In the stacks on McNeil Unlocking their minds

Earl Dungey had never been to a prison before he took a job in the library at the McNeil Island Corrections Center. He didn’t have many expectations for working among 1,280 inmates, but he had one small worry. Should he wear a tie to work, or would someone choke him with it? Dungey has been at the Pierce County island prison since 1998, tie and all, except for a two-year stint at the State Library Building in Tumwater. Since coming to McNeil, the 60-year-old Tacoma resident has seen the budget drop and staff in the small, 45-person capacity library fall from three to one. For the past four years, Dungey has been the only man to keep the shelves stocked and the inmates reading. “One of the key things about working in the institution is that you get to help people,” said Dungey, who said a perk of the job is napping on the... [read full story]