Chris Scruggs Invited to Speak at Gardner-Webb Dover Library for ‘Freadom Reads’

Doctoral Student Shares from his Collection of Banned Books

By Chloe Cloutier, Intern for University Communications

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Chris Scruggs, a doctoral student in the Gardner-Webb University College of Education, is the featured speaker for “Freadom Reads.” The program will be on Jan. 28 from 3 to 4 p.m. at Dover Library, 110 Huggins St., on the GWU campus.

The free program is open to the public and will be held in the library’s third-floor conference room. Gardner-Webb Instruction Librarian Katie Hartley organizes the speakers for “Freadom Reads,” a talk series on banned books. The purpose is to offer a space where students can engage with a text and its ideas with the help of other students and professionals.

Scruggs is pursuing his degree in curriculum and instruction at Gardner-Webb. An avid reader and collector of first editions for decades, he has accumulated a group of banned books. He is also an educator and instructor of advanced online learning for Henderson County, N.C. “As a teacher in high school courses, I am updated in the process of book removals due to state bans,” he informed. “So, I will chat about collecting and recognizing the importance of banned books. I will bring some first editions with me. I’m looking forward to the discussion.”

Scruggs’ talents also include art and landscape photography with experience in watercolor and screen-printing. He stated, “I examine writing, just as I would examine a painting. We have to be open for adaptation, embracing change, and recognizing diversity. Reading different viewpoints and discussing them ultimately leads to equity and awareness that is needed within our communities.”

Hartley and Scruggs have worked on several projects in the past. Last August, the library featured a display of Scruggs’ artwork. Hartley is excited to hear Scruggs speak on banned books from the perspective of a collector. “I want the audience to be inspired to read some of the titles Chris will be discussing,” she noted. “His passion for the subject is enough to make anyone curious enough to engage with new or challenging ideas.”

Scruggs stressed why he feels it’s important to examine censored novels. “If books are banned, ideas are lost,” he asserted. “Delving into reading banned novels, historical literature, and poetry provides readers with the opportunity to confront difficult subjects and topics within a structured environment. This exploration fosters empathy, emotional growth, and psychological fortitude in individuals.”

For more information about the “Freadom Reads” banned books talk series, email Hartley at [email protected].

Chloe Cloutier is a Gardner-Webb senior majoring in communication studies.

Auxiliary aids will be made available to persons with disabilities upon request 10 working days prior to the event.  Please call 704-406-4270 or email [email protected] with your request.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.