By Matthew Hirsch

San Francisco Public Library officials have backpedaled from a plan that would leave the Bernal Heights State Preschool, one of the few fully subsidized child care programs in the city, without a place to operate. Designs for the Bernal Heights branch renovation had the library expanding into the building's lower level, where the preschool has been for more than 20 years (see "Not My Children's Section," 1/19/05).

It appeared the library was moving steadily forward with the plan until Library Commission president Charles Higueras offered the Bernal community a glimmer of hope during a Jan. 20 library commission meeting. Preserving space for the preschool, he said, is "clearly a matter of great importance, and because it is, I think we need to give it a proper amount of consideration."

"We have not made a decision," he assured the parents and community leaders who came to the meeting to voice support for the school.

Higueras's public statement came just days after acting city librarian Paul Underwood told the Bay Guardian he didn't see a way for the preschool to share library space following the renovations. Now, with a vote on the Bernal branch improvements set for Feb. 17, Underwood said he will have to look at possible alternatives to the proposed renovations.

"I think we're going to do a lot more homework before the 17th and have a lot more rational discussion next time," he said.

Meanwhile, the library recently confirmed it's also backing off efforts to use radio frequency identification (RFID) for tracking library materials. But it's not because of fears that RFID will infringe on patrons' privacy, the concern raised by most critics of the plan. RFID funding – $300,000 in total – fell victim to midyear budget cuts. It will be back in the library's budget proposal next year.

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