Resources

Timeline

To understand the potential future for our library, it's important to understand the past.

19 April 2018
C4NL is Born

Citizens for a New Louisiana, a 501(c)(4) organization, files articles of incorporation with the state of Louisiana two weeks before a planned library millage renewal in Lafayette. Its Executive Director, Michael Lunsford, claims the organization was created to promote "transparency in local government." 

28 April 2018
20 August 2018
Drag Queen Storytime Announced
27 August 2018
Board President Resigns

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Drag Queen Storytime, as well as public records requests filed by M-P Joel Robideaux on library programming and filters on library computers, LPL Board of Control President and Robideaux appointee Joseph Gordon-Wiltz resigns.

17 September 2018
Robert Judge Protests

Future LPL Board President Robert Judge protests DQST at the September meeting of the library board. Stating he believes DQST programs promote "gender fluidity" and "transgenderism," he speaks until his time is up; his supporters shout that he should be allowed to continue.

19 September 2018
Warriors for Christ Files Lawsuit
19 January 2019
03 February 2019
DQST Held; Stephanie Armbruster Protests
April - May 2019
Robideaux Attempts to Gut Library Budget

Lafayette Mayor-President Joel Robideaux repeatedly calls for transferring $18 million from LPL's budget to fund road and drainage projects, citing, in particular, the recent purchase of furniture for the new West Regional Library. His request is rejected by the council twice, who instead elect to put the measure before voters. 

June 2019
Funding For New NE Library

After a request from the LPL Board of Control, the City-Parish Council votes to set aside $12 million dollars for library construction projects, including $8 million previously sought by Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux for a new Northeast Library, and $4 million for an expansion of the North Regional Library in Carencro.

12 October 2019
Library Funds Rededicated
The front of the LPL main branch on Congress street in Lafayette. The library flag as well as the Louisiana state flag are visible flying.
04 August 2020
25 January 2021
Rejection of Voting Rights Grant

Armed with a new conservative majority, the library Board of Control begins by voting to change board bylaws, giving more power to the board President and increasing its direct control over the library director. You can read the details of the bylaws changes HERE.

Members also vote to reject a $2700 grant from LEH because "both sides" aren't represented by the discussion facilitators. A citizens' investigation reveals the origins of the board's actions.

At the same meeting, Stephanie Armbruster proposes ending LPL's reciprocal borrowing agreement through the Bayouland consortium, citing budgetary concerns. The board also rejects an expenditure of $2000 for voter and usage data from Gayle Analitics in anticipation of upcoming library millage elections. 

29 January 2021
LPL Director Resigns

Days after the board excoriates her over the handling of the voting rights grant, Director Teresa Elberson abruptly retires.

09 February 2021
09 April 2021
Advocates File Suit to Nullify Judge Appointment

Library advocates file lawsuit seeking to nullify Robert Judge’s appointment, alleging “Walking Quorum” between board members, parish council members, and Michael Lunsford. The suit is ultimately lost. The text messages in question are available HERE.

19 April 2021
First Attempt to Change Mission Statement

At his first board meeting, Robert Judge submits a motion to change the library’s mission statement, removing culture & recreation. In his proposal, Judge states that the library should eliminate "completely unnecessary" services, such as electric vehicle charging & musical instruments. Board tables his motion. You can see his proposed mission statement HERE.

June 2021
First Challenge to Pride Displays

At the June, 2021 Board of Control meeting, Hilda Edmond, Mayor Josh Guillory's board appointee, attempts to call an illegal Executive Session to discuss Pride Displays in libraries. After being told by board attorney Mike Hebert that such a meeting would be illegal, she instead refers to the displays as "controversial" and "political," saying they will interfere with the board's "progress."

Librarian Cara Chance speaks, stating, "It is in the librarian's code of ethics not to bow to censorship, not to allow one person or one group to dictate all of the information and to impose their view on the entire community."

21 June 2021
19 July 2021
Second Attempt to Change Mission Statement

At the July, 2021 regular board meeting, Robert Judge makes a motion to suspend Robert's Rules of Order to add changing the library's mission statement to the agenda. His motion is seconded by Stephanie Armbruster, but gets no other votes and fails.

At the same meeting, the board elects not to request the Parish Council 'roll forward' millages, which would maintain the library's current revenue levels.

September 2021
Boudreaux Calls for Millage 'No' Vote

Former City-Parish Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux, as well as the Lafayette chapter of the NAACP and state Senator Gerald Boudreaux, call for residents to vote NO on the upcoming library millage renewal due to lack of progress in building a new library for the Northeast side of the parish.

October 2021
Lunsford Files Book Challenges

Using a list he obtained from hate group Mass Resistance, local blogger, DQST Protester, & C4NL Director Michael Lunsford announces his objection to several books in the LPL catalog, including  Sex is a Funny Word, This Book is Gay, The V-Word: True Stories about First-Time Sex, Dating and Sex: A Guide for the 21st Century Teen Boy, Doing It Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices About Sex, Doing It!: Let's Talk About Sex, and Gender Queer. He ultimately files reconsideration challenges for This Book is Gay and The V Word.  He also admits to holding the books at his office for "review."

20 October 2021
Robert Judge Elected Library Board President

After a nomination from outgoing President Doug Palombo, DQST protester Robert Judge is elected President of the LPL Board of Control. Landon Boudreaux is elected Vice President.

At the same meeting, Palombo appoints members of a new Northeast Library Exploratory Committee, and charges them with soliciting community input as well as reviewing Requests for Proposals for the land purchase. Boudreaux is selected to chair the committee.

13 November 2021
Library Millage Passes

With a turnout of 13%, voters approve a renewal of the library's 1.84 mills tax, one of two remaining funding millages. The tax brings in approximately $4.1 million annually, or 38% of the library's budget. Failure would have resulted in the closing of several library branches.

15 November 2021
This Book is Gay Reconsideration Appealed

After a committee of two librarians and one library board member recommend against the removal of This Book is Gay, Michael Lunsford requests an appeal of the ruling in an open library board meeting. Board members Robert Judge and Stephanie Armbruster both advocate and vote to completely ban the book from LPL. As a compromise, Director Danny Gillane offers to dismantle the library's entire teen non-fiction section, reshelving every book in the adult section. After hearing from more than thirty community members unanimously opposed to banning the book, the board agrees to Gillane's plan, voting 4-2 against removal. Lunsford declares victory anyway, stating, "I think that was a very exceptional compromise and I’m very pleased."

23 November 2021
Shane Landers Appointed
01 December 2021
10 January 2022
Libraries Close on Sundays
21 February 2021
First Attempt to Restrict Minor Cards

At the February, 2022 board meeting, President Robert Judge introduces a motion to restrict library cards for minors 14 and younger, forcing parents to fill out permission forms to give their child full library access. The motion is tabled.

21 February 2021
Board Votes to Give Themselves Majority on Reconsideration Committees

Also at the February 2022 meeting, Robert Judge introduces a motion to remove ALL librarians from materials reconsideration committees (book challenges). New board member David Pitre offers an alternative of two board members and one librarian, which the board approves with a vote of 4-3. The move effectively gives the board the power to ban books.

21 February 2021
LGBTQ Advocate Arrested

At the same meeting, board President Robert Judge has Lafayette Parish sheriff's deputies arrest local LGBTQ activist and Drag Queen Storytime advocate Matthew Humphrey for speaking out of turn. After documenting the arrest, a journalist with a valid press pass was also not allowed entry to the meeting.

09 March 2022
Scotty & the Secret History of Hollywood

In the first Reconsideration Committee meeting open to the public, members consider a request to ban the DVD Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood. The request, filed by patron Kathy Lafleur,  states that her concerns are [the] "DVD has explicit sex of men having orgys (sp) and fornification (sp), masturbation which should not be in a library[.]" At the reconsideration hearing, Lafleur further explains, "When you're reading vulgarity in books, that's fine, but when you're watching something and you're seeing a clip of an actual video of this going on in a movie at a library, I just couldn't get over that."

The committee ultimately makes a motion not to move the DVD, and Lafleur vows to appeal to the full board. Michael Lunsford is in attendance, but does not speak.

21 March 2022
Out-of-Parish Fees

Billed as a revenue generator for the library's strapped budget, the board votes 4-2 to begin charging out-of-parish patrons of Bayouland Consortium libraries $20 per year per card, even though the reciprocal borrowing agreement with member libraries has been in place since 1974. Library patrons again opposed the change.

25 March 2022
NE Committee Member Removed

After penning an opinion piece critical of board actions, Northeast Library Committee Member Lynette Mejía is removed by chair Landon Boudreaux for allegedly "disparaging or mischaracterizing sitting board members." Fearing that the move will have "a chilling effect on what kind of discourse that committee is allowed to have and the things those community members are allowed to say," Mejía vows to respond.

April 2022
Palombo Resigns

Halfway through his five-year term, former library board President Doug Palombo resigns.

18 April 2022
Reconsideration Appeal Denied

After LPL Director Danny Gillane offers to restrict the previously unrated Scotty and the Secret History documentary to an adult-only checkout with an NC-17 rating, the full board votes unanimously to keep the title in the library's collection.

25 April 2022
Mejía Threatens Lawsuit

Tulane University Law School First Amendment Clinic sends a letter to the Board of Control and President Robert Judge, arguing that Mejía's dismissal from the NE Exploratory Committee was "retaliatory" and a clear violation of her First Amendment rights

11 May 2022
Mejía Reinstated

Moments before the May meeting of the NE Library Exploratory Committee, board President Robert Judge reinstates dismissed member Lynette Mejía.

25 May 2022
Displays Banned
A Pride Month display in a public library. It is freestanding, round, with a sign on top that says "Show Your Pride."

In response to a board member complaint about possible upcoming Pride Displays at LPL, Director Danny Gillane preemptively bans ALL displays highlighting "populations," including Black History, Women's History, Cajun/Creole History, and Pride. Numerous civic leaders and organizations protest the change, and the controversy becomes national news. An online petition to restore the displays garners over 600 signatures.

22 June 2022
NE Committee Disbanded

After adjourning the June meeting,  LBOC President Robert Judge announces the dissolution of the Northeast Exploratory Committee. One month later, when committee members question why they were not informed, he sends an email.

25 July 2022
Cara Chance Threatened

Robert Judge attempts to fire LPL librarian Cara Chance for "willful insubordination" related to a teen romance display. The legality of his actions is questioned.

27 July 2022
Landon Boudreaux Resigns

Two days after the attempt to fire librarian Cara Chance, Library Board Vice President Landon Boudreaux resigns, citing school and job obligations.

11 August 2022
First Discussion on Removing Robert Judge

After numerous complaints from citizens and months of controversy, the Lafayette Parish Council discusses the legality of removing a library board member. 

Scroll to Top