Community Engagement
Purpose
The HLA Community Engagement Committee (CEC) aims to cultivate a sense of community within both HLA membership and the wider public through a diverse array of events. By organizing activities such as story time sessions, movie nights, and author talks, the committee strives to nurture dialogue, promote literacy, and advance social justice initiatives. The committee’s overarching goal is to create inclusive spaces where all individuals can come together to learn, share, and grow.
The HLA Community Engagement Committee (CEC) aims to cultivate a sense of community within both HLA membership and the wider public through a diverse array of events. By organizing activities such as story time sessions, movie nights, and author talks, the committee strives to nurture dialogue, promote literacy, and advance social justice initiatives. The committee’s overarching goal is to create inclusive spaces where all individuals can come together to learn, share, and grow.
|
Ongoing Initiatives
Campaign: FREEDOM TO READ
Banned Books Week is held annually each Fall. Libraries are staunch supporters of intellectual freedom, meaning that we want to protect your right to choose – to choose what books to read and to choose what information to access. Words have power and censorship aims to limit that power, and the freedom of others in our community. As long as books are being written, there will be people attempting to censor certain books and viewpoints. As such, it’s important for us all to stand strong in opposition to these attempts.
HLA invited a range of local voices to share short personal reflections on why they believe intellectual freedom should be cherished and defended. Among those who shared statements are:
These snapshots will be shared publicly through HLA’s social media channels during Banned Books Week 2025, and underscore the power of diverse perspectives in resisting censorship. We invite you to view these stories via this HLA Youtube channel playlist. COMMUNITY CIVICS CONVERSATIONS with PACE
Libraries are among the last truly free and open community spaces, where individuals can access information, exchange ideas, and build civic awareness. Library professionals have a unique opportunity to support and shape these conversations, empowering our communities with knowledge about their rights and responsibilities. The Hawaiʻi Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education (PACE) in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Library Association hosted an event at UH West Oʻahu in Spring 2025 that included the following speakers: Hon. Gary Chang, Hon. Jeffrey Crabtree, and Hon. Maile Shimabukuro. Pictures from that event can be viewed at the UH West Oʻahu Flickr album, Laws Make a Difference Panel. We aim to develop this into a series that will visit various libraries throughout the state, highlighting libraries as essential spaces for civic dialogue, that support community engagement and public understanding of laws, governance, and civic responsibilities. |
Prior Initiatives
SPOTLIGHT: The Reading Room
Since 2016, The Reading Room has provided a unique space to celebrate Hawaiʻi’s writers and poets, while sharing their personal stories with a global audience. Created and hosted by Ann Inoshita, this initiative has become a meaningful platform for authors to discuss their craft and the ways in which literature connects communities. HLA recently facilitated a recorded conversation between Inoshita and our esteemed HLA colleagues, Junie Hayashi and Natalie Kahn. In a role reversal, the interview turned the spotlight on Inoshita herself -- an author and longtime advocate for local literature -- giving her the chance to reflect on The Reading Room's impact and future in a way she typically invites others to do. The discussion highlighted how educators can use the program to spark engagement with local literature, connect students with the creative journeys of Hawaiʻi’s contemporary authors, and foster literacy in innovative ways. The full interview (57:08) is now available on the HLA YouTube channel, offering a deeper look at the The Reading Room’s evolution and importance. To continue the conversation about ways that libraries can make use of this resource, and in celebration of National Poetry Month, HLA CEC held "The Power of Literature: Libraries, The Reading Room, and Building Connections" in April 2025. The conversation was facilitated by Stephanie Robertson, Outreach Librarian at BYU–Hawaii. Featured speakers included Ann Inoshita, Junie Hayashi, and Natalie Kahn.
FILM SCREENING -- Building a Legacy: The Visionaries Behind Hawaiʻi’s Libraries, Archives, and Museums
In Spring 2025, HLA CEC partnered with the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System (HSPLS) and Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site & Archives to present a free two-hour film screening of "Building a Legacy: The Visionaries Behind Hawai‘i’s Libraries, Archives, and Museums." The film highlights the contributions of five key figures to Hawai‘i's libraries, archives, and museums. Their stories will be brought to life through dynamic actor performances that will educate and inspire.
In addition to screening the film virtually, six HSPLS locations held in-person screening parties. |
Get in Touch With the Committee
|
|
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
|
