Prison Library Support Network New FAQs

What are the qualifications for getting involved in the reference project? Do I have to be a librarian? Do I have to live in New York?

If you are interested in helping us with this work, you are qualified! You do not have to be a professional librarian or have an MLIS degree. We need help from volunteers, who respond to our patrons’ letters, and coordinators, who work on administrative tasks. While many PLSN folks live in or around New York City, people volunteer from across the country, and almost 100% of the work can be completed remotely.

Volunteering with PLSN doesn’t require any specialized knowledge. Many of the questions we receive from patrons are easily answered using Google. One coordination team requires access to a printer, but all other coordinating roles can be performed on a computer. You do not need to have answered reference letters in the past to be a coordinator.

I want to volunteer to respond to letters! How can I get involved? What is the time commitment?

We have monthly onboarding meetings where you can be trained to answer reference letters. After you’re trained, you can answer as many or as few letters as you’d like and are able to. Until you are comfortable with the process, we recommend you block out at least two hours per letter for your first few letters. (It may take shorter or longer depending on the difficulty of the question!) We ask that you complete your letter within five days, but this can be adjusted if you find that you need more time.

Prison Library Support Network New FAQs

What are the qualifications for getting involved in the reference project? Do I have to be a librarian? Do I have to live in New York?

If you are interested in helping us with this work, you are qualified! You do not have to be a professional librarian or have an MLIS degree. We need help from volunteers, who respond to our patrons’ letters, and coordinators, who work on administrative tasks. While many PLSN folks live in or around New York City, people volunteer from across the country, and almost 100% of the work can be completed remotely.

Volunteering with PLSN doesn’t require any specialized knowledge. Many of the questions we receive from patrons are easily answered using Google. One coordination team requires access to a printer, but all other coordinating roles can be performed on a computer. You do not need to have answered reference letters in the past to be a coordinator.

I want to volunteer to respond to letters! How can I get involved? What is the time commitment?

We have monthly onboarding meetings where you can be trained to answer reference letters. After you’re trained, you can answer as many or as few letters as you’d like and are able to. Until you are comfortable with the process, we recommend you block out at least two hours per letter for your first few letters. (It may take shorter or longer depending on the difficulty of the question!) We ask that you complete your letter within five days, but this can be adjusted if you find that you need more time.