Piedmonters Join Fight Against Library Branch Closures

Some concerned Piedmont residents are attending the Oakland budget hearing Thursday evening to protest potential widespread library branch closures.

Piedmont, which has no public library of its own, has long for library access. Under Oakland Mayor Jean Quan's worst-case scenario plan, the majority of the city's library branches would be shut down.

“If Oakland decides to close libraries, it will make it really difficult for our family to check out books,” said Piedmont resident Elizabeth Shook, 47, a full-time mom of two young children.

Quan has proposed closing as many as 14 library branches, including the , , and branches, which are among those Piedmonters frequent most. If all the closures happen, just four branches would be left open: Main, 81st Avenue, Dimond, and .

“We’d miss the convenience and community spirit of our local library branches,” said Shook, who visits the Piedmont Avenue branch with her children every few weeks.

“I get angry when I read comments [in the media] that say we don't need libraries anymore,” she said. “What about kids in Oakland who don't have computers or e-readers? We’re all part of the same community, and we need to support each other.”

Library supporters like Shook are rallying behind Save Oakland Library, a grassroots coalition that has formed to fight branch closures. More than 1,200 people have already "liked" the group's Facebook page since it went up last week.

Friends of Piedmont Avenue Branch Library, an arm of the larger Friends of the Oakland Public Library which provides financial support the library, is also campaigning against the potential closures. The organization has started a petition drive, and plans to hand out buttons at the budget hearing.

Branch closures would no doubt impact ongoing talks between Oakland and Piedmont over a new library services contract, though Piedmont City Administrator Geoffrey Grote said it's too soon to tell exactly how. “I’d be very careful about speculating at this point,” he said.

Grote did say Piedmont, which recently as payment for library access in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, might consider making its financial contribution directly to the library rather than the city's general fund.

“Piedmont would be willing to look at an agreement that would provide specific funds to keep branches open that Piedmonters use,” said Grote. “But we’d wait to see what has been closed and how severe the closures are.”

Quan's proposal to shut down library branches won't stall the contract negotiations, however; a meeting scheduled for May 18 will go ahead as planned, Grote said.