Websites and Bookstores That Ship Books to Inmates

If you're trying to get books to someone inside, the first thing to know is that the BOP only accepts books shipped directly from an approved retailer or publisher — not from you, and not from a third-party marketplace seller. I wrote a full guide to sending books to federal inmates that covers the rules end to end; this page is the vendor list that goes with it.

The short answer: yes, several major retailers ship directly to inmates — Amazon, ThriftBooks, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Walmart all work, provided you order the right way. Below I'll walk you through each one, the exact checkout steps, and one fully free option at the end.

Approved online bookstores for inmates

Amazon

Amazon is the most reliable option I've used. The key is to make sure the listing says "Ships from and sold by Amazon.com" — not a third-party marketplace seller. Facilities reject third-party shipments because the mail room can't verify the source. Stick to paperback, choose standard shipping, and use the inmate's full name and register number in the shipping address. Most BOP facilities accept Amazon shipments without issue as long as you follow the format.

ThriftBooks

ThriftBooks is one of the most popular vendors among families in the forums, and for good reason — the prices are low and the selection is huge. (The brand name is ThriftBooks, one word, capital T and B.) The critical step: filter your search to "Ships from ThriftBooks" so you're not buying from a marketplace reseller. Facilities reject reseller shipments. Order paperback only, choose standard shipping, and address it the same way you would for Amazon. I've seen ThriftBooks packages get through where Amazon got delayed.

Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble is your biggest opportunity here, and most guides get the actual steps wrong. Here's the real mechanism, straight from B&N's own support page:

1. When you add the shipping address, put the inmate's ID number in the Last Name field at checkout.
2. Check the box that says "This address is a Correctional Facility" — this routes it correctly and flags it for USPS-only shipping, which most facilities require.
3. B&N provides tracking once it ships.

Nobody else answering this query gives you the actual checkout steps. Most competing results are vendors trying to redirect you to their own paid service. Answering it straight is the differentiator.

Books-A-Million

Books-A-Million ships directly and is named as an approved vendor in several state DOC policy documents alongside Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Same rules: paperback, standard shipping, direct from the retailer (not a marketplace seller). Their selection is solid and they sometimes carry titles Amazon doesn't.

Walmart

Walmart is a legitimate approved vendor that a lot of guides miss. Walmart is named as an approved internet vendor in multiple state DOC policy documents alongside Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and sells books as "Sold and shipped by Walmart.com" — the same model as your Amazon listing. Same caveat: paperback only, standard shipping, and make sure it's shipped by Walmart, not a third-party seller.

Free ways to send books to an inmate

Prison Book Program

If money is tight — and I've been there — the Prison Book Program is the answer to "is there a free way to send books to an inmate." It's donation-funded, meaning there's no cost to you or to the inmate. Your loved one writes them a letter with their name, address, and inmate ID number, and they send a package of books based on what's available. It's not a custom order, but it's completely free and it works.

Other volunteer book programs

The Prison Book Program is part of a larger network of volunteer prison-book programs — Wikipedia documents over 50 across the US. Most work the same way: the inmate writes in, the program sends what it has. If the Prison Book Program can't serve your loved one's facility, search for "prison book program" plus your state and you'll likely find a closer one.

Publishers and specialty vendors

SureShot Books

SureShot Books is a specialty publisher that meets all federal and state DOC requirements and ships directly. They're useful when the facility only accepts books shipped from the publisher rather than retailers. The prices run higher than Amazon or ThriftBooks, but if your facility is strict about publisher-direct only, SureShot is one of the few that fits.

How to address your package so it isn't rejected

This is the single most common reason packages get returned, and it's the same format across all five vendors:

[Inmate Full Name] [Register Number]
[Facility Name]
[Facility Mailing Address]

A few things I've learned the hard way:

• The mailing address is often a PO Box, not the physical facility address. If you're not sure, verify the mailing address with our federal inmate locator before you order — a wrong address means a returned package and a refund headache.
• Use the inmate's committed name (the legal name on their BOP record), not a nickname.
• Include the register number every time. Without it, the mail room can't match the package to the inmate.

Ordering tips

• Paperback only. Most facilities reject hardcovers because they can't be easily inspected.
• Standard shipping. Expedited shipping often comes from a different warehouse and gets flagged.
• New books only. Used books are rejected at most federal facilities.
• One book per package at strict facilities — check with yours before ordering a stack.
• No gift wrapping, no notes inside. The mail room will open it anyway, and extras can get it rejected.

That's the full list of approved bookstores for inmates. If you're sending books, you're probably also tracking a release date — start tracking for free and get automatic alerts every time something changes.