Prisoner publications creator Sara Falconer, former prison librarian Michelle De Agostini and prison support worker Pam discuss prisoners' struggles to access and write books behind bars.
A conversation with local writer and prisoner publications creator Sara Falconer, former prison librarian and university library manager Michelle De Agostini, and prisoner support worker Pam. Sara discusses her experience working with political prisoners across North America to produce and edit publications authored by prisoners. Michelle discusses her experience running a prison library and the state of prison library policy in Canada. Pam discusses their experience working with local prisoners and as the Project Lead for Disability Justice Network of Ontario's Prison Project.
The 45-minute conversation is followed by a 15-minute question and answer period.
Check out the HPL catalogue to borrow Rattling The Cages: Oral Histories of North American Political Prisoners, featuring an introduction written by Falconer.
Check out De Agostini's article, Locked Up Libraries: A Critique of Canadian Prison Library Policy in the Journal of Radical Librarianship.
Check out Disability Justice Network of Ontario's Prison Project website for their research and advocacy work.
Falconer is a writer, editor and digital strategist who works with nonprofits. She has created publications with prisoners since 2001.
De Agostini is a library worker who worked at the Edmonton Institution, a federal, maximum-security prison for men from 2019-2021. During that time, De Agostini also helped to run programs in prisons, including a creative writing workshop for people housed at the New Edmonton Remand Centre (Canada's largest prison) and a book club program for people housed at the Edmonton Institution.
Pam (they/them) is queer, brain-injured, bilingual (Spanish-English), of Peruvian and Chilean-Italian ancestry, and Disability Justice Network of Ontario's Prison Project Lead coordinating the prisoner support phone lines. They're a former outreach and advocacy worker with chronically houseless folx who are between prisons, hospitals, and streets/shelters. Pam is passionate about Indigenous sovereignty, community care, and harm reduction. They also have a Master of Social Work with experience in research, therapy, and disability justice.
AGE GROUP: | Older Adults | Adults (18+) |
EVENT TYPE: | Literary | Arts & Culture |
TAGS: | Literature | Books | Author Visit | Author Events |
The first Hamilton Public Library building opened on September 16, 1890 by the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen on the north side of Main Street West. In 1913, a new main library opened. This building was replaced in 1980 by Central Library, at the current location on York Boulevard.
In 2010, Central Library re-opened after approximately 18 months of renovations. Central Library opened with a newly revitalized first floor, which includes a Community Living Room that takes advantage of natural light. The Ontario Library Association honoured Central in 2012 with an Architectural and Design Transformation award.
