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Dimond Branch:
No More Straining at the Seams
Originally appeared in the 5/96 issue of 'Off the Shelf'
Dimond Branch's history is of a library with big community
support that often had too little space. Fortunately, all of that community
support paid off, and the Dimond neighborhood now has a large, modern facility
to serve its needs.
From the early days of this branch, the community has taken an
up-front role in bringing library services to this neighborhood. The branch was
started in 1914 by the Fruitvale Women's Club. The rent and "staff" were
provided by volunteers, and materials came from the Library. In March of 1915,
an "official" branch was opened in a store on Hopkins Street (now MacArthur
Boulevard). The branch was located in rental properties, and unfortunately
enjoyed a "gypsy" existence, moving four times between 1920 and 1950. Almost all
of these buildings proved inadequate. In 1924, the branch was housed at 3548
Fruitvale, on a rental basis. A 1945 letter to Dr. Peter Comney, Library
Director, by Louise Roinestad, the Branch Librarian at Dimond, outlined its
inadequacies. It was too small, by that time, the branch's circulation was one
of the largest in the system. The building had been built into the ground
(without a foundation) so the walls "sweated" (not good for the books or
shelves). WW2 inflated the price of the building, which was being offered for
sale to the library system. The next move was to 3520 Fruitvale. This location
worked out well in terms of size and location, but the building changed owners,
and the branch was forced to move again in 1972. The new location at 3483
Champion was so small, 1,350 square feet, that it did not even meet state
standards for a branch. At that size, it was classified as a "station".
Several things coincided in the next decade that culminated with
the building of the current branch, located at 3565 Fruitvale Ave. In 1973,
long-time residents, Mr. and Mrs. John Rohan, donated a piece of property on
Fruitvale Avenue. Current changes made federal Community Development funds
available to build libraries. In 1978, Proposition 13 passed, and funding for
libraries was cut back, necessitating consolidation of services. The result of
this was construction of the new Dimond Branch, and closure of the nearby
Glenview and Laurel branches, which suffered from low circulation and inadequate
space. The new, 11,000 square foot building was dedicated on February 23, 1980.
The meeting room on the second floor was named after John D. Stuart, a former
president of Dimond Improvement Association, who provided staunch support for
getting the branch built.
In the present day, the Dimond Branch is a "jewel" in the
community. Its features include a collection of Native American materials, a
good selection of reference and periodical materials, and has recently added
materials in Spanish and Vietnamese. The Dimond Branch is also the backup for
the Main Library on Monday and Tuesday evenings, when the Main is closed. The
Friends of the Dimond Branch formed last year, and the branch is getting a new
book security system, purchased with help from F.O.P.L. and donations from the
community. The history of community commitment to, and from, this branch
continues.
I recently talked to Pat Haggerty, a librarian at the Dimond
Branch. Pat has worked at Dimond on and off since it opened at its current site.
He is assists with the Native American collection, which has enjoyed his support
since its inception. The Native American collection is at Dimond because of its
central location, and its proximity to the Hintil Kuu Ca Children's Center
(which serves the local Native American community). We discussed the cultural
and linguistic variety of the patrons, at Dimond and other branches. Pat gave a
great analogy, comparing Oakland to "a quilt" with each "block" different than
the one next to it. That seems to sum up our city well. I hope you'll stop by
and visit the Dimond Branch.
-- Alice Mercer
(Please note that this story may not reflect current staff
assignments at this branch.)
Click
here for current
information about the Dimond Branch Library.
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