Piedmont shelves Oakland library services fee PUBLIC SERVICES City halts payment it says isn't required

Angela Donnelly of Rockridge reaches for a book at Rockridge Branch Library in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, March 18, 2011. Angela Donnelly of Rockridge reaches for a book at Rockridge Branch Library in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, March 18, 2011. Photo: Thomas Levinson, The Chronicle Photo: Thomas Levinson, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Piedmont shelves Oakland library services fee 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

Piedmont has shut the book on libraries. Or at least paying for them.

In the latest example of the strained relationship between the neighboring cities of Piedmont and Oakland, Piedmont has decided - for now, anyway - to stop paying Oakland for library services.

"A lot of people are saying, why are we paying this large sum of money for people to use the library if we don't have to?" said Piedmont City Administrator Geoffrey Grote, noting that any California resident is free to obtain an Oakland library card.

Until 2008, Piedmont - which has no libraries of its own - paid Oakland $350,000 a year for library services. When the contract expired, Oakland asked to raise the fee to $395,000 a year, in part to cover a steep rent increase at the branch used most by Piedmont residents, the Piedmont Avenue Branch.

Piedmont countered with a less expensive offer, the same $350,000 but with a 5 percent annual increase over five years.

Oakland said no. Negotiations have been stalled for at least a year, during which Piedmont stopped paying Oakland anything.

Oakland officials are not pleased.

"I think it's unconscionable for a city as wealthy as Piedmont to do this," said Oakland City Councilwoman Jane Brunner. "It is not acceptable."

Oakland taxpayers pay about $20 million annually for library services, half through the Measure Q parcel tax and half from the city's general fund. That amounts to $130 per household, or $50 a year for each resident, including children.

Oakland wanted Piedmont residents to pay the same.

Emeryville renews

Emeryville, another neighboring city without its own libraries, pays Oakland $100,000 a year, plus an additional $2,500 to the Friends of the Golden Gate Library, the branch closest to the Emeryville border.

Emeryville not only renewed the contract, it offered a 60 percent raise over the 2008 rate.

"I think it's a valuable resource for Emeryville residents, although I don't know how much more we can afford," said Emeryville City Manager Pat O'Keeffe.

Oakland's public library has 17 branches and offers services such as tool lending, computer classes and special collections of American Indian, African American, Spanish and Asian language literature.

Budget slashed sharply

Its budget, like most public amenities in Oakland, has been slashed significantly the past few years. Branches are now closed every Monday, and staffing is down 20 percent.

Oakland's libraries are again poised for cuts, as the city prepares to slice $46 million from its $400 million general fund budget.

Piedmont has weathered the recession relatively unscathed. Until this year, home sale prices have risen, to an average of $1.5 million, but transfer taxes have plummeted 50 percent.

Piedmont's 5 percent raise offer for Oakland library services was more generous than what it offered its own employees, Grote said.

Furthermore, Piedmont would not be receiving extra benefits - such as its own branch or a bookmobile - if it agreed to pay the amount Oakland requested.

In fact, it would receive the same benefits whether it paid $395,000 a year or nothing at all, he said.

"There's no increase in their costs to serve little Piedmont," he said. "Most of the money they collect from us is pure profit."

Patrons supportive

Piedmont officials might be cautious with their money, but residents there have been exceedingly generous to the library, said Oakland library officials.

They volunteer, donate books and money, and are frequent library users, said Oakland library director Carmen Martinez.

"So many of our wonderful supporters live in Piedmont," she said. "And I know they are behind us."