Edwin H. Mookini Library
🏢 University of Hawai'i at Hilo · Hilo, Hawaii
Edwin H. Mookini Library
The Edwin H. Mookini Library is the academic library of the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, serving students, faculty, and staff of both UH Hilo and Hawai'i Community College. Named for Edwin H. Mookini — a prominent Hilo educator and community leader — it houses a celebrated Hawaiian Collection alongside research databases, study spaces, and extended evening hours through the fall and spring semesters.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am-9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am-9pm |
| Wednesday | 9am-9pm |
| Thursday | 9am-9pm |
| Friday | 9am-4pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | 1pm-9pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 200 W. Kawili Street, Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 932-7286
Website: hilo.hawaii.edu
Plus Code: 73F6MWX8+X5 (Hilo, HI)
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📖 About Edwin H. Mookini Library
The Edwin H. Mookini Library is not a public library in the HSPLS sense: it is the central academic library of the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, located at 200 W. Kawili Street on the UH Hilo campus. It serves enrolled students, faculty, and staff of UH Hilo and Hawai'i Community College, though community members may register for borrowing privileges. The library is named for Edwin H. Mookini, a Hilo-born educator of Hawaiian ancestry who served as principal of Hilo Intermediate and Hilo High School and was a tireless advocate for Hawaiian culture and literacy. Its standout feature is the Hawaiian Collection — a curated archive of books, manuscripts, maps, and photographs documenting Hawaiian language, history, and culture, including rare materials on the voyaging traditions of Polynesia. The library's main floor coffee area opens at 8 a.m. on weekdays, and the full library follows at 9 a.m., with hours extending to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on Sunday evenings during the academic term.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Named for Edwin H. Mookini, a distinguished Hilo educator and advocate for Hawaiian language and culture
- Houses the Hawaiian Collection — rare books, manuscripts, maps, and photographs on Hawaiian history and the voyaging traditions of Polynesia
- Serves both UH Hilo and Hawai'i Community College students and faculty under one roof
- Extended evening hours (open to 9 p.m. Mon-Thu and Sun) to support student study schedules
- Community members may register to access the library's collections and research databases
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
UH Hilo and Hawai'i CC students can access a broad suite of research databases and digital resources through the Mookini Library portal:
📚 Services
- Hawaiian Collection: rare books, manuscripts, maps and photographs on Hawaiian history and language
- Research assistance and reference consultations with subject librarians
- Public computers, printing, and scanning
- Study rooms and individual study spaces
- Interlibrary loan (ILL) for books and articles not held locally
- Course reserves and textbook borrowing
- Free campus Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Main floor coffee area open from 8 a.m. on weekdays
🎸 Programs
- Research skills and database instruction sessions for UH Hilo courses
- Hawaiian Collection outreach and digitization projects
- Library orientation tours for incoming students
- Collaboration with Hawai'i CC on shared resources and instruction
📍 Nearby Libraries in Hilo & East Hawai'i
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Edwin H. Mookini Library a public library open to everyone?
The Mookini Library is the academic library of the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, primarily for UH Hilo and Hawai'i Community College students, faculty, and staff. Community members may register for limited borrowing privileges. For a fully public library in Hilo, the nearby Hilo Public Library (HSPLS branch on Waianuenue Avenue) is open to all Hawaii residents.
Who was Edwin H. Mookini, and why is the library named after him?
Edwin H. Mookini was a prominent Hilo educator of Hawaiian ancestry who served as principal of both Hilo Intermediate and Hilo High School. He was a dedicated advocate for Hawaiian language and culture and a respected community leader. The university library was named in his honor to recognize his lifelong commitment to education on the Big Island.
What is the Hawaiian Collection at the Mookini Library?
The Hawaiian Collection is a curated archive of rare books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and other materials documenting Hawaiian language, history, and culture, including resources on Polynesian voyaging traditions. It is one of the most significant research collections on Hawaiian studies available at the university level.
What are the library's hours during the fall semester?
During the fall semester the Mookini Library is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday closed, and Sunday 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. The main floor lobby and coffee area open at 8 a.m. on weekdays. Hours change during holidays and semester breaks — check hilo.hawaii.edu/library/hours for the current schedule.
📚 This library has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms by state.
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