Picture of the Library of Hawaii Opened to the Public

The Library of Hawaii is a building that was built and now stands for the benefit of all people living in this Territory; within it, there are books to read and look at of things of your interest, in all different subjects.

This beautiful structure stands on the corner mauka on the Ewa side of King Street and Punchbowl, so as not to be mistaken by those unfamiliar with where this building stands; and it’s doors are always opened to the public to enter to read books, or to get books for them to read at home.

The Library of Hawaii was opened on the first day of February, 1913; it has been two years that it has been open to the public, this past February.

According to the statement of the caretaker of the library, within these two years, the number of patrons who registered reached about six-thousand eight-hundred; they took out many books and newspapers to read.

In 1914, this past year, 87,032 books were lent out, and from within that number, 27,373 were lent to children. The number of patrons who sat and read within its reading room was 47,279.

The doors of the Library of Hawaii are always open from 9 in the morning to 8 [?] in the evening, and should someone residing in Hawaii wish to get a book to read, he must fill out his name on a ready made form, and he will receive a paper [library card?].

On the 9th of this past February, the regular meeting of the treasury board of the Library of Hawaii, and at that meeting was heard the reports of the many different committees, and also about a consideration of a number of grand plans relating closely to this library, and they were put in the hands of a special committee.

(Kuokoa, 3/5/1915, p. 5)

Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LIII, Helu 10, Aoao 5. Maraki 5, 1915.