Originally appeared in the 04/95 issue of 'Off the Shelf'

The West Oakland Branch Library is one of the oldest in the system, begun in 1878 as the West Oakland Reading Room, located at 1704 7th Street. Moving several times, the branch that predates the current one was located in 1906 at 712 Peralta Street. The City of Oakland and many West Oakland community leaders decided to build the multipurpose center on 18th and Adeline Streets, where the current branch opened July, 1977.

The City of Oakland's Multipurpose Center that houses The West Oakland Public Library is located on the corner of 1801 Adeline Street. Reflecting the link between information and service delivery, the move to place libraries in hubs that house other businesses or service providers has become the norm for much of the current library facility development here in Oakland within the last 20 years. The West Oakland Branch was the second library in the system to participate in cooperative tenancy with a variety of county and non-profit organizations. That the model has been repeated in several other neighborhoods, attests to its success in this community.

Across the street from the library lies the famous deFremery Park, where the Black Panther Party was born. DeFremery Park was the meeting place or hang-out of many prominent Oakland citizens in their youth, including Congressman Ron Dellums.

During the late 1800's West Oakland had a diverse working class community made up of Italians, Germans, Mexicans, and Portuguese. This population was the result of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, in 1869. The tracks ended at the foot of 7th and Adeline Streets.

Pre-WWII migration north by Southerners to work in the shipyards and other industries helped establish West Oakland as the Mecca of the West, a good place to earn a living, settle, and raise a family. By 1942 West Oakland was the home of a diverse African American middle class community, the largest in the country outside of Atlanta.

Presently 80% of West Oakland is African American. The West Oakland Library boasts one of the OPL's premiere collections of African American literature.

West Oakland also has a fairly large Latino/Hispanic population. WOBL now has an extensive Spanish language collection. West Oakland also has Arabic, Tagalog, Chinese, and Mon-Khmer speaking patrons. The staff at WOBL reflects some of the diversity of the community it serves. 5 staff members are bilingual, 3 are men, and 7 are persons of color.

WOBL circulation is up 55% over last year! 31% of the West Oakland's population is pre-school - 17 years, 23% between 18 - 29, 27% between 30 - 49, with 13% over 65 years old, and 2% over 85 years old. With such a wide range of ages and needs, the WOBL staff continues to engage its patrons as resources, and keep abreast of patron needs and desires. This interaction also stimulates public interest in library services. Situated between numerous elementary schools, Junior, Alternative, and Senior, High Schools, WOBL is ideally situated for the younger population in West Oakland to access.

Some of the more publicized activities at WOBL include: The Annual African American Celebration through Poetry, the Grow Your Own Business Forum, Word-Tour, Poetry Writing Workshops for Families, A Tribute to El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, a.k.a. Malcolm X, Storytelling Events, Teen Club, P.A.S.S., an afterschool and weekend tutorial/homework center for students, K-12; and an upcoming Youth Showcase.

Staff stability continues to be a challenge at WOBL. Most of the current staff has been at this branch for less than one year. WOBL faces the problems of many urban branches: theft, vandalism, and violence.

WOBL would like to have an Open House to introduce the new staff to the community, to show off its collections and computers, and to start a Friends of WOBL.

WOBL needs more quality books for its children's collection and the African American Vintage Literature and History Collection. WOBL could also use updated auto manuals, and current manufacturer's blue books. A security system would be great addition to the branch, to catch those books before they walk away; and lastly, new carpeting would give the interior a lift.

West Oakland Public Library has a dream of being the focal point in the Athens in the West, which is what West Oakland was called in its early history. West Oakland is known for its good poetry, great transportation, and healthy commerce, all under blue skies with warm weather.

WOBL wants to be a tool in shaping and recreating this image. WOBL wants to be the place where everything you want to know about what's going on in West Oakland can be found. As the best possible information resource for the community, WOBL can only grow.

Under the direction of the Branch Librarian, Christine Saed, and a staff, past and present included: this vision is leaving indelible marks on everyone who enters the doors on 18th and Adeline Streets, myself included.

I'd like to thank librarians, Christine Saed, WOBL, Bill Sturm, Oakland History Room, for their help with this article.

-- Wanda Sabir