The long-awaited official opening of what was once known as "the library with no books" was much anticipated.

"Certainly there are a lot of patrons who have been anxious to see this place open," said Janet Yap, youth services librarian and one of the staff of 19 who will operate the library.

Residents got a sneak peek during a soft opening on Monday when a modest crowd showed up. Yesterday, library officials estimated the number of visitors at well more than 500.

"We hope this will be a community center in Kapolei for a long time to come," said Richard Burns, the library's new director. "More and more over time, we want to tailor it to the needs of the community."

"I'm very, very excited about being here," said Hawai'i Gov. Linda Lingle, who called the library the hope of the future in Kapolei.

"This truly was a community project."

Community, in fact, may have been the most frequently used word by the dignitaries and politicians who spoke at the grand opening.

Kapolei, billed as the "Second City" when it began to sprout out of the mostly barren 'Ewa Plain in the 1990s, was forever long on commercial enterprises and lean on the gathering places that make a place a community.

"I think we're starting to have a town here now," said Kapolei resident and retired librarian Allen Wickens. "This library is going to bring people together here. There's going to be social activity. People are going to meet their neighbors here."

The $7 million, two-story, 35,000 square foot library — second-largest in the state — sits on three acres of land donated by the estate of James Campbell. It was completed in April 2002. But with no state money allocated for books, it sat empty for months — until last year when a reading room was opened, stocked with donated books and operated by resident volunteers.