Kapolei library may get $1 million
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
The library with no books inched closer to becoming a full-fledged public lending facility yesterday after a $1 million emergency appropriations bill passed the Senate Education Committee.
State Librarian Virginia Lowell was cautiously optimistic after the hearing on emergency money for the state's newest library, the 30,000-square-foot Kapolei facility. The $8 million building was completed last year but has stood empty and locked up ever since because the state didn't appropriate money for books.
Lowell has set a target opening date for December, but only if the facility is fully financed.
"You never can tell with emergency appropriations," Lowell said. "But when this has passed both the House and the Senate, it seems like there would be a high probability that they might just go ahead and push it through. Especially since the governor supports it."
In testimony supporting the measure submitted in advance, Herbert Watanabe, chairman of the Hawai'i Board of Education, said, "The full board as well as the Committee on Public Libraries has wrestled with funding issues related to Kapolei Public Library for several years.
"The board empathizes with the Kapolei community because it has waited a very long time for this public facility. We hope you will support this measure."
Lowell told the committee that "the emergency funding will be used to purchase the variety of different formats (books, videos, DVDs, electronic resources for the collection), for utility and maintenance costs, supplies staff equipment and furniture and other inventory for this new library."
Sen. Norman Sakamoto D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), committee chairman, asked Lowell if there were any chance that the appropriated money could be used for any purpose other than the Kapolei library.
"We have no other intention except to use the emergency appropriations for Kapolei," Lowell said.
Not wanting to take a chance, the committee passed the bill with amendments earmarking the $1 million to be used only for the Kapolei library. The measure now heads to the Ways and Means Committee, which has until Feb. 28 to make a decision.
If the bill succeeds in making its way through that committee, it will move to the full Senate for consideration.
Lowell has said repeatedly that regular circulation services will not be available at the library until and unless the state grants $1.7 million for 24 staffers and a 60,000-volume book collection.
While she was pleased with yesterday's developments, she emphasized that the emergency money would not sustain the library's operation. Making the target date this year will require emergency money as well as operational money from the state, she said.
"The emergency appropriation would be money coming into our budget this year," state library special assistant John Penebacker said. "So that we can get a jump start."
Meanwhile, March 3 has been set as the date when the public can begin donating books, CDs, DVDs and videos to the Kapolei Library's temporary reading room. The donated materials will not be considered part of the library's regular collection and will be monitored and handled by volunteer workers only.
The reading room, which is expected to open by the end of March, was an idea spearheaded by BOE member Carol Gabbard in response to community concerns about getting the library open in some capacity.
While the donated books will not be considered part of the library's collection, people will be able to read them, buy them or check them out.
Donated materials can be delivered to the back entrance of the library, at 1015 Haumea St. in Kapolei, from 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
The library is asking that donated materials be in good condition and of recent vintage.
