In a 7-3 vote, the board officially terminated the at-will employment of Michelle Parish, who had previously been let go in July under controversial circumstances. Board members Becky Morgan, Rodlyn Hammond, and Patricia Wilson voted against the motion, while the majority sided with the termination.
Parrish was not present at Tuesday's meeting but had requested through her attorney that any discussion about her dismissal be held in open session rather than behind closed doors.
The board unanimously selected Kyla Webb as interim director. Webb, who currently serves as Head of Community Engagement at the library, holds a Master's of Library Science degree and has overseen major events including Comic Con, summer reading programs, and book festivals during her four-year tenure.
"This summer, we were able to put on a phenomenal summer reading program, and I hope that my work speaks for itself," Webb told the board.
To read more about the newly appointed Interim Director, click here for our previously published story.
In a separate agenda item that drew significant opposition from the public, the board ultimately rejected a proposal to remove the requirement for a Master's of Library Science degree for the director position, which would have replaced it with a more general master's degree requirement.
Multiple residents spoke against the change, arguing that specialized library training is essential for managing what they described as a "massive, award-winning library system."
"Master's degrees are not interchangeable," said Marla Elsea. "We don't just hand the cockpit over to somebody who's been on a lot of planes. We hire a pilot who has been trained for the job."
Victoria Herrmann, a 22-year library patron, questioned why the director should have lower qualification requirements than other librarians in the system. "Shouldn't we as citizens and library patrons expect that the person in charge of running our library system should have the highest possible qualifications?"
Public comments featured sharp exchanges over meeting procedures, legal issues, and long-resolved disputes about library materials. Some speakers read Bible passages; others accused the board of bowing to outside political pressure, particularly from Lafayette-based advocacy group Citizens for a New Louisiana. Board President Jonathan Davis reminded several speakers that their remarks must relate to items on the agenda.
Several speakers referenced concerns about sexually explicit materials in the library, but multiple attendees noted those concerns had been addressed months earlier under former Director Michelle Parrish’s leadership.
“It’s really sad to me that people keep coming up here and telling lies about the library,” said Amanda Jones, a 25-year educator and library supporter, commending former Director Parrish for “voluntarily reevaluating all 30,000 books in the young adult section six months ago.”
The Livingston Parish Library has implemented multiple safeguards to ensure materials for minors meet community standards and comply with state law. Earlier this year, the system conducted a review that temporarily removed 30,000 items from the children’s collection to evaluate each for compliance with a recently enacted statute. It also operates a tiered library card program, giving parents full control over what their children can check out. In addition, the library maintains a publicly accessible log of all 3-309a and 3-309c challenge forms, detailing the title in question, its placement before and after review, the reason for the challenge, the decision-maker, the outcome, and the date of the decision.
With four members returning to the board, including former president Jennifer Dorhauer and former vice president Becky Morgan, the board approved a resolution to reinstate them to their previous leadership roles. Jonathan Davis, who had been appointed president during Dorhauer’s absence, said he never considered the position permanent and welcomed their return. Parish President Randy Delatte commended Davis for keeping the board functioning during a contentious period, noting his focus on collaboration and his refusal to be drawn into the back-and-forth disputes that have recently plagued the library system.
The resolution passed with all members in favor, except Dewanna Christian and Trey Cowell, who abstained.
The interim director's appointment takes effect immediately, with Webb assuming full directorial powers. With the board maintaining the Master's of Library Science requirement, the upcoming search for a permanent replacement will continue to require specialized library education credentials.
