Hi everyone,
I had the honor of awarding Terri Lesley the Immroth Award in 2022. She was recently terminated from her position. Unfortunately, my only contact info for her is associated with her last position. I am reaching out to her via LinkedIn and will let you all know if there are ways we can help Terri. I will also reach out to the Wyoming Library Association.
Recent article: Campbell County library board fires director; hundreds attend special meeting
| Gillette News Record |
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| Campbell County library board fires director; hundreds attend special meeting |
| The Campbell County Public Library board voted 4-1 to fire director Terri Lesley during a special meeting Friday afternoon, effective immediately. |
| View this on Gillette News Record > |
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From the 2022 IFRTpress release:
"Terri Lesley has led the staff and library board of Campbell County Public Library in Gillette, Wyoming through an onslaught of challenged materials and protests. Beginning in the summer of 2021, the number of challenges to unique titles rose from 3 in August to nearly 30 by the end of the year. Library board meetings have been very contentious and there have been repeated protests outside the library. In October 2021, two of the patrons who led the challenges went to the Campbell County Sheriff's Office to attempt to prosecute CCPL librarians, including Terri, of violating child sex laws based on five books they described as "hard-core pornography to children."
Throughout this period, Terri has not only stood up for intellectual freedom for her patrons, she has also continued to build community support for her library through her interactions with the public. She has also strived to support her staff and maintain a strong working relationship with her board. Terri has shared what she's learned with other library directors in Wyoming.
'Terri's commitment to intellectual freedom, her community, and her staff is second to none," said Conrrado Saldivar, President of the Wyoming Library Association. "Her resolve and defense of library materials has been an inspiration to all library staff in Wyoming and ensures that her community can continue having a robust exchange of ideas and opinions.'"
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Johannah Genett
Deputy Director
Hennepin County Library
She/Her/Hers
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