Hawaiʻi State Library | |
 Front facade | |
| Location | 478 S. King St.,Honolulu, Hawaii, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 21°18′21″N157°51′27″W / 21.30591°N 157.85746°W /21.30591; -157.85746 |
| Built | 1911–1913 |
| Architect | Henry D. Whitfield |
| Part of | Hawaii Capital Historic District |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001020 |
| Significant dates | |
| Opened | February 1, 1913 |
| Added to NRHP | 12/01/1978 |
TheHawaiʻi State Library is a historic building inHonolulu,Hawaii, United States, that serves as the seat of theHawaiʻi State Public Library System, the only statewidelibrary system and one of the largest in theUnited States. The Hawaiʻi State Library building is located indowntown Honolulu, adjacent toʻIolani Palace and theHawaiʻi State Capitol. Originally funded byAndrew Carnegie, the building was designed by architectHenry D. Whitfield. Groundbreaking took place in 1911 and construction was completed in 1913. In 1978, the building was added to theNational Register of Historic Places, as acontributing property within theHawaii Capital Historic District.[1]
The building holds over 525,000 cataloged books. The entire Hawaiʻi State Public Library System has a collection of over 3 million books. Nearby is theHawaiʻi State Archives which holds book collections of historical significance to Hawaii. TheEdna Allyn Children's Room houses murals by artistJuliette May Fraser depicting Hawaiian legends while the garden courtyard features a mosaic of ocean currents byHiroki Morinoue.Barbara Hepworth's cast bronze sculptures, namedParent I andYoung Girl, greet visitors at the lawn in front of the building.
Before the Hawaiʻi State Library was constructed, library facilities were provided by the Honolulu Library and Reading Room Association, founded in 1879 by theKingdom of Hawaiʻi. Prior to this, the site was the location of Hāliʻimaile, the residence ofBoki andLiliha and later,Victoria Kamāmalu and her father and brothers before they ascendedKamehameha IV andKamehameha V.[2] Hawaii's royalty (King Kalakaua,Queen Kapiolani,Queen Emma, andPrincess Bernice Pauahi Bishop) gave both financial support and their personal book collections to the association. King Kalakaua also provided tax exemptions and a land grant for a permanent site in downtown Honolulu.[3]
The Hawaiʻi State Library was funded by a grant fromAndrew Carnegie. The Library met the government-related requirements for the grant with the cooperation ofWalter F. Frear.Edna Allyn was the head librarian when it opened in 1913.[4]
In 1921, the County Library Law established separate libraries on the islands ofKauaʻi,Maui, and Hawaiʻi, under minimal supervision by the Library of Hawaii, which restricted its services toOʻahu. Even so, the latter quickly outgrew its quarters. In 1927, theTerritorial legislature approved funding to expand and renovate the building. Construction was completed in 1930. ArchitectC.W. Dickey tripled its size by new wings to create an open-air courtyard in the center.[5]
After statehood in 1959, theHawaii State Legislature created theHawaii State Public Library System, the only statewide system in theUnited States, with the Hawaii State Library building as its flagship branch. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the library continued to outgrow its facility. In 1990, it funded a second major renovation and expansion, which was completed in 1992. The renovations addressedair-conditioning,roofing,asbestos removal,plumbing, better access for thehandicapped, andlandscaping, while the expansion added a large wing to the rear of the building that blended well with the older wings.[5]
The library system of Hawaii State Library, which was established in June 1965, called for a new concept of organization that had to be created by the state librarian.[6] This system would provide complete service to all aspects of society. Ideas were sourced from other established libraries and organizations, then integrated to create best practices for the library system.[6] Although the Library System is an independent State agency, the state librarian is appointed by theBoard of Education,[7] and reports directly to the Superintendent of Education. Other government agencies that the state librarian reports to are the seven appointed School Advisory Councils, the four Library Advisory Commissions, and others that are engaged in education. The state librarian is responsible for the operation, planning, programming, and budgeting of all public libraries within the State;[7] however, there are no local funds in Hawaii, and as such, the governor and legislature approve the funding and budget of the State Library.[6]
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