Prison Libraries the Scandinavian Way: An Overview of the Development and Operation of Prison Library Services

Economic and organizational structures are important factors that affect how, and to what extent, prisoners receive satisfactory library services. In the Scandinavian countries, the services offered are largely dependent on existing national policy. In Norway, changes in the organization and financing of prison library services over the past thirty years have led to improved service. During these years, there have also been changes to public library services, largely as the result of new technology. Such changes pose challenges to government authorities at all levels, as well as to individual prison libraries, in regard to what services should encompass and how they are provided. The development in Norway in the area of prison libraries and the challenges these libraries face are presented and compared with the prison library situation in the neighboring countries of Sweden and Denmark. The main emphasis is placed on national policy and organization, with particular focus on the positive developments of recent years in Norway.