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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, May 23, 2002

EDITORIAL
Don't delay building Kapolei book collection

A library without books is like a book without words. Consider the length of time it's taking to get the brand-new Kapolei Library up and running.

In a rather pathetic situation, residents of O'ahu's "Second City" are still looking with dismay at an empty $6.5 million, 30,000-square-foot building.

It's supposed to be the state's second largest library. But right now, it's a white elephant. In July, utility bills for the building will start coming in, even though no one is using the place.

Then in December, the library is expected to open its doors to meetings and perhaps children's storytime sessions. That way the Kapolei community can "see what they could have," says State Librarian Virginia Lowell.

Alas, the library won't be open for book borrowing for at least another year. Indeed, Kapolei won't have a library with a decent 60,000-volume startup collection until at least December 2003.

Building a publication collection costs $800,000. If the Kapolei Library were to have that money now, it could open in July 2003, as originally scheduled. Lowell says it takes at least a year to order books.

This is another problem the state, business and philanthropic community can throw money at, so we encourage everyone to make donations because the Legislature isn't coming through on this one.

Lawmakers this session approved only $267,000 of the $1.7 million the library requested for books, staff, furniture and equipment. Apparently, that sum was a compromise between the Senate's wish to grant the full amount requested and the House's position that they provide no financing at all.

Gov. Ben Cayetano has agreed to release an additional $212, 000 for books and other materials, but that's still not enough.

Lowell will have to return to the Legislature next session to plead again for the $1.7 million necessary to provide the community with traditional library services. And there are no guarantees she'll get the dough.

For four years, Lowell has lobbied for library financing, frequently with disappointing results. Last year, the Legislature eliminated a $3.1 million request from the Hawai'i State Public Library System for the following biennium.

Partly to blame is Hawai'i's awkward way of financing libraries, and it's not because communities don't care. "Community support for libraries (in Hawai'i) is very strong," Lowell said. "But the community has no way of expressing that support in an operating budget."

In most states, libraries are supported by their local communities, through taxes, and library districts are able to float their own bonds. The national average for per-capita funding for libraries is about $30, according to Lowell. In Hawai'i, it's no more than $18.

That's a pity because libraries are a terrific community investment.

Hopefully, Kapolei Library will get the money it needs to start building its collection as soon as possible for the simple fact that a library isn't a library without books.