Western New Mexico University reaffirmed its pledge to free discussion, academic freedom, and the constitutional right to read through a dynamic series of public events hosted at the J. Cloyd Miller Library. Bringing together university scholars, community librarians, local authors, and student voices, the campus community engaged in critical conversations regarding literacy, literature, and the historical importance of intellectual freedom.
The multi-day observance highlighted the essential role libraries and educational institutions play as strongholds of free expression. As literary censorship continues to spark national conversations, university leadership and event organizers stressed the importance of examining challenged works and supporting different viewpoints in local and academic libraries.
The programming opened on Tuesday, October 6, with a lively panel discussion titled “Freedom to Read and Book Banning Discussion.” Held from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Miller Library, the session featured professional perspectives from WNMU Library Director Samantha Johnson and Silver Public Librarian Lillian Galloway. The two community information leaders explored how modern book challenges work, the criteria behind collection development, and how public and academic libraries protect access to information for readers of all ages.
Johnson and Galloway stressed the collaborative bond between campus and municipal information centers in championing frank discussion. Their presentation examined past examples of literary censorship and equipped attendees with effective tools to advocate for intellectual freedom in schooling settings and public libraries alike.
The momentum continued Wednesday, October 7, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the library’s signature Annual Banned Books Event & Reader’s Panel. Hosted in collaboration with the WNMU Humanities Department and the Felipe De Ortega y Gasca Speaker Series, the hybrid gathering drew both on-site attendees to the Miller Library and a wide online audience via Zoom.
The event featured compelling readings and critical commentary from a varied lineup of composition students, the editor-in-chief of The Maverick (the WNMU undergraduate academic and literary magazine), faculty and staff members, and the current Silver City and Grant County Poet Laureate. Writer-in-Residence JJ Amaworo Wilson offered important insights into the power of narrative. Professor of Composition, Roberta Brown, highlighted the history of censorship of the film, Salt of the Earth. A panel of readers composed of faculty and staff, discussed a banned book that was of importance to each of them.
At the same time, Introduction to College English students showed the importance of the freedom of reading and performed a melodrama of their own creation about a hypothetical banning of a book in a high school.
Adding further depth to the literary celebration, Grant County Poet Laureate Christina Nealson delivered a powerful poetic reflection on the necessity of creative expression. Natasha Nelson, Editor-in-Chief of The Maverick, represented student voice and creative writing by talking about student publications’ responsibility to defend open platforms for discourse and creative exploration.
Frankland said, “This is an event that the library and I organize together each year. We recognize the importance of the freedom to read and the necessity to celebrate it. Each year, we have a mixture of presenters, and I would like to thank them all. It is helpful for the audience to hear multiple voices about this topic, just as much as it is important that we have the freedom to read work from multiple authors, representing different points-of-view, backgrounds, and experiences. During his presentation, JJ shared a quote from Frederick Douglass that I also love, ‘Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.’ This quote shows the importance of reading and being exposed to different types of books and voices—leading to critical thought and empathy. Also, the community gets involved by donating banned books for our student presenters. SWAG Books and More as well as those in the WNMU community like the College of Arts and Sciences, the Humanities Department, and the library were among those who donated to further celebrate our student presenters.”
For more information on upcoming literary events and library programming at Western New Mexico University, visit the J. Cloyd Miller Library website or reach out to the WNMU Humanities Department.