CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Bill Craddick, fiction and Hawaiiana librarian, shelves books at the Kapolei Public Library at 1020 Manawai St. Currently, the library houses approximately 41,000 books, but the goal is 140,000 books, which could take five years.

‘A dream come true’

After much hard work,
Hawaii's second-largest library
is opening in Kapolei

Kapolei Public Library has stood empty for more than two years, but by tomorrow when it finally opens, children could be sprawled on the ground, reading books in the state's second-largest library.

Interim Schedule: The Kapolei Public Library, at 1020 Manawai St., will be open six days a week until it has a full staff of 24: >> Monday, Thursday and Friday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. >> Tuesday and Wednesday: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. >> Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"It's a dream come true," said Makakilo resident Carolyn Golojuch, a former president of the Friends of the Library-Kapolei. "I had gotten to the point where I didn't even think it was going to happen."

Staff members and volunteers have been working feverishly to prepare for the library's long-awaited opening at 11 a.m. tomorrow and for the grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Stocking and opening a 35,000-square feet library with a staff of 19 takes time and lots of work, but workers will be ready for the opening, said Richard Burns, branch manager.

"Things are moving along quite smoothly," he said last week. "There's been a lot accomplished, but a lot of work still to do. It's a thrill to watch the library develop from a handful of books to the grand opening."

Each day, more books are being added to the 41,000 on the shelves, but there's still dozens of unopened boxes filled with hundreds of books from the publishing company, said Burns.

"They're doing such a great job there," said Maeda Timson, chairwoman of the Makakilo/

Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board. "It's not just the building itself that is inviting, it's the people working there."

The $6.9 million, two-story library, the biggest after the Hawaii State Library, has four wings with two large windows in the center that let in sunlight.

Almost everything in the library is new, including most books, 42 computers, four microfilm machines and the furniture.

The computers have been taken out of their boxes and set up; some will be used for Internet access while most will be linked to the library catalog.

Four microfilm machines are ready where users can look up issues from 1929 of Hawaii's two major daily newspapers. Patrons can rent DVDs for $1 week from a collection ranging from "Gone with the Wind" to "50 First Dates."

The workload is eased with more staff members - compared to the staff of five before July - and some enthusiastic volunteers working long hours.

"It's tiring, but it's fun," said Antonio Leon-Guerrero, president of the Kapolei City Lions Club. "You forget the time when you're working with nice people."

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Library workers and volunteers have been working hard to stamp, label, cover and catalog books to be ready for Saturday's grand opening of the Kapolei Public Library.

Burns said he hopes the library can have up to 140,000 books in the collection, which could take up to five years.

Controversy has dogged the library's construction and operations.

"We were so saddened and disappointed that a library got built and stayed vacant for so many years," Timson said.

It was a long road for the library. When construction was completed in 2002, there wasn't enough money for books and other operational costs.

In July 1999, then state Librarian Virginia Lowell said the state is "better off" not building the library unless it is entirely funded with new books, to which some community members and legislators objected.

"I see it as the past," said state Librarian Joann Shindler, referring the library's rocky history. "We have to look to the future ... and I think the public will be very pleased."

The public is welcome to attend the grand opening ceremony Saturday, which includes a lion dance by the Chinese Physical Cultural Association, a robotic demonstration by the Waipahu High School Robotics Team, children's activities and refreshments. Gov. Linda Lingle and area legislators are expected to attend the ceremony.

A look back The history of the Kapolei Public Library 1987: Legislature appropriated $133,000 for planning and design for discussion of a possible library in Kapolei among various community groups and the Hawaii State Public Library System. 1988: Legislature appropriated another $293,000 to continue the planning phase. December 1996: Kapolei Library Community Forum is created. 1997: Legislature appropriated $590,000 for additional design funds. 1998: Legislature appropriated $8.9 million for the design, construction and equipment for the library. Dec. 15, 2000: Groundbreaking ceremony of library located at Haumea and Manawai streets. February 2002: Construction of the library is completed. 2002: Legislature approves $266,904 for five staff positions and utilities in that same year. March 2003: Public is invited to donate books for the Friends of Library-Kapolei book sale and volunteer-operated reading room. March 27, 2003: Reading room opens to the public. July 1, 2003: Richard Burns starts as branch manager. A total of $1 million is made available by the Legislature for new books from a $2.6 million appropriation. June 19, 2004: Reading room closed to prepare for opening. July 1, 2004: Nine positions made available from the remainder of the 2003 appropriation. Tomorrow: Library opens at 11 a.m. Saturday: Grand-opening ceremony at 10 a.m.