The Diary of A Rikers Island Library Worker Provides a Rare Look Inside Rikers Island
See images here.
Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Public Library’s Medar de La Cruz, who provides library books to persons who are incarcerated, has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary. A talented illustrator, the Prize Committee said his black and white images “humanize the prisoners and staff through their hunger for books.”
In addition to his work as an artist, de La Cruz is an integral part of Brooklyn Public Library’s Justice Initiatives program, providing library services to persons who are incarcerated on Rikers Island. His illustrations, drawn from memory after returning home, were published in The New Yorker in May of 2023. Because photos are not allowed on Rikers Island, the illustrations give witness to the people behind bars and the importance of books while incarcerated.
“All I hope for is that this prize can make even the slightest of difference in highlighting the services that libraries provide in our city, especially during a time when our libraries are facing immense budget cuts. I also hope that people who read this article will become more aware of the types of conditions the incarcerated folks of Rikers Island endure. I’m very grateful for my colleagues who go to Rikers on a regular basis to provide library services to people that are deprived of nearly every sense of humane treatment. I dedicate this to you and to all librarians,” said de la Cruz.
De la Cruz is a graduate of the ArtCenter College of Design. He teaches visual communications at community workshops in New York City. He is working on a graphic novel about his experiences on Rikers Island. More of his work can be seen here.
Brooklyn Public Library’s Justice Initiatives program provides services to incarcerated New Yorkers and their families including library service in prisons and the award-winning Telestory, which allows family members to visit with a loved one who is incarcerated from a safe and private space inside the library. In addition, the Welcome Home series provides one-to-one support with the Library’s trained re-entry navigators and monthly dinners for previously incarcerated patrons.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. Providing innovative library service for over 125 years, we support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We are a global leader in the fight for the freedom to read through our Books Unbanned initiative, offering teens across the US access to the library’s online catalog. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.