New jersey launches new library system for state prisons

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Corrections has partnered with national non-profit Freedom Reads to install 37 Freedom Libraries in two state correctional facilities, part of a broader initiative to expand access to literature for incarcerated individuals.

The new libraries—10 at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility and 27 at Northern State Prison—were announced Tuesday and mark a significant expansion of Freedom Reads’ efforts, which now include 478 libraries across 48 prisons in 12 states.

“We gratefully acknowledge Freedom Reads for their generous donation,” said NJ DOC Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn. “The Freedom Library collections are more than books and resources. They are agents for transformation and possess the power to empower individuals.”

Each Freedom Library contains a curated collection of contemporary and classic works, including The Odyssey and Invisible Man, selected with input from authors, educators, and readers. The initiative is intended to promote personal growth, critical thinking, and rehabilitation within prison walls.

Inside Literary Prize events expand inmate engagement

In addition to the library openings, Freedom Reads hosted Inside Literary Prize events at both Edna Mahan and Northern State. The prize, now in its second year, is the first U.S. literary award judged exclusively by incarcerated people. Twenty-five incarcerated readers in New Jersey are among those voting for the 2025 prize.

Judges are evaluating four shortlisted books: Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, This Other Eden by Paul Harding, On a Woman’s Madness by Astrid Roemer, and Blackouts by Justin Torres. The winner will be announced in July.

As part of the events, Freedom Reads Founder Reginald Dwayne Betts read from his new poetry collection Doggerel at Edna Mahan. At Northern State Prison, Caits Meissner, editor of The Sentences that Create Us, joined an author event to engage incarcerated readers.

“In collaboration with the leadership of the New Jersey Department of Corrections… we tried to remind those Inside that their voices, their opinions, their lives matter,” said Betts.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.