In March, Librarians Jayma Zook and Melody Kinnamon delivered 10 boxes of new books to Johnson County’s Juvenile Detention Center. This addition of new titles updates and expands an existing collection available to JDC residents.
“[Teen Services Coordinating Librarian] Kate McNair worked so hard some years ago to secure grants to build this collection at the Juvenile Detention Center,” Kinnamon said. “But grants aren’t always available, so we needed a more sustainable plan for keeping this collection current.”
Starting this year, the Library has set aside a portion of the Incarcerated Services Committee’s budget to obtain new titles and refresh old copies of popular books. This will allow the Library to maintain this collection just like it would at any other branch.
“This is one of the best examples of JCL Values in practice. The Library recognizes that this underserved, at-risk population needs equitable access to books to support and enrich their lives and they’ve made it a priority,” Kinnamon said.
Youth Services Librarian Jayma Zook took on the task of selecting books for this collection. The items purchased were chosen for broad appeal but also to fulfill the specific needs of the teens at the JDC.
“Jayma used her skills as a YS Librarian to make sure the collection was diverse and inclusive, and also had different formats and reading levels. She made sure there were some graphic novels and some easy-to-read titles,” Kinnamon said. “She did a great job.”