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While state officials continue working to get a permanent library in West Maui, they're one step closer to opening a temporary "pop-up" library.
The Hawaii State Public Library System announced Wednesday that the temporary location is moving forward after a 20-by-20-foot self-contained unit was installed at the Lahaina Civic Center's upper parking lot next to the Lahaina District Court on Tuesday.
According to the state public library system, the temporary unit will help restore public library services in West Maui following the August 2023 Lahaina fire, which displaced them from the community.
The temporary unit was designed by Forts, which builds temporary facilities designed to restore operations following disasters, renovations, infrastructure failures and other emergencies. The state library system said it bought the pre-owned unit for $70,000.
Electrical and information technology infrastructure will be added to the unit to support library operations. Staff will then prepare the space, including moving books and other materials into the unit.
The preparation process is expected to take several months with the temporary Lahaina Public Library scheduled to open in early 2027, provided the work proceeds as planned.
The pop-up library will offer a small collection of books and other materials, hold pickup, public computers and Wi-Fi. The state library system is also working to identify other services that might be offered at the location.
The library plans to continue its partnership with the judiciary, which has provided space for library story times.
"Libraries are an important part of the fabric of a community, and we know how much Lahaina has missed having one," State Librarian Stacey A. Aldrich said in a statement. "We appreciate everyone's patience as we work to bring services back to West Maui. We look forward to welcoming people back early next year."
The state library system added that it will continue its work on a permanent West Maui library, including identifying a suitable site and securing funding for the construction of a new facility.