In the introduction to this branch of the Report, we speak of visiting the _prisons_ and the _prisoners_. The Law incorporating our Prison Society, and that conferring on the Acting Committee the character of Official Visitors, contemplate that in addition to the salutary influence we may endeavor to exert upon the prisoners, by social intercourse with them, and impressing upon them moral and religious instruction, we should also observe the workings of our Prison System, bring anything which appears to be wrong to the notice of the proper authorities, that it may be remedied, and suggest any reforms or improvements in the System which may appear to be desirable. Under this view of our duties and privileges, our Committee, besides observing the general condition of the Institution, as to good order, cleanliness, healthfulness, &c., make special inquiries as to the supply of labor furnished the prisoners, whether the ignorant and illiterate among them receive proper attention from the teacher, how they are progressing in their learning, and if those who can read are freely supplied with books from the prison library, and have copies of the Sacred Scriptures placed in their cells. All these inquiries have resulted satisfactorily, excepting that the teaching force is not sufficient to give such frequent lessons to those requiring them, as would be desirable. The progress which many of them make is very gratifying, and indeed surprising. The instances are frequent, where prisoners who entered wholly without school-learning, that is to say, without any knowledge of letters or figures, in a very few months, are able to read, write, and cipher, with considerable facility, and a very gratifying circumstance connected with this is, that most of them highly value the knowledge they are thus acquiring.
The library is now in a very good condition, having been overhauled during the year and a new catalogue prepared, after withdrawing several hundred mutilated and imperfect volumes from the collection. It now contains about 2,600 volumes, all complete and in a good state of preservation, about 2,060 in the English, and 540 in the German and French languages. While the library was regularly open, 11,526 books were loaned, and in addition, considerable reading matter was furnished during the several months in which they were engaged in examining and re-arranging the books, of which no regular record was kept.