Feb 13 2012
Piedmont Avenue Library Remains Open for Now
The Oakland Branch Library on 40th Street remains open on a month-to-month basis for now. In its June 2011 decision, Oakland’s City Council approved a budget for the 2011-2013 fiscal years that suggested all Oakland Public branch libraries would remain open. Piedmont Avenue neighbors hoped that included the branch library on Piedmont Avenue. See hours of all Oakland libraries.
Negotiations with Oakland Unified School District officials for an agreement to allow the branch to relocate to a modular unit located at Piedmont Avenue Elementary School continue. It is unclear whether the move will result in net cost savings. See prior article.
I encourage citizens to pressure Citibank to buy the Library back for us. They sold it out from under us without warning citing financial problems. They are doing well now – encourage Citibank to be a good citizen and save this historic library for us by buying it back and giving it to the city of Oakland.