This article is an abridgement of our Master’s thesis within the discipline of library andinformation science. Our study focuses on the impact of the socio-cultural environment on thereading habits of the female inmates of a high security correctional institution. The object of thisstudy is to attract attention to female inmates who constitute a marginalised user group within thisfield of research. The study is a qualitative in-depth interview study with nine female interneesbetween the ages of 20 and 60 that have been convicted to at least three years imprisonment. Thefindings reveal that the socio-cultural environment affects the well-being of the inmates which inturn impacts on their reading. The application of categorised reading models shows that escapismalong with the aspiration to increase self sufficiency and personal development are among themost frequent motives for reading. Our conclusion implies that reading facilitates futurerehabilitation to society. The library is managed with insufficient means, a regrettablecircumstance in view of the positive effects resulting from the inmates’ reading as shown in ourstudy.