The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) is the only statewide public library system

Public library

A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The flagship Hawaii State Library

Hawaii State Library

The Hawaii State Library is a historic building in the City & County of Honolulu that serves as the seat of the Hawaii State Public Library System, the only statewide library system and one of the largest in the United States. The Hawaii State Library building is located in downtown Honolulu...

, built in 1911 and designed by architect Henry D. Whitfield, was funded in part by industrialist and philanthropist

Philanthropist

A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

 Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...

. It is a historic downtown Honolulu

Downtown Honolulu

Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, governmental, and central part of Honolulu—bounded by Nuuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Honolulu Harbor to the south—situated within the larger Honolulu District...

 building. The system has 51 libraries on all the major Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...

: Big Island of Hawaii

Hawaii (island)

The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...

, Kauai

Kauai

Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...

, Lānai

Lanai

Lānai or Lanai is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is also known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple plantation. The only town is Lānai City, a small settlement....

, Maui

Maui

The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...

, Molokai

Molokai

Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...

 and Oahu

Oahu

Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...

. The system's collection of books and other library materials totals over three million. There is one library for the blind and physically handicapped, located on Oahu. The Hawaii State Public Library System is headed by the Hawaii State Librarian, who reports to the statewide Board of Education.

List of public libraries in the system

• Hawaii County - Hawaii Island (13)
  • North Kohala Public Library
  • Hilo Public Library
  • Hōlualoa Public Library
  • Honokaa Public Library
  • Kailua-Kona Public Library
  • Keaau Public and School Library
  • Kealakekua Public Library
  • Laupāhoehoe Public and School Library
  • Mountain View Public and School Library
  • Nāālehu Public Library
  • Pāhala Public and School Library
  • Pāhoa Public and School Library
  • Thelma Parker Memorial Public and School Library
• Kauai County (6)
  • Hanapēpē Public Library
  • Kapaa Public Library
  • Kōloa Public and School Library
  • Līhue Public Library
  • Princeville Public Library
  • Waimea Public Library
• Lānai (1)
  • Lānai Public and School Library

• Maui County (6)
  • Hana Public and School Library
  • Kahului Public Library
  • Kīhei Public Library
  • Lahaina Public Library
  • Makawao Public Library
  • Wailuku Public Library
• Molokai
  Molokai
  Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
  
   (1)
  • Molokai Public Library

• City and County of Honolulu - Oahu
  Oahu
  Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
  
   (24)

}Aiea Public Library
}Āina Haina Public Library
}Ewa Beach Public and School Library

• • Hawaii Kai Public Library
  • Hawaii State Library
    Hawaii State Library
    The Hawaii State Library is a historic building in the City & County of Honolulu that serves as the seat of the Hawaii State Public Library System, the only statewide library system and one of the largest in the United States. The Hawaii State Library building is located in downtown Honolulu...
    
    
  • Kahuku Public and School Library
  • Kailua Public Library
  • Kaimukī Public Library
  • Kalihi-Pālama Public Library
  • Kāneohe Public Library
  • Kapolei Public Library
  • Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
  • Liliha Public Library
  • Mānoa Public Library
  • McCully-Mōiliili Public Library
  • Mililani Public Library
  • Pearl City Public Library
  • Salt Lake/Moanalua Public Library
  • Wahiawā Public Library
  • Waialua Public Library
  • Waianae Public Library
  • Waikīkī-Kapahulu Public Library
  • Waimānalo Public & School Library
  • Waipahu Public Library