Doug Bates, former head of Joseph F. Smith Library at Brigham Young University-Hawaii and former HLA president, has taken a new position at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn., as Dean of Library and Learning Assistance. Best of luck in your new position, Doug!

HLA mourns the passing of Debra Miyashiro, retired librarian at the state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Debra passed away on July 3 after a brief illness.

Nearly six years after the flood of 2004 devastated the ground floor of Hamilton Library, renovation of the flooded areas of the UH Manoa Library was completed this spring. In late June, the Library's Government Documents & Maps collection, Serials, Acquisitions and Cataloging departments, and the UH LIS program returned to their refurbished homes in the ground floor of Phases I and II. Government Documents & Maps also now are open to the public, and walk-in service is available for the U.S. federal depository collection, the United Nations collection, and Maps, Aerial Photos, and GIS (MAGIS).

A couple of events will celebrate the return to the Ground Floor.

On Sunday, Aug. 22, the UH Manoa Library will host an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Information on the flood and renovation process will be on exhibit and light refreshments will be served.

On Sunday, Sept. 19, the UH LIS Program will host an open house for all UH LIS alumni to visit the renovated library school. The event, scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m., will include tours of the new facilities and light refreshments. The LIS Alumni Group is also accepting potluck contributions.