http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/27/BASK15HJ10.DTL
Berkeley departments skirmish over 3M contract
(01-26) 20:04 PST -- Berkeley's public library will face a showdown with the city's Peace and Justice Commission tonight over whether a service contract for the book check-out system violates the city's nuclear-free ordinance.
The dispute centers on a five-year, $63,000 contract the library wants to sign with 3M, an international technology company based in Minnesota, to service five scanner machines library patrons use to check out books.
But 3M, a company with operations in 60 countries, refused to sign Berkeley's nuclear-free disclosure form as required by the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act passed by voters in 1986.
As a result, the library's self-checkout machines have not been serviced in about six months. Library officials say 3M is the only company authorized by the manufacturer to fix the machines, which were purchased in 2004.
The library asked the Peace and Justice Commission for a waiver, but at its Jan. 5 meeting the commission voted 7-1, with two abstentions, to reject the request. The library is now appealing the decision to the City Council.
"We would not ever have selected 3M on our own, but we were thrust into this," said Donna Corbeil, director of library services. "We're not happy about it, but right now there's no alternative."
The checkout machines were formerly maintained by the manufacturer, a company called Checkpoint, but Checkpoint last year announced it was turning over its maintenance jobs to 3M.
Buying new machines or finding a new repair company would "have a big impact on our budget," Corbeil said. "At this point, we basically have no choice."
The Peace and Justice Commission does not see it that way. Commissioners said the library should try harder to find a company that complies with the Nuclear Free Berkeley Act.
"We really mean it when we say we don't want to be part of the nuclear machinery," said commission member George Lippman. "The act is meant to be a blow against nuclear war. We're serious about upholding that."
Waivers for UC
The commission reviews Nuclear Free Berkeley waiver requests several times a year, usually due to contracts between the city and UC, which conducts nuclear research. In those cases, the commission usually approves the waiver.
But the library request did not meet the criteria, said commissioner Wendy Kenin.
"There was really no convincing evidence that the loss of the investment" would be worth waiving the ordinance, she said. "We take it very seriously that Berkeley promotes peace in the world and, for that, stands out among cities internationally."
About 65 percent of Berkeley library patrons use the self-checkout machines, scanning more than 1 million books, CDs, DVDs and other items a year. The machines are located at the main library downtown and four branch libraries.