Freedom Reads Returns to Missouri to Open 27 Freedom Libraries Across Two Prisons

Freedom Reads, a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to literature in prisons, announced today the opening of 27 Freedom Libraries across two Missouri correctional facilities last week. The openings mark Freedom Reads' second return to Missouri and its commitment to ensuring that incarcerated people across the country have access to the transformative power of literature.

Fourteen Freedom Libraries were installed at Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (ERDCC), with an additional 13 opening at Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center (FRDC).

Each library, built by formerly incarcerated men, features a carefully curated collection of titles spanning poetry, fiction, history, and memoir. Placed directly in cellblocks, the libraries invite spontaneous engagement and ensure that literature is within reach for every reader.

“We’re grateful to Freedom Reads for this donation. A gift of books is a gift of knowledge,” said Missouri Department of Corrections Director Trevor Foley. “While physical and digital libraries are available to Missourians in our facilities, we know that by placing these Freedom Libraries directly inside housing units, we’re not only making reading and discovery more accessible but also creating spaces for reflection, growth and connection."

Freedom Reads is committed to promoting generosity, redemption, and dignity and believes that literature can help everyone imagine new possibilities. For those Inside, these aren't just new libraries but a chance to see themselves differently and to discover the joy and hope that books can bring.