I've a son who resides in a state penitentiary in Arkansas. For months now the administration has been banning the entry of books from online book stores. To begin with it was places like Amazon books that were not allowed to be sent in. With no formal notice hundreds of books were denied being placed with those " gifted " the books. 

I was told by a Warden the reason this was happening was that someone sent their loved one a book from an Amazon Little Rock hub that they were allowed to touch and spray K2 drugs on every page and then have it sent to the loved one. The book was checked upon arrival and found to be " laced " and refused.So Warden Griffin told me that no more books could come in from Amazon, only online book stores. but she had no list to give me.

Now ALL books ordered from Amazon and any other number of Online Book Stores not on an approved list will be refused. No pre-approval needed. No review. No notes sent to family or to the reciepient of that book order. You won't know if that book store is on the banned list, only they are referring to the online Stores as being on an approved list, the usage of Banned Book stores is not allowed due to laws, of banning books.

I was told today that you can send from Books-A-Million, you can go in the store and have them mail your loved one a book from this book store. When I said...Hypothetically, I can go in and hold a book in that book store and spray it with drugs, mail it in and my loved one will get it ? The answer was yes ... most likely .

I have spent money on books since January this year and not one has gotten through to my son, with no explanation other than to be refused due to the stores I am using online are NOT on the approved list. Book Stores I have used for years, are now banned from being used. All books need to be new and from a store front store that they approve. 

Religious material and books must go through a Chaplain and on an approved list. Bibles are on review. Sunday school material for classes are under review as are other religious material. Under review by Prison authority. 

It makes no sense and until America stands up for its less fortunate its going to be this way. Not all people whom are in prison are bad people. They've done bad things, yes, but to take Books away, to with-hold religious material and refuse books from stores they claim are lacing books with drugs is insanity. 

We are taught in school that reading is essential, that it takes us to places in our minds that we couldn't always go physically. Incarcerated individuals need books to get through their days.

They are now given Tablets where they have to buy shows, movies and even reading material from a place that the prisons get kick back to for pushing on the inmates. Then when they want to punish the inmates they turn the tablet off and the phone service goes too. It's about control. They cannot control a Book, they can control technology and electronics. 

I am asking that you sign this petition to show your support for reading, and for Books. As a Photography business I am not even allowed to send in photos, nor can I send in photos from Amazon or a print shop anymore, it goes to the tablet and I have to spend more money sending in to that tablet than I would have if from a vendor in the " free " world. It's about control and greed. 

Please sign this petition. 

Thank you,

Anna Ayres