Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Building Libraries, Building Futures

Posted on 09/18/2025

The New Jersey Department of Corrections partnered with Freedom Reads to bring 37 new libraries into state correctional facilities. Ten were created inside living units at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility (EMCF) and another 27 were placed throughout Northern State Prison (NSP). The addition of Freedom Libraries in New Jersey highlights how small but intentional changes can influence the culture inside correctional institutions.

Incarcerated persons at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility and Northern State Prison also took part in the Freedom Reads Literary Prize. Each year, incarcerated readers across the country help select the winner from a short list of contemporary works. By placing this responsibility in the hands of incarcerated readers, the prize highlights the power of books to spark dialogue and affirm that every voice has value.

Books provide more than just access to information. Books encourage thought and imagination and reading can spark curiosity for incarcerated persons preparing to reenter their communities. Freedom Reads has installed hundreds of libraries across the country. Each collection is curated with titles in history, poetry, and fiction, chosen to inspire and offer new perspectives.