Public colleges would follow rules for reviewing library resource restrictions

Public college governing boards would adopt consistent rules for reviewing requests to remove, restrict, or stop offering library resources. The rules would cover New Mexico public college library resources, including books, digital materials, and library programs. Only students enrolled at the institution could make these requests. Standards would be based on recommendations from library faculty and administrators. Removal reviews would consider the whole resource. Final decisions would be written, public, and explain the standards used and how they were applied. Resources could not be removed, restricted, or discontinued before a final decision. Routine collection maintenance and removal of items as part of that upkeep would be exempt. A resource could be considered for removal, restriction, or discontinuation no more than once in a two-year period; the interval could be longer.

Public college governing boards would prohibit discrimination and harassment in library management and adopt written library policies. Discrimination protections would cover a resource’s author, content, and intended audience based on listed traits, such as race, religion, and gender identity. Harassment protections would cover authors and intended audiences. Policies would cover acquiring, keeping, displaying, and using resources, along with collection upkeep and routine removal of items. Policies would follow whichever offers stronger speech protection: the U.S. First Amendment or New Mexico’s constitutional free-speech provision. The proposal sets September 1, 2026, as the deadline for adopting the written policies.

Public colleges would protect library staff from firing, demotion, discipline, or retaliation for the covered decisions. Covered library staff would include faculty, student employees, volunteers, and other people assigned library duties at public colleges. Protection would cover refusing to remove, restrict, or stop offering a resource before a final decision made under these rules. Protection would also cover decisions staff honestly believe follow these rules and their institution’s policies.