Comments on: 2006 Election Endorsements: City of Oakland and Alameda County Contests http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/ rock out to the apparatus Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:38:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Eric http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-7778 Eric Sat, 04 Nov 2006 20:00:51 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-7778 As to the Oakland Library Move. The old building was constructed with expansion in mind and can have more floors added for much less than moving it and renovating the old convention center. Also, it diverts funds from the branches. Expansion of the library should focus on the expansion of the branches and providing services to the overall population, not further centralizing services and resources to a single point, limiting access to those who need the services most. As to the Oakland Library Move. The old building was constructed with expansion in mind and can have more floors added for much less than moving it and renovating the old convention center. Also, it diverts funds from the branches. Expansion of the library should focus on the expansion of the branches and providing services to the overall population, not further centralizing services and resources to a single point, limiting access to those who need the services most.

]]> By: Kang http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-6546 Kang Mon, 23 Oct 2006 22:37:56 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-6546 A lot of the Oakland branch libraries are in bad shape. Some don't have bathrooms and aren't ADA accessible. My neighbor uses a wheelchair and he can't get to the fiction section of the Piedmont Ave branch. There will probably be alot of housing development near the Kaiser Convention center and I think it would be good to reuse a historical building. As to what will happen to the current Main Library, I think that Oakland residents should make sure it stays available for public, or at least non-profit use. The prior Main Library is now a beautiful African-American library and musuem, so it can be done. A lot of the Oakland branch libraries are in bad shape. Some don’t have bathrooms and aren’t ADA accessible. My neighbor uses a wheelchair and he can’t get to the fiction section of the Piedmont Ave branch. There will probably be alot of housing development near the Kaiser Convention center and I think it would be good to reuse a historical building. As to what will happen to the current Main Library, I think that Oakland residents should make sure it stays available for public, or at least non-profit use. The prior Main Library is now a beautiful African-American library and musuem, so it can be done.

]]> By: dto510 http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-5061 dto510 Mon, 16 Oct 2006 18:34:08 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-5061 The new main library will be wonderful - the only other suggestions for the Kaiser Center have been a World Trade Center (which is SO not public, and is a stupid thing to have far way from offices and hotels) and a Heisman Trophy Museum (no comment needed). If the main library doesn't go there, clearly something very stupid will be there instead. The downtown Main is not for downtown residents as much as it is for the whole city, so putting it closer to BART and giving it free parking is good, even if it's no longer within a short walk of most downtowners' homes. Also, putting the main in the KC is actually cheaper than adding to the existing building. The old main will be sold, and will most likely be a County office building. Vote YES on N! Oakland's first library facilities bond since right after WWII! It fixes every library in the system, not just the Main, including four that don't have bathrooms. The new main library will be wonderful - the only other suggestions for the Kaiser Center have been a World Trade Center (which is SO not public, and is a stupid thing to have far way from offices and hotels) and a Heisman Trophy Museum (no comment needed). If the main library doesn’t go there, clearly something very stupid will be there instead. The downtown Main is not for downtown residents as much as it is for the whole city, so putting it closer to BART and giving it free parking is good, even if it’s no longer within a short walk of most downtowners’ homes. Also, putting the main in the KC is actually cheaper than adding to the existing building. The old main will be sold, and will most likely be a County office building.

Vote YES on N! Oakland’s first library facilities bond since right after WWII! It fixes every library in the system, not just the Main, including four that don’t have bathrooms.

]]> By: wren http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-5038 wren Sun, 15 Oct 2006 16:25:34 +0000 http://greengabbro.net/2006/10/14/2006-election-endorsements-city-of-oakland-and-alameda-county-contests/#comment-5038 I live two blocks from the current Oakland Main Library. Measure N is trying to address the fact that that building is old, too small, and not really set up for the invasion of computers. The problem is, I'm not sure moving it to the old Convention Center will help--it moves the Main Library further from the residential ares, and I'd think that if they're going to renovate a building, they might as well stick with the one everyone thinks of as the library now. Plus, the new library is supposed to get a cafe. I hate cafes in libraries. *And* no one has been able to tell me what will happen to the old Main building--and one thing downtown Oakland does not need is another vacant building/block. It's a shame, because N is also supposed to route money to some branch libraries that need it badly, but the main point seems to me to be flawed. I live two blocks from the current Oakland Main Library. Measure N is trying to address the fact that that building is old, too small, and not really set up for the invasion of computers. The problem is, I’m not sure moving it to the old Convention Center will help–it moves the Main Library further from the residential ares, and I’d think that if they’re going to renovate a building, they might as well stick with the one everyone thinks of as the library now.

Plus, the new library is supposed to get a cafe. I hate cafes in libraries. *And* no one has been able to tell me what will happen to the old Main building–and one thing downtown Oakland does not need is another vacant building/block.

It’s a shame, because N is also supposed to route money to some branch libraries that need it badly, but the main point seems to me to be flawed.

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