LIVINGSTON - Several former Livingston Parish Library Board of Control members say they plan to remain active in their community even after the Livingston Parish Council removed all eight board members and re-appointed two.

On Thursday, Dist. 7 Councilman Ricky Goff added the item and said the board needed a clean slate.

"In my opinion, the board was just inefficient. Not that any of the board members weren't trying to do their job, but it was just an oil-and-water type thing," he said.

Goff believed this was the best way to approach the issues.

"I didn't know how to fix the problem other than to just reset it, try to have the same goals, and have some new people that can come in and hopefully sit down and get us moving forward."

The removals and reappointments follow controversies surrounding book censorship and budget reductions at the parish library. Former Library Board member Abby Crosby says the cuts would have been potentially temporary, with money to be added back in some spots as it became available.

"(I'm) sorry that some of the things that were cut, that we didn't have all the information on. But, it wasn't cut. It was there to be amended. We were waiting for the information to amend it back to where we could survive off it because these things have to be done to maintain a good, safe library," she said.

Crosby told WBRZ that she was shocked at the removals and felt they were done because she did not agree with some council members' methods of restricting access to some books. Crosby and several other former members say their removal will not stop them from fighting for what they believe is right.

It is now up to the Livingston Parish Council to determine the budget. The new library board will meet Jan. 21.