The county librarian, Jean Hofacket, on her own initiative and without public discussion, recently removed a large population area from the San Lorenzo Library service area and placed it in the service area of the Castro Valley Library. The area removed represents an estimated 10 percent of the tax base of the San Lorenzo Library.

She has claimed that this was necessary so that the service areas of the two libraries are consistent with the boundaries of new area land-use plans that are presently being completed. Last year some residents of hillside neighborhoods overlooking the Ashland District demanded that the entire area east of I-580 be removed from the Eden Area General Plan (covering the unincorporated Eden Township except Castro Valley) and placed in the Castro Valley General Plan.

On July 17 the board of directors of Friends of the Library held a special meeting to discuss this situation and unanimously adopted the following statement:

Whereas Friends of the Library - San Lorenzo Area is committed to community involvement in the major decisions affecting our library, and

Whereas the county librarian recently attempted to change the service area of the San Lorenzo Library without public discussion and without advance notice to Friends of the Library,

Therefore the board of directors of Friends of the Library - San Lorenzo Area protests the attempt to change the service area and demands that any such change be fully discussed in public before final action is taken.