Director of SFUAD’s Fogelson Library Coedits Book About Censorship in American Libraries
Valerie Nye’s book compiles essays by U.S. librarians defending First Amendment rights
02.16.2012
Media Contact:
Maria Alexandra Velez
1-505-473-6682
maria.velez@santafeuniversity.edu
Santa Fe, N.M.—February 16, 2012—Valerie Nye, director of Santa Fe University of Art and Design’s Fogelson Library, has coedited True Stories of Censorship Battles in America’s Libraries (American Library Association, 2012) with Kathy Barco, a librarian in the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library System. The book compiles American librarians’ essays about how they have protected the right of their communities to access all types of materials in defense of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
“Compiling the essays for this book, I was struck time and time again by the bravery librarians express in their daily work in efforts to protect First Amendment rights,” said Nye. “Librarians who work in schools, prisons, and academic and public libraries have shared their unique, emotional and very personal stories in this book. I am grateful for all they have shared and all that their stories will teach others.”
Ellen Hopkins, an author of young adult books whose work and public speaking engagements have been banned and censored in libraries and schools, wrote the book’s Foreword. “Bottom line, no book is right for every reader. So fine. Don’t read my books if they offend you or you hate poetry or need a fairytale ending,” she writes. “But don’t make that decision without reading them first. Don’t scan for offenses. Read in context. You might decide the messages they carry are positive, if strong. You might even find a way to open communication with your kids. Words can’t damage them. But ignorance surely can.”
About half of the essays were submitted based on the authors’ calls for contributions. The other essays were solicited based on a search for national stories about censorship incidents in libraries around the United States. Nye and Barco spent one year compiling and editing the essays. They said the book’s primary mission is to give strength to librarians who confront censorship in their libraries.
Valerie Nye has been director of the Fogelson Library since 2005. She previously worked as a consultant at the New Mexico State Library, where she presented trainings to librarians on intellectual freedom and banned books. She earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Previously, she coauthored two guidebooks for Santa Fe restaurants with Kathy Barco and a literary research guide with R. Neil Scott, titled Postmarked Milledgeville: A Guide to Flannery O’Connor’s Correspondence in Libraries and Archives. Nye is the secretary and grant liaison on the board of the New Mexico Library Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises grant money for New Mexico libraries.
Nye and Barco will present the book nationally beginning in April, including speaking engagements at the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at the University of Southern Mississippi, the South Central Kansas Library System’s semi-annual meeting, and the Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos, N.M. For more information, please visit http://www.librarycensorship.com/.
About Fogelson Library
The Fogelson Library is the main academic library for Santa Fe University of Art and Design (formerly the College of Santa Fe). With a stack space for 250,000 volumes, as well as computer labs, archives and special collections, the Library boasts an excellent collection of art and art history books and a growing collection of literature, including books of local interest focusing on the history and culture of New Mexico and the American Southwest. The Library was named in honor of Colonel E. E. (Buddy) Fogelson, husband of actress Greer Garson, who was a longtime friend and supporter of the College of Santa Fe. Last year the Library launched a new website, http://library.santafeuniversity.edu, which comprises the Library’s catalog of 170,000 books and more than 25,000 full-text electronic journals. The website also gives visitors access to the Library’s Facebook page and Library blog.
About Santa Fe University of Art and Design
Santa Fe University of Art and Design is an accredited institution located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, one of the world’s leading centers for art and design. The university offers degrees in arts management, contemporary music, creative writing, digital arts, graphic design, moving image arts (filmmaking and video production), performing arts, photography and studio art. Faculty members are practicing artists who teach students in small groups, following a unique interdisciplinary curriculum that combines hands-on experience with core theory and prepares graduates to become well-rounded, creative, problem-solving professionals. As a Laureate International Universities Center of Excellence in Art, Architecture and Design, the university boasts an international student body and opportunities to study abroad, encouraging students to develop a global perspective on the arts. Santa Fe University of Art and Design (formerly the College of Santa Fe) is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.
