LEO Club Organizes Book Drive for Bureau County Jail
by Allison Ryan-News Tribune
December 12, 2007
Students provide productive
gift for inmates
By Allison Ryan
svreporter@newstrib.com
There’s not much to read in Bureau County Jail, Sheriff John
Thompson said. He estimated the jail library — one cart on wheels —
currently holds about 50 books, and the inmates, who spend up to
364 days in the jail, don’t always take good care of their reading
materials.
Tia Messino noticed a similar situation on a tour of La Salle County Jail last year. That’s why Messino, a senior at Hall High School and the president of the school’s Leos club, suggested the club organize a book drive for the jail. “You don’t have anything else constructive to do with your time,” Messino said. She said rather than collecting bad influences, people waiting in jail could use the opportunity to learn things they wouldn’t otherwise.
And so, in September the Leo's Club posted fliers asking for paperbacks with no staples, paper clips, tacks or other sharp objects and no writing on the pages. Students and teachers at the school have been donating books- mostly fiction, Messino said, though she hopes for more edifying donations as the book drive goes on. "My goal is to get more educational books, as well as some self-help books because I think those would be helpful." Messino said.
Content is one of Thompson's considerations in determining which books will be accepted in the library. He and his staff will screen for books that are "appropriate" for inmates. "There are a lot of books that will only serve to frustrate detainees," Thompson said, "Appropriate" material, he said, would include "anything that is contained in a school system."
"We always encourage spiritual, uplifting material," Thompson said, Most donations to the library come from individuals or church groups, and he appreciated the club's effort. "My fondest appreciation to the young men and women at the high school who have taken the holiday season to hear and done this," Thompson said.
Messino is also proud of the work the club and the school have done. "We have quite a few books," Messino said. Included in the donations is a collection of "Star Trek" books she picked up at a garage sale. Students planned to make their first delivery of about 230 books last week and continue the book drive throughout the school year.
