Equipping learners with information literacy is essential to supporting their success, but with limited access to educational materials or technology, students in prison often cannot build those key skills.
The JSTOR Access in Prison initiative offers students on the inside online and offline access to JSTOR’s extensive and ever-growing library of peer-reviewed journal articles, scholarly ebooks, and open research reports, granting them research experience commensurate with that of a traditional college.
If you’re interested in bringing JSTOR access to a jail or prison you work with, we’ve outlined the following steps. Schedule a consultation with us to review any questions you may have about the initiative or JSTOR implementation in jails, prisons, or detention centers.
Our mission
We believe that a freely available library of high-quality educational content can counter the growing impact of for-profit education and technology solutions in prison and play a positive role in helping to lower the cost and improve the outcomes for people in prison-based education programs.
The JSTOR Access in Prison collection contains the same respected corpus of secondary literature available to students on the outside.
How to get started
- Locate an IT professional from your partnering Department of Corrections facility. We can review security requirements and coordinate the whitelisting of jstor.org or pep.jstor.org.
- Receive permission from your higher education institution. Institutions already using JSTOR with active licensing agreements do not need to sign new agreements.
- Provide the new IP address and identify if the site will use jstor.org or the mediated version, pep.jstor.org.
- Designate a list of administrators and reviewers. Set them up in the system. If your site needs more than just a few, we can set it up for you.
Stay informed with The Catalyst
Stay updated on developments in prison education, new research, and JSTOR resources for correctional education programs.
Contact us
We’ll work with you to find a solution that fits your needs. Schedule a consultation to get started.
The latest from JSTOR Access in Prison
Pressing play with THEI: Excellence, agency, and the architecture of opportunity
The Tennessee Higher Education Initiative (THEI) rejects the idea that incarcerated students should accept “whatever is available.” Instead, their Navigating Forward project is built on the belief that learners inside deserve excellence—resources that are not only functional but dignifying.
A visit to Oregon State Penitentiary: Reflections from a JSTOR engineer
In this deeply personal reflection, Ryan McCarthy of JSTOR Labs shares his experience visiting Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP) alongside Chemeketa Community College’s prison education team.
Access in Prison at inaugural HBCU Prison Education Summit
Explore highlights from the first HBCU Prison Education Summit, where educators, advocates, and tech leaders gathered to advance higher education in prisons. Learn how HBCUs, digital tools like JSTOR, and secure technology are transforming access and equity for incarcerated learners.
Ngā mihi nui, Helen Farley
It is with deep respect and sorrow that we acknowledge Helen Farley’s passing. Helen will be remembered here as a visionary advocate for equitable access to education and a cherished partner in the JSTOR Access in Prison initiative.
Launching the JSTOR Access in Prison initiative blog series: Inside & Connected
At the beginning of 2025, we launched The Catalyst, a JSTOR Access in Prison newsletter that showcases people and projects working on prison education initiatives. We are now launching a new blog series, Inside & Connected, to build even more community connections in these liminal spaces.
JSTOR Recognized as a Finalist for 2025 EPIC Award in Podcasting and Marketing Campaigns Categories
JSTOR, part of the nonprofit ITHAKA, has been named a finalist for two 2025 EPIC Awards, presented by the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP). The […]
It takes a village
In this closing post of JSTOR’s Second Chance Month series, Elizabeth Shatswell reflects on the transformative power of education, community, and creative expression in the lives of incarcerated individuals.
How prison alumni shift culture
This moving reflection traces the enduring bonds formed in prison classrooms and the profound impact of educational journeys shared by incarcerated women. Through the story of Phiengchai Sisouvanh, we see how learning, friendship, and community transcend confinement and continue to transform lives long after graduation.
Lock up or liberate: Prison community and the pursuit of lifelong learning
In this powerful series of personal essays, incarcerated authors reflect on how education has become a catalyst for self-discovery, healing, and community restoration. Their stories underscore the transformative potential of learning, even behind prison walls, as a lifelong commitment to growth and redemption.
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Illustration courtesy of Daniel Longan. April 2022.
Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library