Freedom of Expression
A page within Murphy Library
Library Department Statement on Freedom of Expression, December 7, 2018
We, the faculty of the Library Department of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, endorse the universal right to free expression and oppose any attempts at censorship that might limit one’s ability to freely express oneself as defined within the First Amendment. Furthermore, we support every individual's right to freedom of expression and opinion without interference. The Library Department supports freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and associated rights that are constitutionally guaranteed.
As librarians, we also reinforce the importance of upholding the First Amendment with specific attention to intellectual and academic exploration in higher education and remind all who are a part of our university system that the intellectual exercise of sifting and winnowing is the very foundation upon which the University of Wisconsin System was built. Information based on facts, experience, and sound scientific method, and that does not create circumstances of hate, oppression, persecution, and harm is essential in advancing collective knowledge and solving problems facing the world through collaborative, tolerant, and critical thinking. The pursuit of knowledge and freedom of expression are integral to the core function of the University of Wisconsin System.
