• The Hub

    News, Notes, Talk

    Lahaina Public Library stands damaged among the wreckage of Maui’s fires.

    Janet Manley

    August 11, 2023, 10:49am

    Fast-moving wildfires damaged much of Lahaina, the capital of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, this week, as well as locales up and down the west coast of Maui. Priceless cultural artifacts and buildings were destroyed or damaged, including Lahaina Public Library, which was built in 1956 on a former royal taro patch that belonged to King Kamehameha III, per the website. Video on 2news shows the roof smoldering with flames.

    The library was renovated using donated funds in 2012 that came from Rotary Club of Lahaina, the Hawaiian Public Library System, Maui Friends of Library, and other donors.

    You can offer support to rescue and recovery efforts in Maui by donating to:

    Hawaiʻi People’s Fund

    ʻĀina Momona

    You can also direct funds to Maui Friends of Library, a local nonprofit.

    We will update links if better information is made available.

  • Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member: Because Books Matter

    For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience, exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag. Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

    x