The New York Public Library's Newest Branch? In a Jail.

The New York Public Library formally opened its newest outpost Wednesday — not along a tree-lined street, nor at the base of an apartment tower, but instead inside the Manhattan Detention Center.

It was the second NYPL branch to be opened inside a city jail — the first was on Rikers Island in 2016 — and is part of a concerted effort by the city's Department of Correction to emphasize rehabilitation over punishment.

For the past 40 years, the city's jails have, sent around a cart full of books up and down the detention center's concrete hallways every Friday. But the cart only held 500 volumes. The new library space currently has over 1,300 titles. Plus, the library's physical space offers inmates a type of respite from the noise and chaos of the dorms.

“It takes us away from being in prison,” said Tyrone Youmans, whose been detained for 16 months.

The library does have limits: it is only open every other Friday, and permits its patrons to take out only two books at a time. Inmate William Cuevas said that's a bummer; he likes to read about seven books a week.