Books Thru Bars of Ithaca is a nonprofit organization that works to get quality reading materials into the hands of incarcerated individuals. Their mission is to support individuals inside correctional facilities by providing access to learning materials and a wide variety of books to improve literacy. Books Thru Bars of Ithaca actively reads mailed requests from incarcerated individuals and strives to provide individuals with the materials they seek out. Volunteers may package and mail books to correctional facilities based on requests or available stock. Community members provide gently used books for incarcerated individuals, and Books Thru Bars of Ithaca works hard to use donated or recycled items whenever possible. The organization believes that cultivating literacy is a key part of personal development and contributes to the reduction in recidivism rates.