The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) is the only statewide public library system in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. The system has 51 libraries on all the major

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost ...

Big Island of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of t ...

Kauai Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest islan ...

, Lānai,

Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, whic ...

Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length and width with a us ...

and

Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...

. The system's collection of books and other library materials totals over three million. There is one library for the blind and physically handicapped, located on Oahu. The Hawaii State Public Library System is headed by the Hawaii State Librarian, currently Stacey Aldrich, who reports to the

Hawaii Board of Education The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) is a statewide public education system in the United States. The school district can be thought of as analogous to the school districts of other cities and communities in the United States, but ...

. The flagship

Hawaii State Library The Hawaii State Library is a historic building in Honolulu, Hawaii, that serves as the seat of the Hawaii State Public Library System, the only statewide library system and one of the largest in the United States. The Hawaii State Library buil ...

, built in 1911 and designed by architect Henry D. Whitfield, was funded in part by

industrialist A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through per ...

and

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in ...

. It is a historic

downtown Honolulu Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, and governmental center of Honolulu, the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is bounded by Nuuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the n ...

building.

Early years

In 1879, the Honolulu Library and Reading Room Association was formed. The HLRRA was Hawaii's second subscription library and was supported by the Hawaiian royal family. King Kalakaua, Queen Kapionlani, Queen Emma, and Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop gave financially and donated their personal book collections to the association. King Kalakaua gave tax exemptions and a land grant for a site in downtown Honolulu.

First library of Hawaii

The Hawaii Library and Reading Room Association served the people of Hawaii for 34 years, and in 1909 signed an agreement with the trustees of the Library of Hawaii to contribute the collection of 20,000 printed materials, furnishings, and funds toward the new library. The trustees obtained a $100,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation for the new library building. The cornerstone was laid on October 21, 1911, and the first day the library opened was February 1, 1913. The front columns identify the building as a Carnegie library, and the total cost of the building was $127,000 with the territorial legislature providing the additional $27,000. During the next 10 years the library grew rapidly, and in 1927 the legislation appropriated $300,000 to expand and renovate the original building. The expansion was designed by C.W. Dickey and included the addition of two wings creating a quadrangle with an open-air courtyard in the middle. In 1978, the building was designated a historic site and was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1990, the State Legislation passed funding for a second renovation. The updated building now includes air conditioning, a new roof, new plumbing, handicapped access, landscaping, and another large wing successfully blending in with the existing building.

List of public libraries in the system

*Hawaii County –

Hawaii (island) Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of ...

(12) **North Kohala Public Library **Hilo Public Library **Honokaa Public Library **Kailua-Kona Public Library Kailua-Kona Public Library, Hawaii

**Keaau Public and School Library **Kealakekua Public Library **Laupāhoehoe Public and School Library **Mountain View Public and School Library **Nāālehu Public Library **Pāhala Public and School Library **Pāhoa Public and School Library **Thelma Parker Memorial Public and School Library * Kauai County (6) **Hanapēpē Public Library **Kapaa Public Library **Kōloa Public and School Library **Līhue Public Library **Princeville Public Library **Waimea Public Library *Lānai (1) **Lānai Public and School Library Maui-Wailuku-Library-front

* Maui County (6) **Hana Public and School Library **Kahului Public Library **Kīhei Public Library **Lahaina Public Library **Makawao Public Library ** Wailuku Public Library *

(1) **Molokai Public Library Honolulu-Library-for-Blind&Handicapped

City and County of Honolulu Honolulu County (officially known as the City and County of Honolulu, formerly Oahu County) is a consolidated city–county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The city–county includes both the city of Honolulu (the state's capital and largest cit ...

–

(25) **Aiea Public Library **Āina Haina Public Library **Ewa Beach Public and School Library **Hawaii Kai Public Library **

**Kahuku Public and School Library **Kailua Public Library **Kaimukī Public Library **Kalihi-Pālama Public Library **Kāneohe Public Library **Kapolei Public Library **Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped **Liliha Public Library **Mānoa Public Library **McCully-Mōiliili Public Library **Mililani Public Library **Nānākuli Public Library **Pearl City Public Library **Salt Lake/Moanalua Public Library **Wahiawā Public Library **Waialua Public Library **Waianae Public Library **Waikīkī-Kapahulu Public Library **Waimānalo Public & School Library **Waipahu Public Library

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Public libraries in Hawaii State agencies of Hawaii