Kailua-Kona Public Library

Address

75-138 Hualalai Rd, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, United States
808-327-4327
Kailua-Kona Public Library

About

Welcome to the Kailua-Kona Public Library! Designed by architect George Iwasaki, our library opened on a leap day – Feb. 29, 1992. It is the second largest and second busiest library on Hawaii Island. We have a drive-through bookdrop and won an exemplary architectural design award from the Commission on Persons with Disabilities.


Decorative

Congratulations to our Bookmark Contest Winners! 

All winners have been notified via email. Look for bookmarks to be available in March at Kailua-Kona Public Library.

Mahalo to all who participated! We had 31 submissions total across all age groups, and over 100 votes to decide the winners.

This program was proudly sponsored by Friends of the Libraries, Kona (F.O.L.K.)


Upcoming events at this branch

Lego city building

Design and build a LEGO Community!

In this program series, you will have the opportunity to work with local architect Maziyar Rajaei of Oculus, LLC. to learn about what it takes to build a community from the ground up. This project will last between 6-9 months and repeat attendance to the events is highly encouraged. Building a community is not a one-person job, but takes teams. You’ll work together, building a community out of LEGOs!

For tweens and teens, you will explore career fields in:

  • Architecture
  • Design
  • Construction

This program series is for Grades 3-12 so bring your family!

Mahalo to Oculus, LLC. for volunteering your time, and to Friends of the Libraries, Kona for providing funding for supplies and snacks.

Call the Kailua-Kona Library to sign up for the program! 808-327-4327

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.

partial solar eclipse

On April 8th a total solar eclipse will occur in North America with a total eclipse visible from Mexico, the United States and Canada. Here in Hawai’i, the eclipse will be partial with 32% of the sun blocked by the moon. Come and learn about eclipses, why they occur, and how to watch safely.

Presented by Mary Beth Laychak at the Canada-France-Hawai’i Telescope.

Suitable for adults and families.

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.

blackout poetry using a page from The Great Gatsby

Tweens & Teens!

April is National Poetry Month! Create your own blackout poetry for a chance to win a gift card! Blackout poetry is taking a written piece of text from a book, newspaper, or magazine and blackout words, in order to create a whole new poem.

  1. Create your own blackout poetry (see Rules for instructions below).
  2. Submit digitally or in person by April 19th to the library.
  3. Vote online from April 22-27 for your favorite poem.
  4. Top 3 winners receive a Starbucks gift card!
  5. Submissions will be made into a zine that can be viewed at the library!

The Rules:

  • One submission per person.
  • Contest open to grades 6-12. Please submit your poem with the contest entry form (available in-person at the library or email stacy.bisgard@librarieshawaii.org for more info.
  • Take a page of text from the basket in the YA room or use one of your own. Do not use a library book!
  • Skim your page of words. Don’t read carefully, as the point is just to grab an idea from the words, not take them in. Find a word, phrase, or general theme that you like.
  • Scan the text and lightly circle the words or phrases you might want to use. Cross out words you don’t want. If you need a few connecting words (like “a”, “the”, “it”, etc.), dive back in and see if you can find them between the words you want to connect.
  • Go back through your poem and boldly box the words you are keeping with pen, sharpie, dark pencil, etc. Erase any circles around words you don’t want.
  • Read through your final poem. Sketch in a few images or symbols on your page that relate to the theme of your poem. Now it’s time to start blackening. Using a sharpie, marker, pen, or pencil, black out everything that is NOT a word in your poem or one of your own sketches.

Submit your poem digitally to stacy.bisgard@librarieshawaii.org with the contest entry form OR drop off in person at Kailua-Kona Public Library.

Mahalo to Friends of the Libraries, Kona (F.O.L.K.) for sponsoring this program!

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. For a schedule of events, go to librarieshawaii.org/events.

Children's Book Week 2024 art contest at Kailua-Kona Public Library

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country.

Help us celebrate the joy of reading with an art contest, open to all keiki in Preschool through 5th grade!

  • Preschool Division: 4 years old & under
  • Lower Elementary: K-2nd grade
  • Upper Elementary: 3rd-5th grade

Design a poster in honor of your favorite children’s book!

Pick up an entry form and the required poster paper at the Kailua-Kona Public Library starting: Tuesday, April 2

  • Saturday, April 27: Entry deadline
  • Wednesday, May 1-Saturday, May 11: Visit the library to view the art gallery and vote for your favorites!
  • Tuesday, May 21 at 5 PM: Award Ceremony

Mahalo nui to the Friends of the Libraries, Kona (F.O.L.K.) for sponsoring this program!

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. For a schedule of events, go to librarieshawaii.org/events.

Alphabet Story Time title curved over book with ABC print

Join Kauʻi the Kids’ Librarian for an alphabet-focused story time to develop early literacy skills, including print recognition and phonemic awareness.

This program is suitable for keiki in preschool and those beginning independent reading.

Mahalo nui to the Friends of the Libraries, Kona (F.O.L.K.) for sponsoring this program!

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. For a schedule of events, go to librarieshawaii.org/events.

group of teens sitting around a table

TAG Members!

Time to meet up to discuss events, programs you want to have at the Kailua-Kona Library. Not a member yet? Join us at the meeting to learn more and have your voice heard. The teen librarian is also looking for input on the design of the interior space in the teen room. Need volunteer hours? TAG is a great way to earn volunteer hours throughout the year.

Snacks are always provided through Friends of the Library, Kona (F.O.L.K.)

Join TAG by filling out the application.

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.

blackout poetry using a page from The Great Gatsby

Tweens & Teens!

April is National Poetry Month! Create your own blackout poetry for a chance to win a gift card! Blackout poetry is taking a written piece of text from a book, newspaper, or magazine and blackout words, in order to create a whole new poem.

  1. Create your own blackout poetry (see Rules for instructions below).
  2. Submit digitally or in person by April 19th to the library.
  3. Vote online from April 22-27 for your favorite poem.
  4. Top 3 winners receive a Starbucks gift card!
  5. Submissions will be made into a zine that can be viewed at the library!

The Rules:

  • One submission per person.
  • Contest open to grades 6-12. Please submit your poem with the contest entry form (available in-person at the library or email stacy.bisgard@librarieshawaii.org for more info.
  • Take a page of text from the basket in the YA room or use one of your own. Do not use a library book!
  • Skim your page of words. Don’t read carefully, as the point is just to grab an idea from the words, not take them in. Find a word, phrase, or general theme that you like.
  • Scan the text and lightly circle the words or phrases you might want to use. Cross out words you don’t want. If you need a few connecting words (like “a”, “the”, “it”, etc.), dive back in and see if you can find them between the words you want to connect.
  • Go back through your poem and boldly box the words you are keeping with pen, sharpie, dark pencil, etc. Erase any circles around words you don’t want.
  • Read through your final poem. Sketch in a few images or symbols on your page that relate to the theme of your poem. Now it’s time to start blackening. Using a sharpie, marker, pen, or pencil, black out everything that is NOT a word in your poem or one of your own sketches.

Submit your poem digitally to stacy.bisgard@librarieshawaii.org with the contest entry form OR drop off in person at Kailua-Kona Public Library.

Mahalo to Friends of the Libraries, Kona (F.O.L.K.) for sponsoring this program!

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. For a schedule of events, go to librarieshawaii.org/events.

teen book club circle design

We’re starting a book club! This is our first meeting where we will be pick our first title from a variety of books:

We Are Okay: A Novel by Nina LaCour

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars by Hakeem Oluseyi

The Invisible Life of Addi LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Snacks are generously provided by Friends of the Libraries, Kona (F.O.L.K.)

This program is suitable for teens.

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. 

Parents holding a baby while sitting on a blanket with a stack of books and a teddy bear

Join Kauʻi the Kids’ Librarian for ‘Babies, Books, and Blankets’, a lapsit for babies 2 years old and under.

Bring your babies and a comfortable blanket to sit on.

Together, we will review books, action rhymes, songs and incorporate playtime to encourage family bonding and help build our littlest library users’ early literacy skills.

Mahalo nui to the Friends of the Libraries, Kona (F.O.L.K.) for sponsoring this program!

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. For a schedule of events, go to librarieshawaii.org/events.

knitting sample

Learn the knitted cast on, the knit, and bind of stitches by making a dishcloth.

This 1.5-hour program is suitable for ages 8-100 and space is limited. All materials will be provided.

Contact the library to make a reservation.

 

This program is proudly sponsored by Friends of the Libraries, Kona. (F.O.L.K.)

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.

Hours

Date Time
Monday CLOSED - CLOSED
Tuesday 12:00PM - 7:00PM
Wednesday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Thursday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Friday 11:00AM - 4:00PM
Saturday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Sunday CLOSED - CLOSED

Access

Parking spots 23
Parking fee Free
Handicap parking spots 2
Book drop off Yes
Restrooms Yes

Services

Computers 20
Magazines 38
Newspapers 5
WiFi Yes
Friends' book store No
Free computer classes Yes
Meeting rooms No
Photocopying Yes
Test proctoring services Yes

ALERT | The Kaimuki, Pearl City, & Kaneohe Pop-up locations that are normally open on Sundays will be closed for Easter, March 31st.

In State observance of the Good Friday holiday, all public libraries will be closed on March 29, 2024.