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Michelle Parrish seems more intent on creating drama than solving problems. She hides critical budget details from the board while neglecting to address vulgar books in the Livingston Library children’s section. Instead of resolving parents’ concerns quietly, she turns each book removal into a public spectacle, forcing unnecessary board votes.

Before continuing, pause momentarily and reflect on this question: Why would a professional library director prioritize manufactured drama over good public service?

Consider that question as we uncover the real story behind the Livingston Library budget and its supposed ‘cuts.’ The answers will surprise you.

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Key article takeaways:

• Contrary to claims of ‘cuts,’ the Livingston Library budget actually increased by 2.2%.
• Michelle Parrish unilaterally canceled Hoopla and other essential library services without board approval, sparking public confusion and backlash.
• Sexually explicit content remains in the children’s section, violating Louisiana law.

The Truth About the Budget

The Livingston Library activists are desperately trying to change the subject. We outlined the facts in a recent podcast, Livingston Library’s Fake Budget Battle. As a quick reminder, the supposed library supporters said the new conservative board made draconian cuts to the Livingston Library budget. The facts bear out differently, however. The budget actually went up, and the supposed “cuts” were merely a cut in the rate of increase!

• 2023-2024 Budget: $6,641,819
• Original 2024-2025 Budget: $7,092,451
• Revised 2024-2025 Budget: $6,786,270
• Net Year-Over-Year Increase: +$144,451 (+2.2%)

I’ve known for some time that these people lie to advance their agenda. However, the legacy media picks up everything they say as gospel truth without so much as a cursory fact check. Do you know how difficult it was to see it was all a lie? Two documents. That’s it! Here they are: The original 2024-2025 budget submitted by Michelle Parrish lists the total proposed expenditures, while the revised Livingston Library budget, also submitted by Michelle Parrish, lists the revised total spending. Both documents show the total expenses for the previous year.

Claiming a $144,451 increase is a ‘cut’ perfectly exemplifies how facts are twisted to mislead. The reduction in the rate of increase—not the actual budget—has been deceptively framed as a draconian cut.

Hoopla Drama: Rogue Decisions Without Approval.

Michelle Parrish cancels Hoopla to create drama – without board approval.

The director’s surprise decision to end Hoopla, a beloved digital lending service, blindsided the library board and frustrated patrons, sparking unnecessary confusion and questions about her leadership. Why would a library director take such drastic action unilaterally?

These actions reflect a troubling pattern of misrepresentation that aligns the director and library activists. In this act of “political ventriloquism,” Michelle Parrish blamed the board for her own actions! She canceled the Hoopla contract without board knowledge or approval. She just did it — she “went rogue.” Without checking with anyone, she publicly announced that Hoopla had been canceled with a takeover ad on the library website and a social media announcement, astonishing the board and infuriating the public. Why would the library director do this?

Earlier boards were easily manipulated. The activists don’t like accountability. They aim to return the library board to gullible and trusting sycophants. These are the same activists who cry ‘censorship’ whenever there’s a request to relocate sexually explicit, erotic, or vulgar books to the adult section. The mantra is, “There is no pornography in the library.” However, as we’ve repeatedly pointed out, not only does it exist, but it’s incredibly explicit.

What’s in the Children’s Section?

From XXX-rated videos to explicit books, the Livingston Library’s children’s section continues to raise eyebrows.

Kanopy: Inappropriate Videos for Kids

We didn’t just tell you about the XXX-rated Kanopy videos that children had access to in the Livingston Library; we provided pictures. By the way, Kanopy is another of Michelle Parrish’s unilateral cancellations. This is because the board dared to give the Livingston Library budget only an extra $140,000 this year! For that, you could buy almost four 2024 Cadillac XT4 luxury SUVs!

Explicit Books Still Accessible

In another article, Livingston Parish Library Update, we discussed two specific, vulgar books in the children’s section. These were under board discussion when Amanda Jones “advocated for having books with sexual information to be kept where they were, for the benefit of the youth of our community.” The other day, we showed you five more raunchy books in the Livingston Library Children’s section that were only removed after the board majority flipped to conservatives.

Our detailed analyses and screenshots empower readers to review the evidence firsthand, ensuring transparency. In contrast, these activists have twisted facts to manipulate public perception.

More raunchy books that Michelle Parrish has done NOTHING about

We told you about three new vulgar books we discovered in the Livingston Library Children’s section over three months ago. That was in the article, They’re back! more vulgar kids books found. Here’s an excerpt:

The latest books we’ve found include Damsel, Red Hood, and What Girls Are Made Of, all by Elana K. Arnold, a college professor from the Left Coast. A new website, booklooks.org, addresses some vulgar kids’ books. The titles above link to Book Looks. If you tap or click on them, the content will be disturbing. What’s more alarming is even the author admits that her books are “uncomfortable.”

Most library systems in Louisiana had one or two. Livingston had all three! Within 24 hours, some systems even called to thank me for publishing the article because it informed them about the books. They also confirmed that the books violated RS 25:225 and had been immediately moved to the adult section by the staff.

This bears repeating. They called me and said the staff moved the books immediately (without necessitating board action) and within 24 hours of the article’s publishing. Do you know who didn’t call? Michelle Parrish. I just checked, and all three vulgar books are still available to children in Livingston Parish. Here they are. The first link should show the books in the Livingston catalog, while the second link vividly describes their content. The website expects a cookie to be set, so you will probably have to click the catalog link twice for it to work.

• Damsel has five copies shelved in the children’s section, which reads like a vulgar romance novel full of “ultimate sex acts” (outlined in RS 25:225 as being wholly inappropriate for minors).
• Red Hood has four copies in the children’s section. Among other things, this one reportedly includes bestiality references.
• What Girls Are Made Of has two digital copies available, categorized as “Sex Fiction” in the “Advanced Reader” category of “Children’s books.” The book contains explicit sexual nudity and sexual activities restricted under RS 25:225. And yet, children with a library card for minors still have access to it without even having to visit the library in person!

And now ANOTHER vulgar book – People Kill People

The latest book we’ve discovered in the Livingston Public Library children’s section is titled People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins. According to the website booklooks.com, People Kill People glorifies sexual violence and illicit drug use. The book even normalizes adolescent prostitution as a way “to earn a little extra cash.”

These kinds of books led the activists to say, “No one on the right side of history has ever been on the side of censorship and hiding books.” Yet, the subject matter of this book clearly violates Louisiana Revised Statute 25:225, the section of law that deals with what is appropriate to be shelved in a public library children’s section.

Of course, their semantics also rely on our confirmation bias. We’re told the YA section is for Young Adults and not children. When a reasonable person considers the term, they typically think of someone between eighteen and twenty-five. However, in library parlance, “Young Adult” means age eleven. That’s well below Louisiana’s “age of majority” (eighteen years old), making it a section for minors (children).

These books have no place in the children’s section!

Michelle Parrish seems focused on playing hide-and-seek with the board on Livingston Library budget-related documents. “How dare you!” she shouts in her best Greta Thunberg voice while canceling library services to then blame on the board! This manufactured drama serves a definite purpose.

She hides critically essential details and documents from her bosses (the library board) while they attempt to make important budgetary decisions. And she does nothing to expose the vulgar books hidden throughout the children’s section! When a parent dares to report a book, she adds to the drama by insisting the library board hold a public meeting and vote to move it to the adult section. RS 25:225 is clear about these kinds of books. Instead of taking care of it quietly, she creates a public spectacle each time. Why?

Make doing the right thing as painful as possible, feed misleading narratives to a press that often neglects to fact-check, and manipulate the parish council into thinking that the board is the problem. This behavior isn’t about serving the community but advancing an agenda at our children’s and taxpayers’ expense. The Livingston Library board must act now to restore trust and ensure the library serves as a safe, transparent resource for the entire community.

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