Friends of the Oakland Public Library
|
|
"Public libraries receive less than 1% of all tax dollars and are used by more than 50
percent of the population." |
|
Friends of the Oakland Public Library
|
|
|
Golden Gate Branch,
|
| Golden Gate Branch Library, in its present
site at 5606 San Pablo Avenue, is one of the five Andrew Carnegie building
libraries in Oakland. Golden Gate’s history as a Reading Room, Free Library,
dates back to October, 1899, with two locations, both on San Pablo Avenue.
Having a library was a strong incentive for citizens in the City of Golden Gate to consider in 1897 to annex their town to Oakland. |
The
Golden Gate Branch was renovated and retrofitted
with bond funds from
Measure I, adopted by 77% of |
The town of Golden Gate, formally called Klinknerville, after the town’s founder, Charles Alexander Klinkner, was established in 1885. Charles Klinkner and his partner P.F. Butler purchased land near the Central Pacific’s railroad depot at San Pablo and Stanford Avenues, for real estate development. Klinkner then set about building houses and creating a little town, eventually inducing the railroad into extending its line into Klinknerville. The Oakland Sentinel called Klinknerville a “Charming rural retreat in the country, but in sight of the city.” The history of the town of Klinknerville and its founder makes very good reading in the Main Library’s Oakland History Room.
Always a place where citizens actively participate in community life, a branch library gave citizens a place to gather to showcase neighborhood achievements. Situated next to a park and an elementary school, Golden Gate has maintained a close connection with its youthful patrons. Golden Gate Branch’s annual flower shows in the past, as well as other bygone events, established Golden Gate within the hearts of its community as a place where lifelong learning opportunities are present. Over the years, Golden Gate Library has also been a place to meet neighbors and to have a good time. During the school year, Golden Gate is the site of PASS, the afterschool homework assistance program. There will be children’s summer classes beginning in July, including acting and storytelling workshops, classes on how to make comic books, and for budding circus performers: Juggling and unicycling!
Golden Gate branch patrons and neighbors showed their appreciation of their branch and its services through numerous donations of books reported in news clippings dating back as far as March 1925. Golden Gate is the only branch that has received a United States Flag from the Claremont Parlor No. 240 Native Sons of the Golden West. Draped over the coffin of Golden Gate neighborhood resident, Arthur Gilbert Ford, who was killed in action, July 1918, this flag is one of the few that were salvageable from front line combat during World War I. The people of the Golden Gate District greatly prized the gift of the flag of their fallen war hero, Arthur Gilbert Ford. The flag is in a glass case on the wall near the entrance to the branch.
The Claremont Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West gave the Golden Gate branch the Oakland Firehouse #7 Bell on February 22, 1926, George Washington’s birthday. The bell sits on the lawn in front of the branch building, surrounded by flowers recently re-planted by the Friends of the Golden Gate Branch Library.
Golden Gate residents love their branch. This is shown through the dedication of the GG Friends, whose group dates back at least 20 years. There are letters from the GG Friends in the Oakland History Room advocating for their branch for funds, to keep the branch open, for latitude in providing funds to library staff for materials and programs.
The GG Friends host a summer Jazz on Sunday series, which includes seminars and open jam sessions hosted by Donald "Duck" Bailey. This summer's series begins on July 9. On Tuesday evenings there is a saxophone choir. To help local residents become more computer literate, the GG Friends raised money to buy 5 personal computers with CD ROM for an on-site computer lab.
Golden Gate branch shares half its first floor with the African American Museum and Library at Oakland, (AAMLO). As noted in the February '95 Off The Shelf, AAMLO will hopefully be moving to larger facilities in a renovated Greene Library building at 14th and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in downtown Oakland. When this happens Golden Gate will almost double the space available for books and programs. (This move took place in 2002 - Ed.)
The branch must be open a certain number of hours due to Emeryville's contract to use the Oakland Public Library. Emeryville residents make up 30% of the branch's circulation, which overall is up 30% from last year. Congratulations!
It was a pleasure learning more about this library. I'd like to thank Bill Sturm, Oakland History Room; Carl Cousineau, Technical Services; and Golden Gate Branch Librarian Richard Serrato.
-- Wanda Sabir
(Please note that this story may not reflect current staff assignments at this branch.)
Go here to read Golden Gate Library: Beacon to the Community - published 12/03
Go here for current information about Golden Gate Branch Library.
|
