Prison library services in Ireland are inconsistent nationally and provision varies across sites, with a limited number of professional library staff working in the prison sector located primarily within only one geographic area. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA, Ireland) commissioned a review of prison library services in Ireland to examine how library services should operate. A challenge within prison librarianship involves closing the gap between international standards and policies, and the state of provision on the ground. By providing a detailed description of the review methodology, other researchers, policy makers, and practitioners can learn from the experiences and approach taken by this research team. This process of knowledge exchange is intended to assist anyone undertaking a review of library services and will also be of interest to those working in the field of prison librarianship.
A review of prison library services should be an opportunity to bring together stakeholders with differing priorities, to showcase the powerful impact that libraries can have, and to persuade those responsible for libraries within the prison system to give higher priority to library services, and to take seriously the need for consistent provision across prison sites and sufficient access for persons in custody.