North Hawaii News Article, April 2010:
FLWR Power
Catherine Tarleton
Relocate, Retrofit, Re-Open. These “three R’s” will be the first seeds of Waikoloa Village’s new library, if the Friends of the Library Waikoloa Region (FLWR) have anything to do with it. FLWR (“flower”) is a newly-formed, dedicated group of volunteers that share a common love of books, and a common vision.
Their first goal is to bring an 8’x24’ State Library Bookmobile to Waikoloa Village and set it up as an “interim library facility.” The Bookmobile is presently located at the Kailua-Kona Public Library, where it’s been garaged for seven years. In excellent but non-running condition, the vehicle is capable of holding 3,000 books. Waikoloa Village Association supports the project and has agreed to provide parking space with electricity in the area of the community clubhouse.
On Friday, March 26, twenty-six members gathered to continue progress begun at the initial meeting on “tsunami day,” Saturday, February 27. That first meeting was attended by Representative Cindy Evans, who, with Special Projects Coordinator Deborah Stone-Swanson, has been instrumental in the project, working with the Hawaii State Librarian and Department of Education.
The initial meeting set up all the requirements to establish FLWR as an official entity: bylaws were amended and approved, and five officers were elected. They are: President—Bette Green, Vice President—Ruth Bernstone, Membership Director—Stephanie Stearns, Treasurer—Vivian Green, Secretary—Judy Lane, Webmaster—Sandra Martin.
“I am very happy,” said Evans after the kick-off meeting. “This is exciting stuff, because now we can apply for 501(c)(3) status.” The non-profit status is the first step, in order to be recognized by the State as official Friends of the Library Hawaii (FLH). Once recognized, the FLWR group can receive the title to the Bookmobile.
According to a press release from Rep. Evans’ office, “Similar Bookmobile conversions have been successfully completed by the State wide - Friends of the Library Hawaii, in Honolulu. This group currently operates a used book center within a converted Bookmobile in the parking lot of their Kaka'ako office.”
A lifelong learner and book-lover, Evans said, “Going to the library for me, growing up, was probably a little different from many people. It was a destination for us to walk to, and that’s how we spent our summers. It was more of a social destination place, and that’s what we’re hoping for Waikoloa. I’m excited that now we have the Bookmobile coming, and will have the ability to start servicing the community.”
“We are very fortunate that Cindy Evans has been so persistent in working for the library in the Waikoloa region,” said President Bette Green. “We began FLWR several years ago as the ‘Future Library’ of Waikoloa Region and recently, her efforts in discussion with DOE panned out.”
“Our goal is to have this to be a real resource for the community, not just a pick up and drop off point,” said Vice President and 14-year Waikoloa resident Ruth Bernstone. “There’s a lot of work to be done, but we are very excited about the project. A lot of people want to help,” she said.
Once the Bookmobile title is transferred to FLWR, they can plan the first “R,” relocation. Volunteer Irene Solloway is reaching out to the community for help with a towing or trucking service, since the vehicle can’t be driven at present. When it reaches Waikoloa, a mechanic will need to evaluate the Bookmobile to determine what needs to be done during the second “R,” retro-fit, to meet requirements for registration and insurance.
Finally, when the approval and legal processes are complete and all requirements in place, the FLWR group can work toward its third “R,” re-opening. They hope to employ a State-certified Librarian at least one day per week in order to interface with the State Library System. And, they will need to fill the shelves with books, so fundraisers are in the works.
At the March 26 meeting, further progress was made as volunteers stepped up one after the other. Bill Simonsma offered to act as liaison between FLWR and the Waikoloa Village Association. An anonymous “angel” committed to pay for meeting space fees.
“I’m not a rainmaker,” said Rachelle Moore, a former librarian with State University of New York, who offered assistance with grant-writing, “but I have a passion for education.”
Other Big Island groups have enjoyed success with their community library projects. Recently, the Friends of Bond Memorial Library announced they had raised $250,000 to help build their new facility in North Kohala. Bolstered with news like this and motivated by FLWR power, Waikoloa can be optimistic that their Library Bookmobile will have a fourth “R” in the foreseeable future—“Reality.”
The next meeting of FLWR is scheduled for Friday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m. in the Waikoloa School Library. To contribute time and resources, or for more information about FLWR, please contact Stephanie Stearns at 883-2424.
Waikoloa Breeze Article, July 2010
Have you noticed? The WVA parking lot has a big new addition thanks to the WVA Board and Manager Whillock. The bookmobile you may remember from five or six years ago has permanently returned to Waikoloa. The donation of two new batteries by Chuck Zimmerman, Interstate Batteries, got it started and the relocation from lengthy storage at the Kona Library was accomplished by Leonard Librizzi, Hawaii Modular Space, Inc., and Paul Cantor of Cantor Bros. Transportation Services, Inc. Mahalo to all three !!!!
Why is it here? In February of this year several other Waikoloans joined with Representative Cindy Evans to organize Friends of the Library-Waikoloa Region (FL-WR). Our long term goal is to establish a library in the community. Acquisition of the bookmobile is the first step in the required process toward that goal.
Won’t you join us? Many helping hands will be needed to assist along the way. FL-WR meets the second Friday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Kau Kau Depot building near the post office. For more information or to volunteer call Stephanie Stearns 883-2424.
North Hawaii News Article, July 2010
Bookmobile returns to Waikoloa
By RON ELAND
North Hawaii News
It’s been more than six years since Waikoloa Village residents were able to check out a
library book without having to leave town.
That may soon change.
In February, a group of dedicated Village residents formed Friends of the Library
Waikoloa Region (FLWR) with the plan to not only bring the popular Bookmobile
program back to the community but to push for a permanent facility in the future. Over
the weekend, the first of many anticipated steps was taken as the popular Bookmobile
made its anticipated return.
For the past six years the Bookmobile has been housed in a storage unit at the Kona
Library. This last week, the library was having a book sale but in order to get to some of
the books, the Bookmobile had to be moved out. So, they felt that was a good time to
have it moved to its new location.
With a helping hand from Hawaii Modular Space, Cantor Bros. Transportation Services
and batteries donated by Interstate Batteries, the Bookmobile was brought up Saturday
from Kona and placed near the community pool and Spike’s restaurant.
“This is the first step,” said FLWR president Bette Green. “This helps prove that we are
serious about building a library here in Waikoloa Village.”
Green said the Waikoloa Village Association has agreed to level an area near the golf
course/pool area as a permanent home. But since the Bookmobile was moved sooner than
anticipated, the ground has yet to be leveled. Once that’s complete, it will be cleaned and
books will be transferred from the WVA meeting room and a storage unit which houses
books donated by the Friends of the Kohala Library. They will then offer book exchanges
as well as book sales to raise needed funds.
The Bookmobile’s arrival wasn’t the only good news for FLWR in the last week. By a
unanimous decision, the Hawaii Friends of the Library system granted FLWR official
affiliation. And since they have now received non-profit status, having that affiliation will
help when writing grants.
The thing they don’t have is a commitment with the State to bring a librarian down at
least once a week to run the Bookmobile. The Bookmobile used to run in Waikoloa but
that stopped several years ago after funding for the program was cut by Gov. Linda
Lingle.
“Right now, we don’t have a clue as to how long the process of bringing a librarian here
will take,” Green said.
One person who may have an idea on the time frame is Rep. Cindy Evans, who has long
pushed for a library in the Village — of which she’s a resident. She said getting on the
2010-11 fiscal budget (which begins July 1) would be a longshot this late in the year but
hopes that funding will be there next summer after the neginning of the 2011-12 fiscal
year. This would help cover the cost for a librarian one day a week, who, more than
likely, would come in from the Thelma Parker Library in Waimea, Evans said.
“First we need dedicated volunteers,” she said. “We can’t ask the state to send someone
down if we’re not going to be open. We need to step up to the plate and prove that the
need and demand if there.”
There are 51 public libraries in the state, many of which are old or bursting at the seems,
Evans said. This means that getting a library in Waikoloa any time soon would be
“extremely difficult” especially considering the state’s current financial woes and the fact
that that a new library can cost between $6-10 million
Evans stressed the immediate importance of the Bookmobile’s return.
“This is a necessary step — not just a good step,” she said. “We’re showing commitment
on behalf of the community and at the same time, establishing a relationship with the
state library system. At this point, a library here in the Village is more than just a want,
it’s a need. This may take six to 10 years but we’re on our way.”
For more information or to become a member of FLWR, contact vice president Stephanie
Stearns at 883-2424.