We obtain a formula for the essential spectral radius rho(ess) of tran
sfer-type operators associated with families of C-1+delta diffeomorphi
sms of the line and Zygmund, or Holder, weights acting on Banach space
s of Zygmund (respectively Holder) functions. In the uniformly contrac
ting case the essential spectral radius is strictly smaller than the s
pectral radius when the weights are positive.