​Following October's campaign (collecting 480 books!) that spotlighted the arbitrary nature of censorship in our prisons and schools, we do something out of the ordinary in our monthly book drive. Rather than mix and match with titles and categories, we want to bring awareness to a singular work: the humble English dictionary. The most requested item from incarcerated readers, Books Through Bars can never quite keep enough on the shelves. Especially editions that are current, comprehensive, and reflect language and usage today. The intrinsic value of a dictionary can't be stressed enough. For those incarcerated, it is a window into the outside world and a way to navigate a criminal justice system that purposefully obfuscates through legalese. Language is power. Though we have included other paperback dictionaries in the past, they were woefully dated. Usage changes, new terminology is coined. With the 2022 Merriam-Webster Dictionary (75,000 definitions, 8,000 usage examples, 100 new words), Books Through Bars NYC finally can send copies that are consistent in quality.

Because we are going for quantity on this occasion (in addition to that quality), we are charging $50 this month. We will return to the $30 for three books the following month, so thank you for your ongoing generosity!