 10am-5pm or Sundays 3-8pm. Your donation is 100% tax deductible, so please ask for a receipt if you'd like one. Also, please take a moment to fill out our donor form so that we can send you a thank you note!