Nāʻālehu Public Library
🏢 Hawaii State Public Library System · Naalehu, Hawaii
Nāʻālehu Public Library
The Nāʻālehu Public Library is the southernmost public library in the United States. What began in 1994 as a 775-square-foot portable building was expanded with a USDA grant and reopened in November 2021 as a 1,676-square-foot community hub, serving residents from Nāʻālehu through Ocean View with evening hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–4pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–4pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 12pm–4pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 95-5669 Mamalahoa Highway, Naalehu, HI 96772
Phone: (808) 939-2442
Website: librarieshawaii.org
Plus Code: 73F63C57+V3 (Naalehu, HI)
📱 Scan for directions
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Nāʻālehu Public Library
The Nāʻālehu Public Library stands in the Kaʻū district at the southern tip of Hawaiʻi Island — making it the southernmost public library in the United States. One of the smallest libraries in the Hawaii State Public Library System, it opened on February 24, 1994, in a 775-square-foot portable building. The community later secured a USDA Rural Development grant in partnership with the Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi to expand the facility; after a two-year project, the newly renovated 1,676-square-foot library reopened on November 15, 2021. The branch serves patrons across the Ka'ū coast from Nāʻālehu south through the remote community of Ocean View, providing 5 public computers, free Wi-Fi, a book drop, photocopying, and a Friends' book store. It also participates in the ʻOhana Readers program — an affiliate of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library — sending free books monthly to children under five in the 96772 and 96777 ZIP codes.
⭐ What makes this library special
- The southernmost public library in the United States, located in the Kaʻū district at the southern tip of Hawaiʻi Island
- Expanded from 775 sq ft to 1,676 sq ft with a USDA Rural Development grant; reopened November 15, 2021
- Serves the Ka'ū coast community from Nāʻālehu through the remote Ocean View area
- Participates in ʻOhana Readers (Dolly Parton's Imagination Library affiliate) — free monthly books for children under five
- Tuesday and Thursday evening hours until 6 pm and an active Friends' book store
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Nāʻālehu cardholders borrow and stream free through Hawaii's statewide digital library:
📚 Services
- 5 public computers and free Wi-Fi
- Photocopying and book drop-off
- 2 magazines and 2 newspapers
- Friends' book store
- 16 free parking spaces (1 accessible)
- Test proctoring services
- ʻOhana Readers / Dolly Parton's Imagination Library enrollment (ZIP 96772 & 96777)
🎸 Programs
- Game Night — drop-in board games every Tuesday evening, 4–5:30 pm
- Keiki Storytime — books and songs for toddlers and preschoolers
- ʻOhana Readers — monthly Imagination Library books for children under five
- Arts & crafts programs sponsored by the Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries
- Summer reading program
📍 Nearby Libraries in Kaʻū & South Hawaii
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Nāʻālehu Public Library really the southernmost library in the USA?
Yes. Nāʻālehu sits in the Kaʻū district near the southern tip of Hawaiʻi Island, which is the southernmost point of the United States. That makes Nāʻālehu the southernmost community in the country — and its public library the southernmost in the nation.
When did the library open, and was it always this size?
The library opened on February 24, 1994, in a 775-square-foot portable building — one of the smallest in the HSPLS system. A USDA Rural Development grant, combined with support from the Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi, funded a two-year expansion that brought the building to 1,676 square feet. The expanded library reopened on November 15, 2021.
What is the ʻOhana Readers program and how do I sign up?
ʻOhana Readers is an affiliate of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library that mails a free, age-appropriate book each month to children under five. The Nāʻālehu branch enrolls families in the 96772 (Nāʻālehu) and 96777 (Pāhala) ZIP codes. Registration forms are available at the branch or downloadable from the Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi website.
Which communities does the Nāʻālehu branch serve?
The library's service area stretches along the Ka'ū coast from Nāʻālehu south through Ocean View. It is the only public library for a large, remote stretch of the island's southernmost tip, and its Tuesday and Thursday evening hours (open until 6 pm) help working residents access the library after hours.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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