Prison library in Germany honored

A small, closed-to-the-public library at a prison in Munster has received the national Library of the Year award in Germany. The award carries a prize of 30,000 euro ($43,000). The library offers a collection of works in 30 languages to serve prisoners from 50 different countries.

The large library room is filled with bookcases that reach nearly to the ceiling, according to an article by Francisca Zecher published on the Deutsche Welle website. The walls and ceiling are painted with green leaves reminiscent of the ivy that grows along the prison walls outside. "One could almost forget that one is in a prison if it weren't for the bars on the windows and the grates over the lights," writes Zecher.

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