OPEEP is thrilled to report some very exciting news regarding access to JSTOR for incarcerated learners in Ohio! JSTOR, a "premier research database available in most colleges and universities in the United States, more than 3,000 secondary schools, and thousands of higher education institutions throughout the world," provides students with access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, and primary sources across 75 disciplines. Stacy Lyn Burnett, JSTOR Access in Prison Manager, shared the following update on November 21st, 2022:
"Today, every incarcerated person in Ohio prisons now has access to JSTOR. Any person taking college coursework inside Ohio prisons now has the same access to academic research as a college student on a traditional campus. Thanks to grant funding from Mellon, JSTOR Access in Prison is – and will remain - free for incarcerated people, higher education programs operating inside correctional facilities, and departments of correction."
Incarcerated students in Ohio will now have the opportunity to conduct independent academic research commensurate with the learning opportunities offered on traditional college campuses. This will not only allow for students to develop critical research and information literacy skills, thus increasing access to higher education in Ohio prisons overall; but will also provide a crucial piece of practical support as OPEEP builds an embedded degree program in the coming years.
The JSTOR Access in Prison initiative is part of ITHAKA, a nonprofit organization "with a mission to improve access to knowledge and education for people around the world." Burnett serves as Manager of the JSTOR Access in Prison initiative, and invites anyone with questions to reach out to her via e-mail. To learn more, watch this video for a brief overview of the initiative, or see below for further resources about the initiative and access to higher education in prison more broadly:
- More information about JSTOR Access in Prison
- Student Debt Info Sheet
- Webinar - Student Debt Cancellation For Incarcerated People (Thursday, December 15, 2022 from 3PM-4PM EST)
- JSTOR Higher Education in Prison Newsletter/Update Site
