The intent of this guide is to provide justice-involved individuals who are incarcerated, or were formerly incarcerated, with starting points that will assist them with their reentry into society. The focus of this guide is to provide resources that may provide assistance to those seeking information on education, training, and employment. These resources are available on a national level, with links to local assistance. Check with your local, county, and state governments, non-profits, and faith-based institutions for additional resources.

The Science, Technology and Business Division often answers correspondence from incarcerated individuals who are interested in finding information related to starting businesses, gaining employment, supporting educational coursework, and pursuing interests involving the exploration of scientific processes. These individuals often lack access to books, computers, and other support in their institutional or home environments that would assist them in locating this information.

Before sending a letter to the Library of Congress requesting information, we recommend that you review our Reference Correspondence Policy, and consult this guide. If you (or someone who can act on your behalf) have access to the Internet, we are able to provide more timely responses through our Ask a Librarian links provided on all pages of this guide and below.

Please note that terminology in historical materials and in Library descriptions does not always match the language preferred by members of the communities depicted, and may include negative stereotypes or words some may consider offensive. The Library includes the historic terminology because it can be important for understanding the context in which the materials were created.