"SAVE THE BOOKS" LAWSUIT

SAN FRANCISCO LAWSUIT GOES TO TRIAL.... MAY 10 date set... Alleges $316 million not accounted for...

In 1994, the Citizens of San Francisco voted for Proposition E that would support our public libraries. The text of that measure, as put before the voters, said, "Increasing library hours throughout the system and acquiring books and materials shall receive priority in appropriating and expending fund monies."

Now, a lawsuit has been filed against Mayor Gavin Newsom and the Public Library administration contending misuse and failure to account for that money. A Superior Court Judge has ruled that there is enough evidence to go to trial. These are the facts:

A rough approximation indicates the Fund will account for approximately $316 million. Yet officials responsible for the expenditure of those funds contend that it is impractical to provide an accounting of where that money goes.

Since 1995 when the Fund when into effect the total San Francisco Public Library budget has increased by 51 percent, while at the same time the percentage of the budget for books and materials budget has dropped by 29 percent. In the same period, the open hours have not increased at all.

A Post-Occupancy Evaluation called for $28 million in fixes to the New Main, yet there is plenty of money for a Tool Lending Center paid for out of the Library Budget and to provide space in the Library for the Friends and Foundation for One Dollar.

The Branch Improvement Bond to remodel branches in San Francisco Neighborhoods has become a de-book-ification program. The Library Planning Consultant selected by the "Friends and Foundation" has stated that "A library is better with fewer books." What she did not add was that, "Then there is more room for fund-raising activities."

The private "Friends and Foundation" has a license to sell "Naming Opportunities" at remodeled branches in the return for donations to the "Friends and Foundation" not donations to the library. There is no formal agreement that guarantees the library will get even a penny of that money.

The official proponent’s argument in the Voters Information Pamphlet for the 1994 election states that "politicians are looting library budgets to pay for pet projects" and that the proposition "guarantees: . . . money for a respectable book budget; . . . much needed services for the children of San Francisco." That was the argument that tempted the voters to fund this charter amendment, so that when times of stringent budgets came, such as now, the core services of the library would be protected. It is clear that just the opposite has happened and that money intended for books and hours is going to anything but basic library services.

The reason is that the same people are in charge who presided over the destruction of our collection, the travesty of the New Main, and the decimation our literary heritage. Anti-intellectualism is alive, well and still in charge of our San Francisco Public Library. It is well known that the Friends and Foundation operates as a corporate front run by Pacific Bell, Bank of America, Chevron and a coalition of other major corporate interests.

They call it a "public-private partnership," but The Friends & Foundation have no legal relationship with the library and this is a case where the "aristocrats" get the benefits.