More than 200 book lovers and concerned residents are up in arms about the proposed closing of at least five Oakland branch libraries and other cuts in library services. They gathered at the Lakeview Branch of the Oakland Public Library last weekend to plan their counter attack.

As part of the Oakland's need to slash millions from its current fiscal year budget, the libraries have been asked to cut $2 million from, or about 40 percent of, what's left of the general fund. That fund stands at about $4.8 million.

"This is a disproportionately large cut compared to other departments," said Oakland City Councilwoman Jean Quan, District 4 (Montclair-Laurel).

"We have already frozen all expenditures relating to books and equipment," said Carmen Martinez, the city's library director. "There is nothing else left to cut."

Seventy percent of the library department's spending is used to pay salaries, so any cuts will be hard felt by the community, residents said.

Martinez and her staff came up with several scenarios and plan to submit their final suggestions on the proposed budget cuts to the Oakland City Council before Feb. 7.

The library's latest plan, known as Plan Three, provides for seven "regional branches" -- a new category or designation for libraries that will remain open with their current hours: West Oakland, Rockridge, Asian, Brookfield, Cesar Chavez, Eastmont and Dimond. The five branches slated for closing under this plan are: Lakeview, Martin Luther King Jr., Melrose, Elmhurst and Piedmont Avenue. The Golden Gate, Montclair and Temescal branches are set to stay open three days a week, down from their current five.

Plan Three aims to reduce the library budget by $1.7 million.

"This was my charge, not my heart," said Martinez, who lobbied and received funding last year to extend library hours. (Those funds have since disappeared.)

Amy Pierce of state Assemblyman Don Perata's office, pointed to the potential repeal of the vehicle license fees, which the state shares with the city. "The (fees are) the lifeblood for local financing. Without it, there is very little local communities can do to raise money."

It is expected that Gov. Gray Davis will fight to keep these fees, rather than pass them back to cities and other areas where they are collected, as the state has done in the past.

Pierce suggested that residents contact the governor and ask that the vehicle license fees be shared with communities like Oakland. "This is a very contentious issue. Please write to the governor. "Future cuts will not end with the libraries," Pierce warned.

Frank Brodsky, a member of Friends of the Lakeview Library and a facilitator of Saturday's meeting, called for all branches to remain open at their current hours. It would only be detrimental for individual groups to begin lobbying specifically for the branch in their neighborhood, he cautioned.

"We want a coordinated effort, so we are not repeating ourselves," Brodesky stressed.

"It is interesting that the libraries are expected to make what seems to be a disproportionate cut in their budgets, however, to be realistic, we should expect some cuts," conceded Rita Liberti, a resident of the Rose Garden district.

But many residents remained vehemently opposed to any cuts in library services.

"The libraries are one of the most important services" said Terry Gross, a resident of Crocker Highlands. "(They are) something that provides access for minimum and low-income citizens. These things should be the last cut -- not first."

"This always happens. We are the last to be heard, said Asline Jones, a property owner in both East and West Oakland and former librarian. "(Residents of East and West Oakland) don't have computers or cars. They have to take, already bad, public transportation to get to another branch to use these services."

Residents in more affluent areas of the city have cars and therefore can more easily drive to a branch in another neighborhood, Jones explained. "I am (angry), because we are always overlooked."

Jones received an enormous round of applause from the audience.

Those at the meeting then worked on what they should do before the City Council votes on the proposed cuts at its special 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7 meeting. Many exuberant supporters signed up for letter writing, fiscal analysis, Web support and other tasks.

"We need to blanket the city and newspapers with letters," Brodesky said.

Many residents at the meeting were ready to act.

"The people of Oakland are being robbed of their past and future," said Miron Mursury, an artist and Grand Lake resident. "The closing of the libraries are endemic to the loss of society. When they are gone, they will never come back."

"This is an amazing outpouring. Keep it up," Quan said. "We need to develop a long-term strategy. People are not seeing that right now. They are reacting to a mid-year crisis. The city is looking at more cuts in June. We must be smarter."

To join the effort to save the libraries, send e-mail messages to save__Oakland_libraries@hotmail.com. To sign or obtain a petition, call 510-444-4984 or send e-mail to Maggie_Kostoff@hotmail.com.

To contact the governor about vehicle license fees, see www.governor.ca.gov, or mail letters to Gov. Gray Davis, State Capital, Sacramento, CA 95814.