HONOLULU – The Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi (FLH) presented the Mahalo Award to State Representative David A. Tarnas as the 2023 Legislator of the Year at the FLH Annual Meeting on February 28^th at the Hawai‘i State Public Library. The Mahalo Award is presented annually to a state legislator who has demonstrated exemplary support of Hawai‘i’s public libraries during the prior legislative session.

State Representative David A. Tarnas is a strong advocate for the long-planned Waikoloa branch of the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System. With his support, planning and design for this project, which has been steadfastly promoted for 14 years by the Friends of the Waikoloa Public Library, is underway.

Rep. Tarnas has been in regular contact with the Friends during this process, and the partnership is producing results. Features planned for the 12,000 square foot library include a Friends of the Library bookstore, early learning classroom space and play area, small meeting spaces, and a community meeting room.

Thanks to Rep. Tarnas, the project has more than half the funding needed for construction, and his top priority for this Legislative Session is to secure the remaining funds. His support ensures that this branch will be the next exciting addition to the statewide public library system. We share his vision of a library that will nourish minds and contribute to this thriving community.

Rep. Tarnas represents the Hawai’i Island House District 8 (North and South Kohala) and serves as the Chair of the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Rep. Tarnas is now serving his fifth term as State Representative for the Kohala districts, having first served from 1994-1998, and from 2018 to present. He has lived in the district for over 37 years and brings extensive experience to his role.

As a professional environmental planner, Rep. Tarnas has consulted on a wide variety of projects in Hawaiʻi and overseas in the Pacific, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and North Africa. He and his wife Carolyn live in Waimea and have raised two children, one of whom is currently a public health graduate student, and the other is a planetary scientist working in the private space industry.

“Our public library offered our family a gateway to explore and learn,” said Rep. Tarnas. “I am very grateful for the positive impact the library had in our lives and am committed to do everything I can to support our State Public Library System.”

The continued support of Rep. Tarnas ensures that the dreams of the Waikoloa community for a Waikoloa Public Library will be realized for the 52nd branch of the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System.  The Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi is thankful to have such a strong supporter in our legislature.