Waialua Public Library
🏢 Hawaiʻi State Public Library System — Oʻahu
Waialua Public Library
The smallest public library on Oʻahu, Waialua's North Shore branch traces its roots to a 1927 reading station in the old sugar plantation office and was once named the Best Small/Rural Library in America.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 9am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 67-068 Kealohanui Street, Waialua, HI 96791
Phone: 808-637-8286
Website: librarieshawaii.org
📖 About Waialua Public Library
Waialua Public Library began in 1927 as the Waialua Community Station, a small collection housed in the Waialua Sugar Plantation office, with books circulated by a Waialua High School student paid ten dollars a month by the State Library. It grew into a branch library in 1936, moving into the rear of the old Waialua Post Office, and the current building on Kealohanui Street broke ground in 1951, later gaining an 840-square-foot addition and air conditioning in 1975. Built by Isamu Abe Construction, it is the smallest public library on Oʻahu, and in 1997 the Public Library Association named it the Best Small/Rural Library in America.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- Recognized in 1997 by the Public Library Association (ALA) as the Best Small/Rural Library in America
- The smallest public library on the island of Oʻahu, serving the rural North Shore town of Waialua
- Roots dating to a 1927 reading station in the Waialua Sugar Plantation office
📱 Free with a Hawaiʻi State Public Library Card
Any Hawaiʻi resident can get an HSPLS card free (visitors can buy a 3-month card) and unlock:
📍 More Hawaiʻi State Public Library System libraries
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Waialua Public Library considered special despite its size?
Although it is the smallest public library on Oʻahu, the Public Library Association — a division of the American Library Association — honored it in 1997 as the Best Small/Rural Library in America, recognizing its outsized role serving the rural North Shore community.
How old is the Waialua library?
Library service in Waialua dates to 1927, when it opened as the Waialua Community Station inside the sugar plantation office. It became a branch library in 1936, and the current Kealohanui Street building broke ground in 1951, marking nearly a century of continuous service to the town.
Is the library open on Mondays?
No. Waialua Public Library is closed on Mondays and Sundays. It opens Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.