Libraries Bring Free e-Resources to Incarcerated Patrons

***BEFORE YOU REGISTER FOR THIS ON-DEMAND WEBINAR PLEASE REVIEW IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION BELOW***In 2022, San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) partnered with hoopla Digital to bring electronic books and media to people in San Francisco's county jails. Incarcerated patrons can now use free tablets to borrow free e-books, audiobooks, music, movies, and TV shows. This removes financial barriers, standing in stark contrast to the expensive tablets available to incarcerated people elsewhere. Free tablets with free content allow incarcerated patrons to access public library e-resources just as patrons do on the outside. This partnership between the public library, the sheriff's office, grassroots community groups, and hoopla is the foundation for a national model for bringing e-resources into jails and prisons. During this webinar, staff from SFPL and hoopla Digital will share models for initiating partnerships with local jails and prisons that can lead to digital library access in the future.

Recorded live on August 12, 2025.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:

• Understand the limited, expensive model usually followed when e-resources are offered to incarcerated people;
• Recognize first steps to bringing free e-resources to incarcerated patrons in their community; and
• Develop strategies to advocate for making public library e-resources freely available at their local jails and prisons.

Who Should Attend

This on-demand webinar is intended for all public library staff and interested students.

Panelists

Rachel Kinnon (she/her) has been the jail and reentry services manager at San Francisco Public Library since 2017. Prior to that, she received her MLIS from San Jose State University and worked as SFPL’s librarian at the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center for ten years. She is co-principal investigator for the Mellon Foundation-funded project, Expanding Information Access for Incarcerated People. Rachel is committed to ensuring incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people experience their public library as a welcoming resource during reentry and beyond.

Amanda Ulrich (she/her) is a senior account executive at hoopla Digital with nearly ten years of experience supporting public libraries. In her role, she learns about libraries’ needs and strives to provide creative workflow solutions for digital products to enhance the library staff and patron experience. When Amanda isn’t talking with libraries, she is spending time with her two children, listening to romance audiobooks, and tending to her indoor plants.

Important Registration Information

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Accommodations

This on-demand webinar is closed captioned in English (United States).

If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your access to this on-demand webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) prior to registering so we can attempt to provide appropriate accommodations.

Tech Requirements

To play this on-demand webinar you should use a browser with native HTML5 support. Please use the most up-to-date version available of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Edge. A fast Internet connection and computer is recommended.

Contact

This webinar is presented by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

If you have questions or problems accessing a recording, send a message to plawebinars@ala.org or call 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).