What You Need to Check Out at Hawai‘i State Libraries
Celebrate National Library Week in Hawai‘i April 23–29 with stories, games, movies, classes, tai chi, and of course, books.
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
We work at a magazine, so naturally, we love Hawai‘i state libraries and are ready to celebrate this year’s library week theme of “There’s More to the Story.” Here are our tips for finding the latest offerings throughout the 51 libraries in the state system.
But it turns out there are way too many events across our state libraries to list here. Here are just a few: There’s a tai chi demonstration at the Kahuku library. At the ‘Ewa Beach library, explore chess play and a crochet project for Mother’s Day. The Wai‘anae Book Club is discussing Ordinary Grace. And the North Kohala Library on Hawai‘i Island is starting sign language classes.
Want to find out what’s going on at the public library closest to you? Visit your nearest library and get a library card so you can try out more of what’s offered. And head to librarieshawaii.org to check out upcoming events.
Expand Your Horizons
- Save money while staying informed. The PressReader service provides online access to more than 7,000 newspapers and magazines from around the globe.
- The digital version of The New York Times.
- Streaming movies and programs that include Great Courses through Kanopy.
- Learn a language with Mango Languages.
SEE ALSO: 12 Unique Aspects of Hawai‘i’s Libraries That You Might Not Know About
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Entertain Your Keiki
- Find books for babies, toddler tales, and keiki story times across the state.
- Learn interactive crafts for kids and those who care for them.
- Family-friendly films and TV series including Babar, Sesame Street, and Maya the Bee.
Learning Opportunities for Students
- Free access to Wi-Fi and computers.
- Space to study and conduct research.
- Learning opportunities that include book groups and e-sports.
- Learn a musical instrument with self-paced online lessons from professional musicians through ArtistWorks.
Unique Offerings for Special Interests
- Last summer, a state-of-the-art technology facility opened at the Waipahu library to teach game and software development skills through the TRUE esports + Tech Lab public-private collaboration.
- Job-hunting? The library can help with tips and building digital workplace skills through Skill Finder.
- Free databases and other business resources.
SEE ALSO: Check It Out: Hawai‘i’s Public Library System Offers Way More Than Just Books
Photo: Courtesy of Ward Village
Ways to Celebrate National Library Week
- Hint: support your local library. Most Hawai‘i state libraries have volunteer friends support groups that focus on their specific library. Plus, there’s a statewide Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i.
- Volunteer for the big 74th Annual Booksale returning June 17–25 at Ward Village (the former Pier 1 Imports Store) at 1142 Auahi St. Expect a whopping 100,000 books as well as CDs, DVDs, comics, manga, and even eclectic art.
- There’s also a national effort to recognize library stories with prizes. Tell your library story on social media using the hashtag #MyLibraryStory. One entry will be randomly selected to win a $150 VISA card and a poster by National Library Week Honorary Chair Kelly Yang, a best-selling author of books for young readers. Promotion runs until April 28.
