With the support of the Governor and the Hawaii State Legislature, $700,000 was provided to the Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) to significantly expand its collections of eBooks and other new library materials.
"We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Legislature and Governor for providing this much needed funding to enhance our eBooks collection as well as our other library collections," said State Librarian Richard Burns. "Our eBook collection is extremely popular and well-used, and eBook circulation is growing at a faster rate than any other materials collection. Accordingly, we plan to devote fully half of these funds to eBook purchases, which we estimate will increase our total eBook collection by approximately 25%. This funding will help us meet the high demand for eBooks and other library materials."
This marks the first time since 2008 (the beginning of Hawaii's economic downturn) that Hawaii's public libraries will receive funding specifically for library materials. For the past five years, HSPLS has relied on special funds and federal grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to purchase annual subscriptions to the most popular, high-demand online resources and databases, and to expand and update our library collections. In addition, HSPLS has used these IMLS grants to fund IT infrastructure, network, other technology costs, and some eBook/eAudio/eMusic materials.
Board of Education Chairman Don Horner said "Our Libraries play a vital role in providing access to educational and vocational information. Technology is providing libraries a new opportunity to offer the public improved access to information more effectively and efficiently."
HSPLS has also formed valuable partnerships to replace obsolete public access computers and enhance our workforce development resources, including:
* Partnering with the University of Hawaii and the Department of Education in the federal Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP), which provided free wireless internet access in all our libraries; new public access computers, including 54 ADA-accessible workstations; and new hardware and software.
* Leveraging our $823,000 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Opportunity Online hardware grant with the BTOP grant to install 600 new public access computers and workstations in Hawaii's public libraries. The Friends of the Library of Hawaii played a major role in providing matching funds of about $388,000 as required by the grant program.
* Joining with Microsoft, to become the only library system in the world to offer all our patrons free access to the Microsoft IT Academy and Digital Literacy Program, which provides online training that patrons can use to create their careers in the IT marketplace.
"Without State funding, IMLS grants and our many valuable partnerships, the Hawaii State Public Library System would be unable to provide the programs, resources and public access technology our patrons need," said Burns. "Now our patrons can build their future in the world of technology and prepare themselves for employment in the modern workplace. It comes at a noteworthy time as the Hawaii State Library celebrates 100 years of service to the people of Hawaii and as we continue construction on a new public library in Aiea."
