Friends of the Library of Hawaii

Promoting and supporting Hawai‘i's public libraries

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That’s a wrap on the Summer Reading Challenge

This summer, over 23,400 Hawaiʻi residents joined the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge! Themed “E Heluhelu Kākou: Mele”, this year’s challenge sang the praises of Hawai‘i’s rich musical heritage, and readers hit every note! Just look at these stats:

  • 5.4 million minutes logged by children
  • Over 102,000 books read by teens and adults
  • 30,000+ attendees dancing through our doors to attend 1,200+ programs and activities

Congratulations to this year’s Grand Prize Drawing Winner, Cindy Yoshida! This was Cindy’s first time participating in the Summer Reading Challenge, and the most impactful book she read this summer was a book about Alzheimer’s Disease. 

We were thrilled to celebrate with Cindy at her “home” library, Mililani Public Library, as she received her vouchers for four round-trip tickets on Alaska Airlines. 

Filed Under: 6-Blog, Uncategorized, Update Tagged With: summer reading, summer reading challenge

It’s time to Give Aloha

We are excited to once again be part of Give Aloha, Foodland’s Annual Community Matching Gifts program! This program runs throughout the month of September at all Foodland, Sack N Save, and Foodland Farms stores statewide. 

Here’s how you can participate and support Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi: 

  • Head over to any Foodland, Sack N Save, or Foodland Farms
  • Make a donation (up to $249) at checkout and provide our 5-digit code: 77179
  • Be sure to also provide your Maikaʻi Member number 


A portion of donations from enrolled Maikaʻi Members will be matched by Foodland!

You can also support the Give Aloha matching gift by: 

  • Rounding up your purchase
  • Donating spare change 
  • Donating 250 Maikaʻi points 
  • Purchasing Give aloha merchandise designed by Suzanne Jennerich 

The matching gift will be shared among all participating nonprofits. 

We will receive all donations plus our matching gift in October. 

Filed Under: 6-Blog, Announcement, Uncategorized Tagged With: Foodland, Give Aloha, Matching Gift

You’re invited to the Read Aloud Series!

August 9 & 10, 2025 | 11am-1pm

Please join us for the 4th annual Read Aloud Series at the Ward Center Courtyard! Little ones can listen to live children’s book readings from local authors and librarians. You can also snap a photo in front of the photo wall, purchase books from our participating partners, and enjoy light snacks and beverages (while supplies last). 

Mahalo to our partners: Ward Village, Hawaiʻi Library Association, SCBWI Hawaiʻi, Nā Mea Hawaiʻi, Logos Bookstore of Hawaiʻi, and Selfmade Something. 

Filed Under: 6-Blog, Announcement, Uncategorized Tagged With: bookstore, read aloud, Village Books & Music

Call for Nominations: The 2024 Elliot Cades Awards for Literature

Brandy Nālani McDougall, Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate & 2023 Elliot Cades Award for Literature recipient

We are excited to share this announcement from The Cades Foundation and The Hawaiʻi Literary Arts Council: Nominations are now open for the 2024 Elliot Cades Awards for Literature, the most prestigious literary honor in Hawaiʻi. Nominations will be accepted until July 1, 2025. 

 The Elliot Cades Awards for Literature has been presented annually since 1988. The awards were established by Charlotte and J. Russell Cades in memory of J. Russell’s brother, Elliot, a teacher and lover of literature. The awards are administered by the Hawaiʻi Literacy Arts Council, which was founded in 1974 to encourage and promote literature and literary activity in Hawaiʻi. 

 The awards are given to two writers whose published work demonstrates high literary quality. The first award is given to an established artist with a substantial body of work, and the second award is given to an emerging writer whose work shows great promise. The awards are accompanied by a substantial monetary prize. View past awardees here.

 Nominations should consist of a letter of nomination and supporting materials(s), including published work, which will be used during the judging process. Work relating to life in Hawaiʻi is sought, but so is fine literary writing of any kind by current or former residents of Hawaiʻi. Nominees can be poets, playwrights, novelists, essayists, or others associated with the literary arts in Hawaiʻi. Previous winners are not eligible.  

 Nominations and supporting materials must be mailed to the Hawaiʻi Literary Arts Council, and be received by July 1, 2025. For more info, please contact simondsj001@hawaii.rr.com or mleidemann@gmail.com. 

Filed Under: 6-Blog, Announcement, Uncategorized

Spring Cleaning? Donate Your Books and Media to Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi!

Spring is in the air, and that means it’s time for a fresh start. If you’re decluttering your home, sorting through your bookshelves, or organizing your media collection, consider giving your gently used items a new life by donating them to the Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi (FLH).

Your donations will not only help you clear space, they will support literacy and educational programs at Hawaiʻi’s 51 public libraries. Here’s everything you need to know about donating to FLH. 

Why Donate to FLH?

By donating your pre-loved books and media to FLH you are supporting public libraries in Hawaiʻi. Donations are processed by our volunteers, and they are sold at our book sales and at Village Books & Music. Proceeds from the sale of donated items go directly toward funding library programs, purchasing new materials, and supporting literacy initiatives throughout the state. Your donation to FLH is tax-deductible, and we provide a receipt after you drop off your donation.  

What to Donate

We gladly accept donations of books, media, and art, including:

  • Books
  • All Hawaiiana and Pacific materials regardless of condition
  • Art (including paintings, prints, lithographs, posters, ceramics, and sculptures)
  • Comics
  • Puzzles and board games
  • Vinyl records 
  • Cassettes
  • CDs
  • DVDs

Before donating, please ensure items are in good condition. (That means your donation does not show signs of mold, mildew, or excessive damage). We appreciate a quick, pre-donation wipe-down and inspection! 

Unfortunately, we do not accept textbooks, encyclopedias, medical, or law books more than five years old. For more information, check out our guidelines here.

How to Donate

Donating is easy! Simply schedule a donation appointment on our site or call our office at (808) 536-4174, and drop off your donation at our warehouse.  

Our warehouse is located in the Iwilei Business Center at 501 Sumner Street. Please enter through the gate at the end of Sumner Street, where it intersects with Pine Street, and let the parking attendant know that you’re heading to Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi to make a donation. 

Drive through the gate, take a left after the ramp.

Continue through the parking lot, and keep left to enter the tunnel between the buildings.

Then, pull up to the right hand side at our warehouse and park in the stall reserved for donations.

Simply leave your donation on the carts in our donation area inside our warehouse. Then you’re all set! We’ll email you a donation receipt.

Spread the Word

Know someone else who’s spring cleaning? Please encourage your friends and family to donate books, media, and art to Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi! 

Filed Under: 6-Blog, Uncategorized, Update Tagged With: donate, donations

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Welcome!

The Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i is a nonprofit organization whose primary objective is to maintain free public libraries in the State of Hawai‘i, to promote extension of library services throughout the State of Hawai‘i and to increase the facilities of the public library system of Hawai‘i by securing materials beyond the command of the ordinary library budget. Other objectives are to focus attention on libraries and to encourage and accept, by bequest or gift, donations of books, manuscripts, money, and other appropriate material that can enrich the cultural opportunities available to the people of Hawai‘i.

Recent Posts

  • Call for Vendors: Holiday Market at the Hawaiʻi State Library
  • Art & Collectibles Pop-up
  • That’s a wrap on the Summer Reading Challenge
  • It’s time to Give Aloha
  • You’re invited to the Read Aloud Series!

145 Years of Support

Founded in 1879, Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i has assisted in establishing and sustaining our public libraries over the last 145 years!

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Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Our mission is to support and promote Hawai‘i’s public libraries.

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Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i
501 Sumner Street, Unit 614
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96817

Ph:   (808) 536.4174
Fax: (808) 536.5232

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