Protecting Intellectual Freedom
Better Wyoming Executive Director Nate Martin leading a panel discussion following The Librarians Screening
Libraries are one of the few places where everyone is welcome. They provide free access to information, ideas, and opportunities to learn, regardless of age, background, or income.
Teton County Library Foundation & Friends Board President Stewart McIver describes libraries as one of society's last true "third spaces"—places outside of home and work where everyone belongs. He believes that access is one of our community's greatest strengths.
When that access is threatened, people pay attention.
TCLFF President Stewart McIver with Christy Fox, Executive Director of the JH International Film Festival
This was the reality in the fall of 2025, when the Joint Judiciary Committee of the Wyoming Legislature drafted House Bill 10 (HB10), aimed at restricting materials in public and school libraries.
Filmmaker Kim Snyder, director of the Emmy-nominated documentary The Librarians, spent three years documenting the growing movement to challenge books in public and school libraries. Locally, Melissa Snider, librarian at Munger Mountain Elementary School, had watched colleagues across the region face those challenges. For Kim and Melissa, the legislative push was a familiar alarm bell.
Long before HB10 was introduced, school librarians faced public criticism, intense scrutiny, and in some cases lost their jobs after challenges to books in their collections. “Only a child’s parent or guardian should limit their reading access- not institutions,” Melissa says, emphasizing the dangerous precedent of institutional censorship.
With the legislative session looming in February 2026, local leaders recognized that the community needed facts. After library supporter Cynthia Hogan reached out to TCLFF to inquire about screening the film, Leah Shlachter, Teton County Library Adult Programs Coordinator, felt the timing was critical. She believed the community needed an opportunity to better understand what book challenges and censorship actually look like and how national conversations were beginning to affect Wyoming.
Stewart agreed.
"This isn't about controlling people," Stewart says. "It's about providing information and letting people pursue what they want."
While TCLFF is best known for raising funds and promoting volunteerism to support the Library, it also works to strengthen community understanding of the issues that shape the library's future. Because public libraries must remain neutral, TCLFF partnered with Better Wyoming and the Jackson Hole International Film Festival to host a community screening of The Librarians.
Stronger Together
Better Wyoming Executive Director Nate Martin says the partnership worked because each organization brought different strengths. “The Foundation was chosen as a partner for its strong communications apparatus, excellent events, and deep community trust,” says Nate.
Stewart added, “We had the budget and partners to bring the film to Jackson. This was the perfect time to start a conversation and spark action before the legislation advanced.”
Panelists Melissa Snider (L), Mara Dans (M), and Kim Snyder (R)
On January 27, 2026, more than 500 community members gathered at the Center for the Arts to watch The Librarians and participate in a conversation about intellectual freedom.
The screening was followed by a curated panel moderated by Nate. Both Kim and Melissa participated and were joined by Wyoming State Representative Mike Yin, Lander School Board member Mara Dans, and Idaho school librarian Kimber Glidden.
Kim believed that Kimber’s presence was a vital addition to the night. “It was a cautionary tale from a neighboring state,” she said. “A reminder that this can and has happened right here in Wyoming.”
While The Librarians has been screened across 25 countries, Kim noted that the Jackson audience brought a distinct energy to the room. “Wyoming audiences are fiercely independent and can decide what is right,” she said. “They will not be swayed by a ‘herd mentality’ ethos.”
Moving the Needle
The true measure of the event's success was its transformation from a cultural event into civic action. The evening was designed to give people facts, encourage thoughtful discussion, and help them understand why intellectual freedom matters. As one attendee and former library board member remarked, “Free people read freely… I want all people to be able to see themselves reflected in a library’s collection.”
Following the event, Better Wyoming helped track its impact, revealing ripple effects that extended well beyond the screening.
165 Teton County residents contacted their legislators to voice their opposition to HB10.
An Advocacy Training Workshop filled to capacity with citizens learning how to effectively defend intellectual freedom.
The model inspired another Wyoming community. A Casper library supporter who attended the Jackson screening was so inspired by the film and format that they are currently planning to replicate the event in their community.
HB10 was ultimately held back by the Senate majority leader after proving deeply unpopular with voters. Yet, as federal-level censorship pressures continue to emerge, stakeholders know the reprieve may only be temporary.
For the Teton County Library Foundation and Friends, supporting libraries means more than funding programs and collections. It also means creating opportunities for our community to learn, ask questions, and engage thoughtfully with issues that affect access to information.
By bringing people together around The Librarians, TCLFF demonstrated that protecting intellectual freedom begins with informed, engaged communities.