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!