John J. Stephan, a pioneering University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� emeritus professor of history whose scholarship advanced understanding of Russia’s role in Asia, died August 12, 2026.

Stephan came to Hawaiʻi in 1964 after studying Russian and Japanese at Harvard. At ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�, his interest in the Russian Far East grew through a course taught by Russian history professor John A. White and an intellectual community that included Patricia Polansky, now Hamilton Library’s Russian Bibliographer.

Stephan taught history at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� from 1970 until his retirement in 2001, producing influential scholarship focused on Russia in Asia. His books included Sakhalin: A History (1971), The Kuril Islands: Russo-Japanese Frontier in the Pacific (1974) and The Russian Far East: A History (1994).

He also served as founding director of the Center for the Soviet Union in the Asia-Pacific Region, established at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� in 1986 and later renamed the Center for Russia in Asia.

Landmark work published in Russian

Months before his death, Stephan received copies of a new Russian-language edition of Sakhalin: A History. The books arrived at Hamilton Library in December 2025 after being printed in Beijing, a route necessitated by disrupted U.S.-Russia postal connections amid the war in Ukraine.

During the Soviet era, Sakhalin: A History was denounced and restricted from general use. After the Soviet Union collapsed, portions were serialized in an independent Sakhalin newspaper.

“It is especially meaningful that John lived to see Sakhalin: A History translated into Russian,” Polansky said. “That a work once suppressed in the Soviet Union has now been published in Russian is a remarkable testament to the lasting importance of his research.”

Hamilton Library legacy

For more than two decades, Stephan supported Hamilton Library collections reflecting his scholarly interests and Hawaiʻi’s connections to Asia and the Pacific.

“John understood the importance of libraries because he knew firsthand how much they could shape a scholar’s work,” Polansky said.

A new Deaf History Museum at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� is bringing a century of Hawaiʻi’s Deaf history, culture and community into the heart of

The exhibit, “I ʻike ʻia, I lohe ʻia: Nā Moʻolelo o ke Kaiāulu Kuli o Hawaiʻi (To Be Seen, To Be Heard: The Stories of Hawaiʻi‘s Deaf Community),” features artifacts, stories and contributions from Hawaiʻi’s Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. It opened on September 14 in recognition of Hawaiian History Month and Deaf Awareness Month.

“Deaf history is Hawaiʻi history. This museum keeps our stories alive so future generations can see where we came from, know who we are, and proudly say this is my history,” said Ed Chevy, a Deaf historian and curator of the museum.

Deaf history is Hawaiʻi history

The Deaf community came together for a grand opening ceremony at , filled with sign language musical performances and a keynote by Yvette I. Ibarra-Keohuloa, a Deaf descendant of Hawaiian high-ranking chiefs Kameʻeiamoku and Kamanawa, trusted advisors to King Kamehameha I.

Ibarra-Keohuloa shared her moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy), moʻolelo (stories) and manaʻo (perspectives).

“Deaf people have always been a part of Hawaiʻi—our families, our communities, our culture and our stories,” Ibarra-Keohuloa said. “Our experiences may not always have been recognized, but that does not mean we are not here.”

The celebration also marked the first Deaf show presented on Kennedy Theatre’s main stage.

Deaf community members and advocates express Deaf history and culture have often been overlooked, leaving many people in Hawaiʻi with limited exposure to the community’s language, experiences and traditions. The museum aims to help close that gap by making those stories more visible and accessible to a broader audience.

Growing student interest

Interest in American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture has been growing at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�.

This fall marked the launch of a new path for students, a standalone .

Interest in ASL courses at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� has surged in recent years. Enrollment has grown by 1,400% in six years, from 19 students in spring 2019 to 265 in fall 2025. Demand continues to exceed capacity, with long waitlists for courses.

A 2024 survey also found that 94% of ASL students are interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree in ASL-English interpreting.

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� ASL instructor Gisella Tomita came up with the idea to bring the museum to Hamilton Library, placing it in the heart of the university in order to create space for greater awareness, connection and inclusion – inspiring students to carry those values into their future professions.

“Once, our languages were silenced. Today, we celebrate them openly. Both of my parents are Deaf, and they told me how sign language was discouraged in their school. Hawaiʻi also has a history of suppressing ‘ō������� Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) in schools and public life,” said Tomita who is one of three Deaf instructors of ASL at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�. “There’s something special about connecting with other Deaf and hearing Hawaiians and locals. We share culture, history, and experiences that connect us to Hawaiʻi. Deafness may be invisible, but when we sign, we find each other. When hearing people are willing to learn and connect, we unite our two worlds.”

Stories of culture, history and identity from across Southeast Asia and the Pacific are now on display at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s .

Highlighting regional perspectives

The Ocean That Remembers, an exhibition at the Hamilton Library Bridge Gallery, features stories selected by 13 museum professionals to represent their communities and connections to their homes.

The physical exhibition expands on a digital exhibit created through the Asia-Pacific Museum Exchange, a program of the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�

The Ocean That Remembers opened August 24 at Hamilton Library’s Bridge Gallery. ������Ƶors can also explore the full digital exhibition through the .

• Read more about the exhibit’s digital launch on ������Ƶ News.

Each story centers on a cultural object or practice selected by an exchange participant. Together, they highlight the role museums play not only in preserving collections, but also in protecting the stories, traditions and knowledge connected to them.

“Our goal was to bring the project full circle by connecting the digital exhibit with an in-person experience,” said Teri Skillman, associate director of CSEAS. “By transforming the stories into a physical exhibition, we hope they can reach new audiences in Hawaiʻi and eventually be shared in museums and other spaces across the region.”

Collective approach to exhibit

The exhibition grew out of a 16-day Asia-Pacific Museum Exchange held in Hawaiʻi in 2025. Museum professionals from across the region worked with Hawaiʻi experts on topics including exhibition development, disaster planning and digital preservation.

The Hamilton Library installation also highlights the relationships and professional network built through the exchange, bringing perspectives from across the Asia-Pacific together in Hawaiʻi.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Heritage Center in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and conducted through the Hawaiʻi-Pacific Islands Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit TA# P24AC000688.

— Teaghan Carruth

More than 150 community members gathered at Windward Community College’s Hale Laʻakea Library in August for E Heluhelu Kākou! (Let’s Read!) Swimmin’ Into Stories, the college’s second annual Keiki (children) Reading Day.

This year’s event celebrated iʻa (fish), inviting keiki and their ʻohana (family) to experience the library through Hawaiian storytelling, mele, hula and hands-on activities. Keiki explored the library through a scavenger hunt, created fish-themed crafts and tried gyotaku fish printing.

“Keiki Reading Day gives our youngest community members a positive, welcoming first experience with the library and our college. We hope that connection stays with them, and that they think of Windward Community College as a place they belong when it’s their turn to pursue higher education,” said Cindy Texeira, Hawaiʻi resource librarian.

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Librarian Keahiahi Long and library and information science students volunteered at the event, reading to keiki, sharing ����ʻō������� (stories) in Hawaiian and leading crafts and more.

Several ʻohana who participated in the inaugural event returned this year. Families shared positive feedback about exploring the library and activities.

—By Nakoa Camvel

Deep cultural ties between Hawaiʻi and French Polynesia were highlighted during French Polynesia President Moetai Brotherson’s visit to the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s on February 25.

While in Honolulu for , hosted by the East-West Center, Brotherson made time to connect with ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�, including a visit to the library’s internationally recognized collections.

Pacific Collection librarians Eleanor Kleiber and Stu Dawrs, along with Hawaiian Collection Librarian and department chair Jodie Mattos, showcased rare and historic materials related to French Polynesia. Items included: 18th-century works from Captain Cook’s voyages, 1844 correspondence from the Queen of Tahiti to King Kamehameha III, signed editions of Hawaiʻi’s Story by Queen Liliʻuokalani, and two editions of Brotherson’s own novel, Le Roi absent (The Missing King).

“It was an honor to welcome President Brotherson, and a joy for us to share items from our collections that highlight the historical and cultural connections between Hawaiʻi and French Polynesia,” said Kleiber. “He seemed to appreciate seeing these items our library has curated to represent the strong connections between our islands.”

University Librarian Clem Guthro added, “Our collections are vast, global and contain a multitude of treasures that support research, scholarship and teaching. Welcoming visitors from abroad to our collections extends their global reach. ������Ƶors like President Brotherson become our ambassadors; sharing their experiences with our library when they return home, and knowing we are a resource to them.”

Brotherson has served as president since 2023 and is known for promoting sustainable development, cultural preservation and regional cooperation across the Pacific.

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The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu visited the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s on January 23, for an official tour of the library’s , offering a close look at rare materials that illuminate centuries of Philippine history and global connections.

Led by Philippine Consul General Arman Talbo, who took office in March 2025, the delegation of 17 consulate staff members was guided by Philippine Studies Librarian Elena Clariza through selections from the Philippine Rare Collections. Highlights included rare maps of the Philippines dating from the 1500s to the 1700s, Philippine Revolutionary Papers from the Spanish colonial period in the 1800s, and a U.S. military photo album documenting Samar Island in the 1940s.

The Samar album is a joint acquisition of Hamilton Library’s Russian Collection and Philippine Collection. It documents daily life on the island and U.S. naval operations during World War II, while also reflecting Samar’s unexpected global ties. Following the Bolshevik Revolution, the island later became a refuge for an estimated 6,000 White Russians—the deposed czar’s supporters who opposed the Red Soviets and fled Russia after World War II.

Talbo described the visit as “calm, inspiring, and quietly powerful,” noting the personal resonance of the materials. He shared that he may have identified a long-lost ancestor while viewing photographs in the Samar album.

The visit highlighted the international significance of Hamilton Library’s Philippine Collection and its role in preserving and providing access to historical materials that deepen understanding of Philippine history and its global intersections.

Read more at .

After touring three University of Hawaiʻi community colleges last fall, —interactive exhibits exploring sovereignty and life force—are expanding across ������Ƶ libraries statewide this spring. Developed by , a network of Hawaiian language, culture and ʻ�徱�Բ�-based education organizations, the exhibits will rotate through , , , and from January through early April.

The exhibits center on Hawaiian history, while inviting communities to actively engage with ea (life, air, breath, sovereignty, rural, independence). This semester marks the first time the activations will rotate simultaneously across multiple islands, amplifying messages of ea and aloha ʻ�徱�Բ� (love of the land) while uplifting Hawaiian history, culture and language.

The initiative began during a Kūkalahale E Hoʻi Nā Wai culture-based professional development training, where Windward CC librarians explored ways to indigenize library spaces. The idea quickly spread across the ������Ƶ system, evolving into a coordinated, multi-campus effort.

“I was so inspired by the campus libraries tour last semester that I wanted to make sure that every ������Ƶ library had an opportunity to showcase the beautiful activations and educate our communities that the ea of this ʻ�徱�Բ� still exists through our history, culture and language,” said Kawena Komeiji, Hawaiian initiatives librarian at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Hamilton Library.

The exhibit, which toured , and in the fall, is made possible through partnerships with and Kanaeokana.

Exhibit dates and locations

Ka ���� Kealaiwikuamoʻo Ea and Ka ���� ��ūʻ�ǰ��ʻ�� – A journey centered on Kamehameha III and his vision of an independent lāhui (group):

• January 12 – February 6: ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Hamilton Library, ������Ƶ West Oʻahu Campbell Library
• February 9 – March 6: Kauaʻi CC Library, ������Ƶ Maui College, ������Ƶ Hilo Moʻokini Library

Ka Malu ʻUlu o Lele – Explores Lahaina’s sacred history and cultural resilience:

• February 9 – March 6: ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Hamilton Library, ������Ƶ West Oʻahu Campbell Library
• March 9 – April 3: Kauaʻi CC Library, ������Ƶ Maui College

Ruth ����ʻ�������ō�����Ծ� – Honors Princess Ruth Keanolani Kanāhoahoa ����ʻ�������ō�����Ծ� and her commitment to ʻō������� Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian language), tradition and her people:

• January 12 – February 6: Kauaʻi CC Library, ������Ƶ Maui College
• February 6 – March 6: ������Ƶ Hilo Moʻokini Library
• March 9 – April 3: ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Hamilton Library, ������Ƶ West Oʻahu Campbell Library

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s joined a global network of leading research libraries with the opening of its Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies (TRCCS) on November 17. As the 55th overseas partner in Taiwan’s National Central Library (NCL) TRCCS program, Hamilton Library expands its international collaborations and access to resources supporting China and Taiwan studies.

Through the partnership, NCL provides Taiwan-published monographs, digital archives, bibliographic databases and other scholarly resources. Hamilton Library has already added nearly 400 titles to its collections and now offers full access to NCL’s electronic resources.

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos highlighted the significance of the partnership during the opening ceremony event. “This collaboration will foster new opportunities for dialogue, scholarship and exchange for years to come,” he said.

NCL Director-General Han-Ching Wang, who traveled from Taipei for the ceremony, emphasized the shared role of Taiwan and Hawaiʻi in the Pacific. “We aim to build upon this TRCCS to strengthen the academic connection between Taiwan and Hawaiʻi,” she said.

The opening also builds on a relationship that stretches back to the 1960s, when early East–West Center exchanges helped shape Hamilton’s China Collection. Recent discussions led to formal invitations in 2024 and this fall’s launch.

A delegation from NCL toured Hamilton’s collections, which included a plaque unveiling, signing of partnership agreements and exchange of gifts.

“The TRCCS aligns with our mission to foster international scholarship and build meaningful collaborations that benefit our students and faculty,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro.

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It’s American Archives Month, and the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s is playing a key role in expanding public access to congressional history archives.

Hamilton Library received $200,000 in federal funding to help digitize the as part of the American Congress Digital Archives Portal (ACDAP)—the first-ever online platform to bring together congressional archives from across the country. Led by (WVU) Libraries, the project aims to make these important but scattered records freely accessible to the public while supporting civics and history education for K–12 classrooms.

Preserving Hawaiʻi’s congressional legacy

The funding will allow Hamilton Library to digitize thousands of Hawaiʻi-related congressional documents, including more than 800 photos from the papers of Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, speeches from Sens. Hiram L. Fong and Spark Matsunaga, and materials from Reps. Thomas P. Gill, K. Mark Takai, Neil Abercrombie, Pat Saiki and Kaialiʻi Kahele. The project is expected to be completed by December 2026.

“This project takes some of the most sought-after documents from our library’s congressional collections and makes them accessible to the world,” said Dawn Sueoka, congressional papers archivist at Hamilton Library’s . “It also helps researchers to understand the work of Hawaiʻi’s members of congress in the context of the archives of their colleagues, like former (House) Speaker Carl Albert and Sen. Bob Dole.”

Suyeoka and project partners were featured in a for educators produced by the Dirksen Congressional Center. She also plans to collaborate with the next summer to develop a high school curriculum based on Hamilton Library’s contributions to the portal.

Expanding national access to civic history

The ACDAP project helps remove long-standing barriers to accessing congressional materials, which—unlike presidential papers—are spread across many institutions. Danielle Emerling, associate director of WVU Libraries’ West Virginia & Regional History Center, said the effort helps people better understand Congress and makes more archives and civics education resources available.

Hamilton Library has participated in the ACDAP initiative since 2023, alongside other national partners.

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Powerful ea (sovereignty, life, breath) activations (interactive exhibits) honoring Hawaiian history, resilience and culture are transforming the libraries at Honolulu, Kapiʻolani and Windward Community Colleges this fall.

“The word ‘activations’ is deliberate, chosen as a call to activate—to activate ea, ʻike (knowledge), ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, community, consciousness, each other,” said Erica T. Dias, Kapiʻolani CC Hawaiʻi-Pacific resources librarian. “Rather than viewing as static displays, the ea activations are designed to stir reflection, dialogue and engagement.”

Cindy Texeira, Hawaiʻi specialist librarian at Windward CC, added, “By sharing these activations in our libraries, we hope to bring ʻŌiwi voices to the forefront while deepening the sense of place that guides our work.”

The series features three major works that rotate through the campuses:

Luka Keʻelikōlani

Honors Princess Ruth Keanolani Kanāhoahoa Keʻelikōlani, who embodied unwavering commitment to ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), tradition, and her people.

• Honolulu CC: September 15–October 10
• Windward CC: October 13–November 6

���� Hoʻihoʻi Ea (Hawaiian Restoration Day)

A journey centered on Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, and his vision of an independent lāhui (nation).

• Kapiʻolani CC: September 15–October 10
• Honolulu CC: October 13–November 6

Ka Malu ʻUlu o Lele

Explores Lahaina’s sacred history and cultural resilience.

• Windward CC: September 15–October 10
• Kapiʻolani CC: October 13–November 6

A ‘call to action’

“This is more than just a display with the powerful moʻolelo (stories) and imagery, it hit me as a call to action,” said Honolulu CC student Hanalei Chai. “Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani stood firm for our identity, and her courage awakened me to do the same.”

Manuwai Peters, facilitator of Kanaeokana, a network of more than 170 schools and organizations dedicated to excellence in Hawaiian education, said, “We echo our excitement with this new usage of the activations at our community college libraries.”

Windward CC Cohort & Online Programs Counselor Māhiehie Garrett added, “In a time where being Hawaiian is being challenged (again), it is empowering to walk around campus and be engulfed in experiences where being Hawaiian is not only appreciated but celebrated. We cannot control how our students feel about themselves as Hawaiians off-campus, but we can ensure that the interactions they have on campus make them proud of who they are and of their lāhui (people, nation).”

The initiative began at a (culture-based professional development) training, where Windward CC librarians reflected on ways to indigenize library spaces. Guidance from Kanaeokana facilitator Makana Garma helped shape the direction of the ea activations, which are scheduled to proceed to additional ������Ƶ campuses in spring 2026.

The welcomed 185 archivists and cultural heritage professionals from 35 countries September 8–11 for the first Hawaiʻi-based joint conference of the and the , held at the East-West Center.

• Related ������Ƶ News story: Global conference to tackle climate change, media preservation, February 11, 2025

Centered on the theme “A Loss of Place,” the gathering examined how climate change transforms landscapes, challenges cultural identities, and impacts media preservation, with international partners including UNESCO, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and national archives and libraries worldwide.

������Ƶ President Wendy Hensel opened the conference at the Imin International Conference Center. “In Hawaiʻi and across the Pacific, we know that there are significant challenges with climate change, the fight for cultural identity, and amplifying voices that, too often, go unheard,” she said. “The work that you do in preserving those voices, protecting and sharing these stories, ensures that memory endures and that wisdom is not lost.”

������Ƶ leadership, systemwide support

������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Library and Information Sciences program and the were among the conference’s financial sponsors. and faculty played key roles in planning, and presenters and volunteers came from across the ������Ƶ System and Hawaiʻi.

Participants took part in a workshop at the at ������Ƶ West Oʻahu, toured , and explored Hamilton Library’s Asia, Hawaiian, Pacific, and University Archives collections. They also visited key cultural sites, including Bishop Museum, the Jaku’an Japanese Tea House at the East-West Center, and the .

“I thought it was a great opportunity to bring people here to showcase the library and our collections, and also focus on Hawaiʻi and the Pacific,” said David Rowntree, digital preservation librarian at Hamilton Library and local organizing chair.

University Librarian Clem Guthro added: “We are a major research university, and we’re doing work that isn’t being done elsewhere in the world. Having conference attendees experience ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and Hawaiʻi allows our work to be known and our reputation enhanced.”

This article by Windward CC specialist librarian Cindy Texeira and her daughters, Kainani and ʻAulani Wagner, students in ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Library and Information Science program, was first published in .

Academic libraries have long reflected Western models of knowledge and order through their values, systems, and structures. They can be sterile and intimidating places, especially for those whose histories and voices have been marginalized.

At Hale Laʻakea library at Windward Community College in ahupuaʻa Kāneʻohe, our goal is to create a space where Native Hawaiian students feel a sense of belonging—a place rooted in aloha ʻāina, ʻike kūpuna, and ea (sovereignty).

Decolonizing the library means acknowledging and undoing the colonial structures embedded in how we organize information, provide services, and occupy space. It is an ongoing process that requires us to question what voices are prioritized, who feels welcome in our spaces, and what cultural values are reflected or erased.

This fall, Hale Laʻakea will host a series of powerful activations (interactive exhibits) from Kanaeokana that invite patrons to connect, reflect, and engage in spaces of ea.

The first, “Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea,” is a digital journey through primary texts, visuals and audio centered on Kamehameha III and his vision of an independent lāhui. It highlights true historical accounts of his leadership and includes perspectives from both Kānaka and non-kanaka allies.

Next, “Ka Malu ʻUlu o Lele,” explores Lahaina’s sacred history and cultural resilience. Learners will journey through moʻolelo and mele rooted in the legacy of Kihawahine, the shade of the ʻulu groves, and the call to restore wai and ea to Lele.

The final activation, “Luka Keʻelikōlani,” invites visitors into the world of Princess Ruth Keanolani Kanāhoahoa Keʻelikōlani, also known as Luka or Ruta, an aliʻi wahine who embodied unwavering commitment to ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, tradition, and her people.

Though she was trained in Western ways, she chose to speak only Hawaiian as an act of resistance and required those around her to do the same. This activation mirrors her firm stance. All content is presented in Hawaiian, with English translations available by QR code. The space invites us to ask, “He aha ka hana a Ruta? What would Ruth do?”

From August through November, these activations will rotate between the Windward CC, Honolulu Community College, and Kapiʻolani Community College libraries, allowing the broader community to engage in meaningful moments of learning and intention-setting. Contact each library for more information about dates/times.

Hale Laʻakea continues to evolve. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi was added to print and digital signage, art pieces throughout the library reflect Native Hawaiian voices, service-learning opportunities are offered through archival translation work and cultural exhibit development, and we hosted a Keiki Reading Day, welcoming ʻohana from our community to listen to moʻolelo from kūpuna and other Native Hawaiian storytellers.

Windward CC students can borrow cultural resources, including ʻukulele, ʻohe kāpala (kapa-making stamps), and traditional games like kōnane and hū. We are also in the planning stages of a lumi ʻohana, a space for parents and their keiki to read, study, and play together in a culturally grounded environment.

The University of Hawaiʻi has received a $150,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation’s Public Knowledge program to plan for a social media archive that preserves �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s digital history and centers on Native Hawaiian voices.

The project, Kaʻohipōhaku (gathering rocks or stones), is a collaboration between the ������Ƶ West Oʻahu James & Abigail Campbell Library, ������Ƶ Maui College library and ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�.

“Kaʻohipōhaku will bring together Native Hawaiian activists and web/social media archivists to start the discussion on what a social media archive, rooted in ʻāina (land) and guided by the lāhui Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Nation), could look like,” said principal investigator Kawena Komeiji, Hawaiian Initiatives librarian at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Hamilton Library and the former Hawaiian Pacific resources librarian at ������Ƶ West Oʻahu.

Komeiji said the effort rebalances how history is preserved, and is significant to ������Ƶ and the broader Hawaiʻi community.

“It aims to put mana (power, authority, privilege) and ea (sovereignty, independence) back into the hands of the Native Hawaiian community. In the past, collections in libraries and archives were created with our ʻike(knowledge) but without our consent or approval; and Kaʻohipōhaku aims to flip that narrative by including Kānaka (Native Hawaiian) voices in the design process,” she said.

With Mellon support, the team will consult with community leaders and web archiving experts, test preservation tools, and establish sustainable, culturally relevant practices for digital archiving.

Web pages, posts are vanishing

“Kaʻohipōhaku is about giving social media creators, audiences and communities agency, especially around these major events in Hawaiʻi,” said Alphie Garcia, information resources and collection management librarian at ������Ƶ West Oʻahu. “Hawaiians and people living in Hawai‘i are having these conversations in social media spaces about the Lahaina wildfires and the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna movement, but these conversations are fragile.”

Garcia said research shows that nearly four in 10 web pages vanish within a decade, and one in five Twitter/X posts can disappear within months, similar to content on other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

“Without active preservation, that history is gone,” Garcia added. “My role is to test tools and identify infrastructure that can help safeguard this digital heritage while working with a team of advisors on ways to accomplish this goal that are sustainable, ethical, trustworthy and community driven.”

The Mellon Foundation also awarded ������Ƶ $3.22 million to ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�, ������Ƶ Maui College, and ������Ƶ Hilo for Kahoʻiwai: Reclaiming Hawaiian Knowledge Sovereignty, a related project running from 2024 to 2027.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

This article by ������Ƶ Kanaka ʻŌ���ɾ� (Native Hawaiian) librarians Kawena Komeiji, Shavonn Matsuda and Kapena Shim was first published in Ka Wai Ola on .

As we celebrate ���� Hoʻihoʻi Ea this month, Kānaka ʻŌ���ɾ� librarians in the University of Hawaiʻi (������Ƶ) System have been working towards restoring Hawaiian knowledge sovereignty to the lāhui Hawaiʻi, with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

A new initiative launched this past December, Kahoʻiwai: Reclaiming Hawaiian Knowledge Sovereignty, focuses on improving access to Hawaiian resources in libraries and archives. The project will integrate ʻō������� Hawaiʻi and kuanaʻike Hawaiʻi into the ways we categorize, organize, and search for information in libraries.

Part of a collaborative effort by three ������Ƶ campuses, Kahoʻiwai is led by Kānaka librarians at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�, ������Ƶ Maui College, and ������Ƶ Hilo. This work builds upon previous groundbreaking work of the Ka Wai Hāpai project, which set the foundation and methodology for development of a Hawaiian Knowledge Organization System (HKOS) intended for implementation across libraries and archives with responsibilities for the preservation of Hawaiian knowledge.

Expanding on this work, Kahoʻiwai will also partner with Hawaiian language experts and scholars to create a Hawaiian language newspaper index from community-indexed information found in nūpepa, enhance 7,500 library catalog records with table of contents and descriptions, and revise incomplete and/or harmful descriptions in archival finding aids to provide better, Hawaiʻi-centered context, to Hawaiian collections at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�.

As testament to the work of Kānaka librarians, Kānaka scholars and allies, particularly in recent years, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Hamilton Library has created two dedicated tenure-track faculty librarian positions to bolster Hawaiian knowledge sovereignty and ensure the long-term sustainability of this initiative.

Similarly, librarians at the ������Ƶ West Oʻahu, ������Ƶ Maui College, and ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� have been building a social media archive rooted in community and ʻ�徱�Բ�.

����ʻ�dz󾱱�ō�󲹰�� will consult with Kānaka activists and web archiving experts to identify tools and priorities for archiving social media content and to help establish culturally relevant practices for Hawaiʻi, culminating in a report that will be available to the public.

By shifting autonomy of collection development back into the hands of our people, we will empower the people of today to preserve their leo for the generations to come, much like our kūpuna did in the Hawaiian language newspapers.

Both the Kahoʻiwai and ����ʻ�dz󾱱�ō�󲹰�� projects are supported and strengthened by funding from the Mellon Foundation’s Public Knowledge Program. Kahoʻiwai was awarded $3.22 million over three years (2024-2027) and ����ʻ�dz󾱱�ō�󲹰�� was awarded $150,000 as part of a 1-year planning grant.

Libraries and archives are critical spaces for our lāhui to connect to and engage with. Through these efforts, we seek to center Hawaiʻi and improve libraries and archives in meaningful ways so that Kānaka feel welcomed and empowered to research, learn, and engage in these spaces and with the waiwai housed within these institutions.

While libraries are not commonly considered in the movement for ea, these efforts highlight our role as just one of the many pathways in furthering ea for the lāhui Hawaiʻi.

Alphie Garcia, information resources and collection management librarian at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu, was selected as one of 25 archivists nationwide for the (ALI).

Held June 8–14 at the University of Virginia Library, the week-long institute brought together mid-career archivists to develop leadership skills and deepen their impact within the profession. Quarterly virtual sessions will continue throughout the year.

Garcia was chosen through a competitive process recognizing his professional commitment, leadership potential, and dedication to diversity and innovation in the archival field.

“Alphie is the sole professional responsible for archival work at the ������Ƶ West Oʻahu Library, so this opportunity will enable him to bring back new and innovative ideas that will inform the library’s ongoing and future archival projects,” said Carina Chernisky, public services librarian at the .

‘Steward of cultural memories’

Garcia called the experience an honor and professional highlight, which gave him a rare opportunity to share a space and engage with a national group of archivists and information professionals.

“ALI created space to step back and reflect on the archival profession and my own role here at ������Ƶ West Oʻahu as a steward of cultural memories,” Garcia said. “The experience has deepened my sense of purpose and commitment to the values we hold at ������Ƶ West Oʻahu, and in the library and archival profession to uplift underrepresented voices and preserve local knowledge.”

Garcia is collaborating with fellow cohort members on a project that explores how recent federal actions have affected diversity initiatives in the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) fields. He said the sense of community and support at ALI was powerful.

“The week as a whole reminded me that archival leadership is not just about creating policies or the minutiae of preservation, but about staying true to the values that matter,” Garcia said.

For more visit .
—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

More than 200 people gathered at Windward Community College’s Hale Laʻakea Library on June 7, for Keiki Summer Reading Day 2025—a vibrant celebration of Hawaiian language, culture and community that drew nearly double the expected turnout.

Children and their ʻohana (family) explored the library through a scavenger hunt, listened to moʻolelo (stories) from kūpuna (elders), and learned about the library’s Hawaiʻi Collection. Each keiki also received bilingual Hawaiian-English books to take home.

The free community event, made possible with a Harold K.L. Castle Foundation grant, promoted family literacy and cultural learning through hands-on, place-based activities.

“As one of the keiki book readers, it was especially moving to see their excitement when receiving books of their own,” said Hauʻolihiwahiwa Moniz, Hawaiian-Pacific resources librarian at Leeward CC and Nā Mea Hawaiʻi committee chair for the Koʻolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club.

Moniz co-led the event’s planning with Cindy Texeira, Hawaiʻi specialist librarian at Windward CC.

“We wanted this day to celebrate ʻō������� Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and moʻolelo, and to make ʻohana feel at home in the library,” Moniz added.

The event also included arts and crafts inspired by native birds and a complimentary lunch. For many families, it was their first visit to the Windward CC library.

“It was wonderful to see the library so full of life and laughter,” said Sarah Sur, head librarian at Windward CC. “We’re proud to be a space where our community can gather to celebrate reading, culture and connection.”

Texeira, who also serves as corresponding secretary for the Koʻolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, said, “This event reminded us of the power of community and the importance of sharing spaces and stories. It was a joy to help create something rooted in aloha ʻ�徱�Բ� (love and care for the land) and designed especially for our keiki and ʻohana.”

Keiki Summer Reading Day 2025 was a collaboration between the Koʻolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, Windward CC library, and the Koʻolau Foundation.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s has acquired a remarkable piece of history, one of the .

The map comes from a rare Rome edition of Cosmographia by Claudius Ptolemy, a geographer from ancient Alexandria whose ideas shaped how the world was visualized for centuries. This version is special for an additional reason. It was printed by Konrad Sweynheim, a 15th century German printer and engraver who pioneered copperplate printing in Italy.

The map was purchased by the ������Ƶ Mānoa and gifted to the library.

“The Center for Southeast Asian Studies is proud to support the Maps and Southeast Asia Collection in Hamilton Library through funding from the National Resource Center grant from the International Foreign Language and Area Studies Program in the U.S. Department of Education,” said Teri Skillman, associate director of CSEAS.

Hamilton Library helped bring the map to life through high-resolution imaging that will allow students and researchers to study it in detail without touching the fragile original.

“This is the oldest map in Hamilton Library and it enhances the already world-class Southeast Asia collection,” said Ted Kwok a geospatial librarian at Hamilton Library.

Rome’s finest maps

Sweynheim began work on the maps in 1474 and trained mathematicians to engrave copper plates, a process that would dominate Italian mapmaking for more than 100 years. Although he died before the atlas was published, his legacy lives on. The plates were completed by his colleague Arnold Buckinck, also known as Pannartz.

Many historians consider the Rome edition to be the finest set of Ptolemaic maps produced before the rise of Gerard Mercator’s world atlas in 1578.

The map will be part of the library’s or MAGIS collection, expanding ������Ƶ Mānoa’s holdings in global historical geography.

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s will become a hub for international experts as it hosts the September 8–11, 2025, at the Imin Conference Center. IASA is a leading international organization dedicated to safeguarding recorded sound and audiovisual materials.

This year’s theme, “A Loss of Place: Preserving Climate Narratives, Cultural Identity, and Marginalized Voices through Audiovisual Media,” underscores the urgent need to document communities facing climate displacement and highlights the role of audiovisual archives in preserving cultural resilience.

The conference was brought to Hawaiʻi by David Rowntree, Hamilton Library’s digital preservation librarian, part of the local planning committee with librarians and archivists from Hamilton Library, Bishop Museum, and at ������Ƶ West Oʻahu.

“Our team’s collective enthusiasm reflects just how significant this event is,” said Rowntree. “Bringing global perspectives to Hawaiʻi’s doorstep is an incredible opportunity, and we’re excited to be part of this important conversation.”

Call for submissions

through April 14, 2025, for contributions exploring the preservation of climate-impacted media, including film, sound, audiovisual records, drone footage and underwater recordings. The conference aims to spark meaningful discussions at the intersection of climate change, cultural identity, marginalized communities, and Indigenous knowledge systems.

“IASA is thrilled to join the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� for this year’s conference,” noted IASA President, Patrick Midtlyng. “As a global organization, our executive board recognized the importance and value of re-engaging with the Pacific region and expressed a strong commitment to making this a priority.”

The is continuing to make strides toward becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning with the support of a $3.22 million grant from the , the largest supporter of the arts and humanities in the U.S., dedicated to advancing social justice and fostering cultural knowledge.

This funding will help the university integrate Native Hawaiian knowledge into its library collections by developing a Hawaiian Knowledge Organization System (HKOS) and a Hawaiian language newspaper index. ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� is among the first institutions in the country to incorporate Indigenous knowledge practices into its academic resources, creating new opportunities to preserve and share Hawaiian cultural knowledge within the academic community.

“It is my expectation that this work will be transformative not only for the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Library and the ������Ƶ System libraries, but also for the Native Hawaiian community, who will see their traditional knowledge system reflected in how we describe and categorize library collections,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro.

The initiative, known as Kahoʻiwai: Reclaiming Hawaiian Knowledge Sovereignty, builds upon several successful pilot projects, including Ka Wai Hāpai: Co-Creating Controlled Vocabularies for Social Justice. The three-year project will be led by Native Hawaiian librarians Shavonn Matsuda (), Kapena Shim (������Ƶ ����ԴDz�), Annemarie Paikai (), and Keahiahi Long (Library and Information Science Program, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�). Housed within ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Library Services, it aims to develop a Hawaiian-language-controlled vocabulary system that will be used to organize and describe library collections using traditional Hawaiian practices.

Creating Hawaiian language catalog system

A key component of the project is the co-creation of a Hawaiian language newspaper index, or Nūpepa Index, designed to improve access to community-indexed information found in Hawaiian-language newspapers. The HKOS will also be applied to catalog the John Charlot Papers, an invaluable archive containing works by the influential scholar of Hawaiian religion and culture. This initiative will integrate traditional Hawaiian knowledge into the way these materials are described and made accessible to the public.

The project will also fund three new librarian faculty positions to support the development of the HKOS, further strengthening the university’s commitment to Native Hawaiian knowledge sovereignty.

“By incorporating traditional Hawaiian knowledge systems, we are not just cataloging materials—we are reclaiming and honoring our cultural heritage in a meaningful way,” said Matsuda, project director and head librarian at ������Ƶ Maui College.

ʻUluʻulu: The Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu launched a new and . ʻUluʻulu has more than 4,000 searchable titles with video clips available for viewing.

“The new online platforms are our first website and catalog refresh since 2012 and provide a powerful new way to search and view archival footage from our collections,” said Janel Quirante, head archivist at ʻUluʻulu, Hawaiʻi’s official state archive for moving images.

With September being Hawaiian History Month, ʻUluʻulu welcomes visitors and recommends these videotapes and motion picture film reels accessible via the new site:

New content management system

The website contains information about ʻUluʻulu‘s programs and services, and provides a searchable gateway to its new catalog and content management system Recollect, ʻUluʻulu‘s online access point to all of its collections and digital videos. ʻUluʻulu worked with ������Ƶ West Oʻahu Communications for graphics and user experience (UX) design, and with ������Ƶ West Oʻahu Information Technology to develop the site and integration with Recollect.

For more information about ʻUluʻulu: The Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi, email uluulu@hawaii.edu or call (808) 689-2740.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman