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Politics & Government

Piedmont Ave. Branch Library Move Pushed Back

The library will stay put through December.

The will continue to operate in its current location on a month-to-month lease for November and December, after which it will likely move to a new modular facility in the parking lot of a nearby elementary school. 

The branch, popular among Piedmont residents, has faced an uncertain future since a new owner bought the space at the corner of Piedmont Ave. and 41st St and raised the rent last year from $1 to $4,250. The library could not afford the new fee, however, and with the current lease set to end Oct. 31st, the branch was forced to shop around for alternatives.

But the new landlord, sympathetic to the branch’s concerns, has granted the library a month-to-month lease from the end of October to Dec. 31st.

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The additional two months would be a welcome reprieve for the library, which is still in the process of finalizing a five-year lease agreement with the Oakland Unified School District to secure a 2,000-square-foot modular structure in the parking lot of Piedmont Avenue Elementary School to house the branch.

Oakland Public Library Associate Director Gerry Garzon said the branch would likely shutdown at its current location in mid-December and remain closed during the two-week holiday period. If all goes according to plan, the library will move to the modular structure in early January, he said.

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“I believe the date we’re looking at is Dec. 16th in order for us to get things moved and for staff to get prepared,” he said.

OPL is currently working with the city attorney’s office to make changes and add comments to a draft lease agreement for the modular structure drawn up by OUSD.

Once that process is completed, OUSD staff will present the agreement to the school board. If the board gives its approval, the lease agreement will then be forwarded on to Oakland City Council for a final vote.

Garzon said OPL is also addressing issues raised last Friday at a meeting with the principal at Piedmont Elementary School and parents to discuss concerns about how exactly the modular structure will be set up.

Garzon said all parties involved are aware that the clock is ticking to finalize the new arrangement.

“Everyone knows we’re working on a very tight timeline here,” he said. “All of this has to have a fairly quick turnaround.”

If the library is forced to move before the modular facility is ready, the city has arranged for an outside company to remove all the books and materials from the current space and place the items in storage.

But Garzon said he believes the agreement will be finalized, and soon.

“I think at the end of the day everyone’s concerns and issues will be addressed and that we will finalize it,” he said.

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