New Budget Proposals Could be Libraries' Saving Grace

Threatened Oakland Public Library branches would be saved from closure under three Oakland city budget proposals that will get public hearings this week. The competing plans will be presented at two special Oakland City Council budget meetings as alternatives to Mayor Jean Quan’s previously submitted framework for making up that city's $58 million budget shortfall.

Piedmont, with no public library of its own, has long contracted with Oakland for library services, and the cities are currently negotiating payment for 2011-2012. Though Oakland has asked for more, Piedmont City Administrator Geoff Grote speculated in a recent interview that Oakland officials would accept the offer of the $350,000 Piedmont has budgeted.

But Grote said branch closures could jeopardize the deal. Under Quan's worst-case scenario, nearly all of Oakland's library branches would be shut down, including the , , and locations that Piedmonters frequent.

"The one question is …  if all the branches around Piedmont except Rockridge close, then how will Piedmonters feel about that? Would that still offer enough service … to warrant the $350,000?," Grote wondered.

Piedmonters have been since Quan announced her budget proposal in April, rallying behind the grassroots Save Oakland Library coalition and the Friends of Piedmont Avenue Branch Library.

All three of the new Oakland budget proposals would keep all library branches intact.

“It’s a common goal of city council members that library funding be preserved,” said Jason Overman, communications director for Rebecca Kaplan, co-author of one of the proposals. “Constituents definitely made their voices heard.”

Kaplan, along with council members Libby Schaaf, Pat Kernighan and Nancy Nadel, proposes maintaining existing services and additionally keeping the Main Library open during Oakland public schools' winter break. Keeping the libraries open will cost the city $5,500,000 for the 2011-12 fiscal year, according to the proposal, with the winter break staffing accounting for about $50,000.

Another proposal, put forward by Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente, suggests keeping library staffing as is at a cost of $5,447,340.

The third proposal, by council members Jane Brunner, Desley Brooks and Larry Reid, also avoids staff reductions, putting library expenditures at $5,797,340.

All three proposals depend on concessions from municipal employee unions, with which the city is currently negotiating behind closed doors.

“I am hopeful and even confident that we will get the employee concessions we need to keep the entire library system open as it is,” said Schaaf. “It is certainly a priority of mine.”

The special council meetings will be held this Tuesday and Thursday (June 28 and 30) at 5:30pm at Oakland City Hall. 

Piedmont Patch Editor Amy Jeffries contributed reporting to this article.