Palama Supermarkets, through a partnership with the Korean Library Foundation (KLF), will donate $5,000 to the Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) for the purchase of Korean language materials in a donation ceremony at the McCully-Moiliili Public Library(2211 South King Street) on Thursday, August 11 at 11 a.m.
In addition, Palama Supermarkets saves HSPLS more than $10,000 annually in shipping fees by providing free transport of Korean language materials from Korea.
The McCully-Moiliili Public Library hosts this premier collection of current and popular Korean language materials. Founded by the Moon Book Club (now the Korean Library Foundation), the 19,000+ materials circulate 60,000 times annually and these heavily-requested materials are accessible to patrons statewide free of charge through HSPLS' intra-library loan service. The State library system is matching this generous donation by setting aside $15,000 in materials funds to purchase Korean language materials later this year.
Palama Supermarkets was founded in 1977 as H&K Inc., a small Korean convenience store on the corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Philips Street, and was owned and operated by Hyo Kyu and Hae Joo Lim. Today, Palama Supermarkets is one of the largest Korean-owned businesses in Hawaii with three locations on Oahu. Daniel Lim, President of Palama Supermarkets, and his mother, Mrs. Lim, will be attending the ceremony.
The Korean Library Foundation, founded by Sook Ki and Eugene Moon in 1997, is a non-profit organization that donates Korean materials to enhance the Hawaii State Public Library System's Korean language collection. In addition to books, the Korean Library Foundation donates English-subtitled DVDs of popular Korean TV dramas to benefit Hawaii's residents and heighten awareness of Korean culture, history, and language. Sook Ki Moon and Jennifer Kim, KLF President, will be attending the ceremony.