Smithers Public Library Director Wendy Wright was appointed as a Senior Fellow to the Centre for Free Expression. (CFE)
“With more than 30 years of working in bookstores, publishing, and libraries across Canada and with deep experience in promoting intellectual freedom, we are delighted Wendy is joining CFE as a senior fellow,” said CFE Director, James L. Turk.
The announcement was made on Friday which was both a surprise and an honour for Wright.
“I had never imagined such an honour and I was very emotional. This is something that has been a deep driving force; the advocacy for intellectual freedom and protecting people’s rights to have intellectual freedom,” she said.
Senior Fellows assist the centre’s work with the interest of that individual’s interests and expertise.
Immediately before joining CFE, Wright served as chair on the Canadian Federation of Library Associations’ Intellectual Freedom Committee and before then on the British Columbia Library Association’s equivalent.
CFE operates out of the Toronto Metropolitan University and does work internationally to help uphold the freedom with government level organizations and provides resources to libraries to aid with book challenges.
“It will help all libraries and all of the people libraries serve,” said Wright.
“Like with the Intellectual Committees I’ve been on, we’ll be sharing information and pooling resources.”
The library is hosting an event about intellectual freedom called Freedom to Read on May 9th.