LIVINGSTON, La. — The Livingston Parish Library Board of Control voted Tuesday night to hire a new library director, adopt amended and proposed budgets, revise multiple policies and elect new officers following a prolonged public hearing and regular meeting at the Main Branch.
By a 6–4 vote, the board selected Na’Chel Shannon as the next Livingston Parish Library Director following a public interview, executive session and extensive community comment. Board members questioned Shannon on fiscal oversight, transparency, shelving and collection policies, patron safety, staff supervision and community engagement.
While some in the audience voiced concern about Shannon’s experience overseeing a system of Livingston’s size, others said she demonstrated professionalism and a willingness to work within board policies. After returning from executive session, the board called for a recorded vote, with six members in favor and four opposed.
As of Thursday, Shannon had not alerted the library if she was going to accept the position.
Following the director vote, the board turned its attention to budget matters.
Interim Director Kyla Webb presented the amended fiscal year 2025 budget, describing minor shifts tied to software licensing changes and legal costs, but no significant overall increases. The board approved the amended 2025 budget for both the General Operating Fund and the Capital Project Fund.
Webb also noted an estimated surplus of about $116,000 remaining in the 2025 operating budget. The board voted to roll any remaining funds into the Capital Project Fund, per Webb's recommendation.
The most debated portion of the evening came during discussion of the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget.
Webb recommended a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, citing rising inflation and high staff turnover. She also outlined planned technology upgrades at the Denham Springs, Walker, and Watson branch locations, including replacing aging computers and equipment for both staff and patrons.
She further explained that her original proposal eliminated funding for the Book Festival in 2026 in order to free up resources for staff retention and a milestone Comic Con event.
However, Board Member Patricia Wilson proposed commissioning a comprehensive salary and compensation study to evaluate employee pay. In response, the board adopted an amended version of the 2026 budget that:
• Cancelled the proposed staff raises pending the completion of the salary study
• Reallocated $16,000 from the Comic Con budget to reinstate funding for the Book Festival
With those changes, the amended 2026 budget was approved by the board.
The board also approved an audit engagement contract with Baxley and Associates, LLC, at a cost of approximately $20,000. The upcoming audit will expand the scope of review to include a comprehensive evaluation of operational procedures, rather than a limited selection.
Several policy changes were adopted, including revisions to the library’s audit reporting timeline and adjustments to circulation limits that expand borrowing access for educators and certain community care facilities, such as nursing homes and retirement communities.
The election of board officers for 2026 resulted in multiple rounds of tied votes, procedural questions, and reopened nominations.
During the race for board president, initial ballots ended in repeated 5–5 stalemates. Members discussed whether candidates could withdraw, whether additional nominees could be added, and whether the process had to restart entirely before eventually reopening nominations.
After several failed rounds, Jonathan Davis was nominated again and was ultimately elected board president by a 6–4 vote.
The board then opened nominations for vice president. Trey Cowell and Jennifer Dorhauer were among those nominated. After closing nominations and proceeding to a vote, Jennifer Dorhauer was elected vice president.
Dorhauer will continue serving as board president until Jan. 1, at which time the newly elected officers will officially assume their terms.
Two items were added by addendum. The board agreed to consider Wilson’s recommendation to explore hiring a part-time staff accountant to assist with financial oversight. A separate resolution related to a consent judgment involving the library board was introduced but tabled for a future meeting.
Earlier in the evening, Webb shared final statistics from the library’s 10th Annual Book Festival and a report on library usage from January through October. She noted increases in reference services, Wi-Fi usage, meeting room bookings and digital materials, though overall visits saw a slight dip compared to 2024, which was boosted by early voting traffic.
