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Hawaii State Library
The Hawaii State Library is an authorized Passport Acceptance Facility. Learn about passport processing hours and requirements.
The library’s Audiovisual Section, which houses a comprehensive DVD and CD collection, is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and again from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. On Fridays, the AV Section is only open from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
About
Welcome to the Hawaii State Library, the flagship of the Hawaii State Public Library System! With financial assistance from Andrew Carnegie, the present location was acquired and the existing building was built and opened on Feb. 1, 1913. We have a variety of special resources, most notably our Hawaii & Pacific Section, the Edna Allyn Room Children’s collection, and also the Federal Documents Section, which has been a Selective Federal Depository Library since 1929. We are located in the historic capitol district of Honolulu, next door to the only Royal Palace in the United States.
Upcoming events at this branch
- June 14, 2025 - June 14, 2026
- Categories: Community, Entertainment, Games
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Come play and meet new friends on Saturdays in the Art, Music, & Recreation (AMR) Section on the 2nd floor of the Main Library.
We have Sorry, Chess, Checkers, Go, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Cribbage, occasionally Bingo, and other family-friendly board and card games available, some light instruction, and a little or a lot of encouragement!
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required. All programs are subject to change. See a schedule of upcoming events on the HSPLS Events Calendar.
- June 14, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Categories: Arts & Crafts
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Join us for an introduction to the Hawaii State Library System’s fiber crafting resources in our print catalog, on Libby, the Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center, and Ravelry.com
We meet on the Second Floor of the Main Library in the Art, Music & Recreation Section. No registration is necessary.
Feel free to bring a project to work on!
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required.
All programs are subject to change. See a schedule of upcoming events on the HSPLS Events Calendar.
- June 16, 2025 @ 9:30 am - 10:00 am
- Categories: Storytime (for kids)
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Join us in the Edna Allyn Room for Children for lap-sit storytime! Bring your babies (0-23 months) and a blanket for stories, interactive rhymes, and songs in this 30-minute program.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
All programs are subject to change. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required.
- June 21, 2025 - June 21, 2026
- Categories: Community, Entertainment, Games
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Come play and meet new friends on Saturdays in the Art, Music, & Recreation (AMR) Section on the 2nd floor of the Main Library.
We have Sorry, Chess, Checkers, Go, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Cribbage, occasionally Bingo, and other family-friendly board and card games available, some light instruction, and a little or a lot of encouragement!
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required. All programs are subject to change. See a schedule of upcoming events on the HSPLS Events Calendar.
- June 21, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
- Categories: Culture, Entertainment, Films & Movies, History, Learning, Music
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Just us as we celebrate Mele, our 2025 Summer Reading theme, with a free local documentary film screening!
“The History of the Sons of Hawai‘i” is an award-winning documentary that tells the story of the charismatic band that helped launch the Hawaiian cultural renaissance. Spanning forty years of Hawaiʻi’s rich musical tradition, the 80-minute film offers an intimate look at a unique group of performers and composers: their songs, their humor, and their devotion to a sound that continues to convey something essential about the Hawaiian spirit.
This event will be held in the Hawai‘i & Pacific Reading Room located on the first floor. Suitable for ages 7 and up.
Free documentary copies will be provided at the event, while supplies last.
Mahalo to The Hawaiian Legacy Foundation for generously sponsoring this film screening event and for their gracious donation of film copies.
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required. Program schedule is subject to change.
- June 21, 2025 @ 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
- Categories: Branch book clubs, Culture
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Join us for the next meeting of our monthly Spanish book club!
El Rincón Literario de Hawai’i will meet to share at the Language, Literature, and History section, and discuss “El príncipe de la niebla” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.“ Limited copies of the book are available in the Hawaiʻi State Public Library system.
Ages 15 or older.
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required.
All programs are subject to change.
- June 23, 2025 @ 9:30 am - 10:00 am
- Categories: Storytime (for kids)
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Join us in the Edna Allyn Room for Children for lap-sit storytime! Bring your babies (0-23 months) and a blanket for stories, interactive rhymes, and songs in this 30-minute program.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
All programs are subject to change. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required.
- June 28, 2025 - June 28, 2026
- Categories: Community, Entertainment, Games
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Come play and meet new friends on Saturdays in the Art, Music, & Recreation (AMR) Section on the 2nd floor of the Main Library.
We have Sorry, Chess, Checkers, Go, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Cribbage, occasionally Bingo, and other family-friendly board and card games available, some light instruction, and a little or a lot of encouragement!
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required. All programs are subject to change. See a schedule of upcoming events on the HSPLS Events Calendar.
- June 30, 2025 @ 9:30 am - 10:00 am
- Categories: Storytime (for kids)
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Join us in the Edna Allyn Room for Children for lap-sit storytime! Bring your babies (0-23 months) and a blanket for stories, interactive rhymes, and songs in this 30-minute program.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
All programs are subject to change. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required.
- July 5, 2025 - July 5, 2026
- Categories: Community, Entertainment, Games
- Contact: 808-586-3500
Come play and meet new friends on Saturdays in the Art, Music, & Recreation (AMR) Section on the 2nd floor of the Main Library.
We have Sorry, Chess, Checkers, Go, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Cribbage, occasionally Bingo, and other family-friendly board and card games available, some light instruction, and a little or a lot of encouragement!
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required. All programs are subject to change. See a schedule of upcoming events on the HSPLS Events Calendar.
Hours
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM |
| Friday | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Sunday | CLOSED - CLOSED |
Access
| Parking spots | 0 |
| Parking fee | Metered |
| Handicap parking spots | 2 |
| Book drop off | Yes |
| Restrooms | Yes |
Services
| Computers | 54 |
| Magazines | 208 |
| Newspapers | 24 |
| WiFi | Yes |
| Friends' book store | Yes |
| Free computer classes | Yes |
| Meeting rooms | No |
| Photocopying | Yes |
| Test proctoring services | No |
