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Hawaii State Library
Rating Details »
5 reviews for Hawaii State Library
I just recently went back to the library after a good 10 year hiatus and it's just as I remembered it. Things change...but not the library! I brought my kiddies to the library for the first time and it still holds the same magic it did for me when I was seven. I didn't have much money as a kid but I had a library card! All the books that I could carry baby!!!
Sidebar: Oh yeah, my kids are going to grow up to be total nerds and I can't wait! Because nerds rule the world!
This library's children's book section is huge and they have a boatload of stuffed animals so that you can build an imaginary Noah's ark. Unfortunately there weren't two of every animal so in our imaginary world, the Zebra will have to mate with the Parrot. I got excited when I discovered the read-a-long children's books with audio tapes and cd. This was how I learned to read as a kid and also how I got the scar on my face (long story, but I'll tell you one day because my sister is to blame).
Outside they had some type of cultural music concert but it was a bit too loud for my kiddies. There was also a man painting outside and he made me wish I could paint. I can paint but I don't think that you would want to buy my finger paintings.
Be sure to check out the audio visual room on the second floor because you can borrow audio cds & books for FREE! And you can rent dvds for 10 days for just $1. Uh sweet deal!
Best thing about the library system is that you can return books to any library regardless of the library you borrowed them at. Now all the library needs is a coffee and pastry bar in the courtyard and it would be PERFECT!!! Can't wait to go back and develop more nerdiness in my kiddies.
I wish I lived near a library as wonderful as the Hawaii State Library. It really is THE BEST public library in Oahu and it's actually one of the largest in the US. Funded by Carnegie this building was designed by Henry Whitfield; the library boasts over 500,000 books with over 3 million in circulation throughout the state. Located in downtown Honolulu it is adjacent to Iolani Palace and the Hawaii State Capitol; you can't miss it.
The place is HUGE (imagine Scarlette O'Hara running out of Tara), beautiful, clean and inviting with dozens and dozens of rooms, seats and tables for people to read and study. Downstairs near the check out lines are brand new books which the library recieve on a weekly basis so you can always find the latest books to borrow instead of going to the bookstore. Absolutely user friendly and impressive!
Agree with Guam A--this branch is excellent. It was one of the 1st places on my "Welcome to your new life in Oahu" tour. There was an open courtyard with a small gathering, that led me to believe you could lease space for special events. Upstairs, I scoped out the rows and rows of cookbooks & biographies after combing the fictional stacks and new additions downstairs. On the way to the cookbooks, I walked outdoors where there were varnished tables & chairs overlooking the courtyard below. Tons of people were spread out all over the tables, enjoying stacks of hard covered and paperback books.
The librarian told me I could reserve or renew books online or return books to other branches of the library. I believe you had to return CDs or DVDs from the library of origin.
...Not sure how this service got on the short list of offerings but they even accept passport applications at this location.
Overall, l enjoyed my visit & look fwd to spending a lot more time in the bookstacks.
Its a good library, with ample amount of books and collection. It is the main branch.
But what good is it if there is not enough paid parking meters around it? I can count only 10 - 15 nearby metered spaces, and there is a short time limit, meaning that one has to keep going out and put coins in the meter to avoid a parking ticket or get towed away during certain downtown traffic hours. If you are a full time worker, the days you can use this library are Thursday evening for a couple of hours and Saturdays, both days you need to pay for parking. The library is closed on Sundays.
Therefore, to summarize, if you are not a retiree, and if you don't live within the 3 or 4 blocks, then you won't be able to use this library without having to pay for parking, if you can find a spot to park legitimately, and if you don't mind coming out to put coins in the meters every hour or two.
If you look carefully at the library hours, they are pretty much catered towards the needs of its staff, and not the need of the patrons. That is why you hardly see too many people in the library, even in the Thursday evenings. On the other hand, the other branches are rather crowded a lot of times.
The best library on the island. There are so many books that it boggles the mind. They have two sets of Art books, reference and take home, they have two floors and such a lovely courtyard to enjoy them in, a bliss.