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Library Continues March to RFID, Branch Demolitions Despite Opposition and Lawsuit
Berkeley Public Library’s Board of Library Trustees (BOLT) approved the purchase of a new RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) check-out/check-in system from a new vendor, Bibliotheca, to replace the existing system from Checkpoint, despite near-unanimous opposition from members of the public at the meeting, whose concerns included privacy threats, high cost, and potential health risks to the public and staff from radio frequency radiation.
BOLT took the action on a unanimous 4-0 vote at a Special Meeting October 18, 2010 (Winston Burton, Abigail Franklin, Susan Kupfer, and Darryl Moore, with Carolyn Henry-Golphin absent). The Trustees approved signing a three-year contract not to exceed $447,006, through October 28, 2013.
The Monday, October 18th Special Meeting had been called after cancellation of the regularly scheduled meeting of Wednesday, October 13. With agendas mailed late Thursday, October 14th, according to the library, a number of the members of the public on the mailing list only received notice the same day as the specially-scheduled Monday meeting. It appeared to be a very hastily called meeting with minimal advance notice, on a matter the library has been considering for well over a year.
A contract for an RFID system was signed with the vendor, Bibliotheca, on October 29, 2010.
Despite the short notice and unusual time and day of the meeting, nine members of the public spoke during Public Comment. Every member of the public who spoke to the matter of RFID opposed the system, suggesting the library obtain a barcode system instead. One member of the public did not address the issue of RFID but rather praised the library for taking steps toward fulfilling its obligations under the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act (NFBA).
The City Council on January 27, 2009, had granted the library a two-year waiver under the Act so as to allow the 3M company to maintain the library’s existing proprietary RFID check-out/check-in system for just two years, with the expectation that the library would find a compliant vendor to maintain or replace the system within that time. The library wanted to give the 3M Company a contract to take over over maintenance of the library’s Checkpoint RFID system in 2008, when 3M became Checkpoint’s exclusive provider of maintenance. However, 3M would not sign Berkeley’s standard form that it would not do work for nuclear weapons during the life of the contract.
Questions remain as to the scheduling of the new RFID system’s installation, and when the 3M maintenance contract for the existing system is to be terminated. The Library’s plans indicate implementation is to be phased, beginning with Central, and the West and South branches. Implementation at North and Claremont branches is to occur in fiscal year 2011-2012. The latter installations would exceed the City Council’s two-year waiver of the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act by four to 16 months, and raise the question of when use of the existing system and its maintenance by 3M are to be ended.
Lawsuit Against Demolitions Filed
Recently, a group called Concerned Library Users (CLU) filed a lawsuit opposing the Library’s plans to demolish West Branch and South Branch library buildings. The demolitions are part of the Library’s plan to replace these buildings with brand-new ones, rather than renovate and expand the branches, as provided by Measure FF, which passed in 2008.
Library publicity and studies have praised both the West Branch and South Branch library buildings for their architectural qualities. West Branch was designated by the city as a “Structure of Merit” and Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) is among those supporting renovation and expansion, instead of demolition.
The CLU lawsuit argues that Measure FF provided funding for renovations and expansions -- not demolitions -- and that the Library’s current demolition plans are not a legitimate use of the funds provided by the measure.
An appeal of the Zoning Adjustment Board’s approval for the North and Claremont branch libraries’ building expansions has also been filed and is scheduled to be heard by the Berkeley City Council on December 7, 2010. The Library’s plans would expand both branches beyond the lot coverage percentages allowed prior to the recent City Council action to permanently waive the need for variances when existing library buildings are expanded or demolished and rebuilt.
The CLU lawsuit also challenges the legality of the City Council’s legislation because, it says, potential environmental impacts were not adequately considered as required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The planned renovations to the Claremont Branch, despite a small increase in floor space, would provide less floor space for the public, according to a Planning Department memo, and would also diminish public service by drastically cutting back on existing space for books, according to library plans. The library plans for North Branch include a very substantial 77% increase in floor space, but a much smaller percentage increase in shelving for books and materials. In both instances this represents an unfortunate book de-emphasis.
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Peter Warfield is Executive Director of Library Users Association and can be reached at libraryusers2004@yahoo.com. Four articles about the Berkeley Public Library’s branch renovation and demolition plans have previously appeared in the Berkeley Daily Planet in May, June, and July, 2010.
