University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library
Name	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library
Established	1907
Location	Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Type	Academic library
Collection size	Over 3.4 million volumes
Director	Irene Herold
Website	https://library.manoa.hawaii.edu/

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library. It is the largest research library in the state of Hawaii and serves as the flagship institution within the University of Hawaiʻi System. The library supports the teaching and research missions of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, a Carnegie R1 doctoral university. Its collections are particularly strong in Pacific Islands studies, Asian studies, and Hawaiiana.

History

The library's origins trace back to the founding of the College of Hawaiʻi in 1907, with its first collection housed in George Hall. Following the college's reorganization into the University of Hawaiʻi in 1920, the library expanded significantly. A major milestone was the 1956 completion of Graduate Research Library (GRL), later renamed Hamilton Library in 1976 in honor of former university president Thomas H. Hamilton. The library system weathered significant damage during the 1991 Manoa Flood, which devastated collections in the basement of Hamilton Library. Subsequent renovations and the construction of the Frear Hall addition have modernized facilities. In 2023, the library was designated as the official Patent and Trademark Resource Center for Hawaii by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Collections

The library's holdings exceed 3.4 million volumes and over 6 million microform items, forming the largest collection of Asian and Pacific Islands materials in the United States outside of the Library of Congress. Key areas include the Hawaiian Collection, one of the world's most comprehensive repositories of Hawaiiana, and the Pacific Collection, which encompasses materials from Micronesia, Polynesia, and Melanesia. The library is a depository for publications from the U.S. Government, the State of Hawaii, and the United Nations. It also maintains extensive holdings in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Philippine studies, supported by the Asia Collection.

Facilities

The main complex is centered around Hamilton Library, which houses the Humanities and Social Sciences collections, the Government Documents & Maps Collection, and the Curriculum Materials Center. The Science & Technology library is located in Edmondson Hall, while the Music Library and the Medical Library are situated in Music Building B and the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kakaʻako, respectively. The West Oʻahu campus is served by its own library facility. These facilities provide numerous study spaces, including group study rooms, quiet floors, and computer labs equipped with specialized software for data analysis and GIS mapping.

Services

The library offers a wide array of services to support academic success and research. These include comprehensive reference and research assistance, both in-person and via online chat. The Interlibrary loan service provides access to materials from libraries worldwide, including the OCLC network. Librarians offer specialized information literacy instruction and workshops on topics such as citation management using Zotero and Mendeley. The library also provides technology lending, including laptops and audio recorders, and supports digital scholarship through its Digital Initiatives department, which assists with digital publishing and data management plans.

Special Collections and Archives

This division preserves and provides access to unique and rare materials. The University Archives serves as the institutional memory of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, housing official records, photographs, and publications. The Hawaiian Collection includes rare books, Hawaiian language newspapers, and manuscripts related to the history and culture of Hawaii. The Pacific Collection features unique archives from across the region, including the papers of anthropologist Katharine Luomala. Other notable holdings include the Congressional Papers of former U.S. Senator Hiram Fong, the Jack London collection, and the Jean Charlot collection of art and papers.

Governance and organization

The library is an administrative unit of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and reports to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. It is led by the University Librarian, a position held by Irene Herold. The library's faculty are represented by the University of Hawaiʻi Professional Assembly. It operates within a shared governance model, with key committees including the Library Faculty Senate and the Student Library Advisory Board. The library also collaborates closely with other units in the University of Hawaiʻi System, such as the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo library and the Hawaiʻi Pacific University library, for resource sharing and collective initiatives.

Category:University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Category:Libraries in Hawaii Category:Academic libraries in the United States