The burglary was reported to police yesterday.

Martha Hanson, president of Friends of the Wahiawa Library, said there’s not much office equipment at the library left to take. The problem, she said, is that the library cannot afford a security system.

Hansen said Friends of the Wahiawa Library was willing to pay half the cost of a security system provided the state pay the other half.

Since August 2002, thieves have taken nine computers, nearly all of the library’s DVD collection, and some cash, Hanson said.

Lynn Masumoto, administrator of the state Public Libraries Branch, said the state is working through the Department of Accounting & General Services to secure the building. Masumoto received an inquiry today advising her that DAGS is looking at cost factors of putting in a security system.

"I’m was not aware of Friends’ offer," Masumoto said. "If they are willing to pay half to put in a security system, it would make it more feasible."

Masumoto said the state has tried to discourage break-ins. "The last batch of computers stolen (over the weekend) were chained together. They cut through the chains. The computers also had big names and marks on them to discourage the thieves."

Bob Lormand, a substitute librarian and a Friends of the Wahiawa Library member, said 80 DVDs were stolen in January. "The only ones we have left are those that were checked out at the time of the burglary," he said.

Masumoto said the state has made funding available to replace the DVDs.

Hanson said the stolen computers have not been replaced. "It’s really sad," Hanson said. "We have students who used these computers to access the Internet."

But she discourages anyone from immediately donating replacement computers. "If we can’t resolve the security problem, it’ll happen again," she said of the burglaries. "What we could really use is a security company to come forward and help us figure out a solution."

Lormand said thieves have entered the library from different areas of the building. In the most recent break-in, the thieves pried open a sliding glass door in back of the building and used bolt cutters to cut through a metal grill.

Wahiawa police said a man suspected of one of the earlier library burglaries is facing indictment on an unrelated criminal charge.