With more than 300 East Maui residents supporting her, Board of Education member Mary Cochran said she plans to ask fellow board members Thursday to remove the Hana Public and School Library from a list of proposed library closures.
Cochran spoke Tuesday from her home in Paia following a morning meeting attended by about 335 people who crowded into the library at Hana High and Elementary School.
"The Hana community spoke loud and clear: 'Do not close our library. This is our lifeline,' " she said.
The Hana library was listed with four others to be closed as part of a cost-cutting proposal by the Hawaii State Public Library System. Other facilities on the chopping block include three libraries on the Big Island and one on Oahu.
As the Neighbor Island representative for Maui on the Board of Education, Cochran helps set policies for public schools and libraries.
She said she would ask the Board of Education at its general meeting Thursday to disapprove listing Hana on the proposed library closure list.
The facility in East Maui was targeted for closure based on a formula that considered proximity to libraries, circulation figures and costs. "They would save a lousy $20,000," Cochran said.
State Librarian Richard Burns could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
However, Susan Nakata, manager for the Library Development Services Section, said Burns' office has received word about the community support for the Hana Public and School Library.
"We are all heartened to hear of this tremendous support our customers have for Maui's libraries," Nakata wrote in an e-mail.
Cochran said Hana is unique in that the library is located in a town 58 bridges and dozens of curves away from the next community. "Traveling in and out takes two hours on a good day," she said.
The Hana library is staffed by its branch manager, Holly Braffet, and an assistant, Irene Pavao, a Hana resident who has been working at the facility for 21 years. There is also a part-time janitor.
Employees were told they would be reassigned to another branch if the library closes. For Pavao, that would mean a commute that would take three to four hours each day.
East Maui residents told Cochran on Tuesday of the hardship it would cause them not to have a library. Many of them would be cut off from Internet service and from reading newspapers and magazines.
Cochran said she was convinced the closure would cause more detriment than what could be saved by the state library system. She was even more determined to keep the library open, given the swell of support from Hana residents.
"It really was very encouraging. It was exciting to see the community so engaged," Cochran said Tuesday afternoon. She said she believes she has the support of her fellow board members.
"A lot of them were appalled by the proposal. Why Hana? Why Hana?"
Cochran pointed out that there are libraries on Oahu that are within five to six minutes driving distance of each other. "They never considered closing those libraries in Honolulu," she said.
The libraries proposed for closure in Ewa Beach on Oahu and at least one of the three on the Big Island don't appear to have opposition, according to Cochran.
"I think people there know it has to be closed because few are using it. That's not the case in Hana," she said.
Hana Principal Rick Paul submitted his opposition to the library closure via e-mail.
"If the Hana library closes down, our children will not have equal opportunities that are given to other students," he said. "With regards to a school library, travel of any distance is out of the question. We need a library on campus for our students."
Aside from accommodating the school, Braffet said her library serves its community, particularly those in East Maui who cannot get Internet service or regular delivery of newspapers and magazines. "People are obviously not happy about this," Braffet said. "There was a lot of anger. People are incensed."
Braffet did not have figures on the number of people who visit the library. However, she said the number was high and pointed out that the attendance at the Tuesday morning meeting shows the interest in the library.
"I mean 335 people out of a community of 2,000, that's a lot of support," she said.
* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.
