LIVINGSTON, La. — Parish President Randy Delatte said his motion to end the contract of Livingston Parish Library Director Michelle Parrish was “not made lightly,” but was necessary to address leadership concerns within the library system.
In a public statement following the board’s 6–4 vote on Monday night, Delatte acknowledged Parrish’s contributions during her tenure, saying she “led through challenging times and made meaningful contributions to the system.” However, he emphasized that continued concerns about leadership had gone unaddressed and that the demand for change “had been building long before I joined the board.”
“As a voting member of the Library Board, I had to confront a leadership issue,” Delatte wrote. “This wasn’t political.”
Parrish’s contract was not renewed during a tense board meeting July 15, prompting the immediate resignation of four board members who had voted against the move, including the board’s chair and vice chair. The decision capped months of division within the board and followed a string of contentious meetings over library governance and programming.
Delatte said he remains committed to the parish library system and believes new leadership is needed to strengthen the institution. “The people of this parish deserve a library that is strong, well-led, and focused on serving the community with excellence,” he said.
But the decision has sparked backlash from many constituents, who have criticized the move as politically motivated and disruptive to a system they believe was thriving under Parrish’s leadership. Several residents who spoke at recent meetings said the board had been influenced by culture-war politics and outside groups, and expressed concern that library services could be undermined by ongoing turnover and instability.
The Lafayette based political advocacy group Citizens for a New Louisiana took a victory lap after the dismissal posting on their Facebook account "BREAKING: WOKE Livingston Library Director Michelle Parrish is OUT. The board removed her tonight, and four of her “woke” allies on the board walked out in protest. The balance of power has shifted."
The board is expected to begin the search for an interim director and fill its vacant seats in the coming weeks. Parrish had served as director since June 2023, after being appointed interim director that March.
