Ten rare Korean books, including a historically significant military manual, have returned to the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s following a year-long restoration project in South Korea.

The books, severely damaged by water, insects and age, were restored by the Jungjae Cultural Heritage Conservation Institute in Seoul, one of Korea’s leading conservation laboratories. The collection includes military manuals, travelogues, poetry collections and Buddhist scriptures that had become nearly impossible for researchers to consult.

In September 2025, Korean Studies Librarian Ellie Kim transported the 10 volumes to Seoul for restoration. The project was supported by a $50,000 grant awarded in 2025 by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, an organization under South Korea’s National Heritage Service.

Rare military manual discovered

An appraisal conducted in October 2025 revealed the exceptional historical significance of Pyongakchinam, a military manual originally published in 1787. The illustrated text documents military drills, battle formations, marching orders and commands used during Korea’s Choson Kingdom.

Hamilton Library’s copy is a regional edition produced in Namwon and is the first known surviving copy from that region, making it particularly rare.

In September, Kim and Hamilton Library Paper Conservator Liane Naʻauao traveled to Seoul to inspect the restored volumes and transport them safely back to Hawaiʻi.

The books will be digitized and incorporated into educational programs, research projects and exhibitions, expanding access to Korean cultural heritage, ensuring their continued availability for future generations.

The project was made possible through collaboration among Hamilton Library, the conservation institute, the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation and former Korea Foundation intern Minjae Kim.

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

Paul Wermager, a retired University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� science librarian who spent decades researching and championing the legacy of pioneering chemist Alice Augusta Ball, died August 2, 2026.

I believe that Alice Ball’s greatest gift to humanity was hope.
—Paul Wermager

Wermager served at ������Ƶ for 20 years, retiring in 2010 as head of the Science and Technology Department at . Before becoming a librarian, he worked as an intensive care unit nurse and pharmacist, and earned a master’s degree in public health.

“I liked finding answers to new things, and with a science background, I thought it was a good fit,” Wermager told ������Ƶ News in 2024 about becoming a librarian.

Researching a forgotten scientist

That curiosity led Wermager into a decades-long effort to restore the story of Ball, a ������Ƶ alumna whose groundbreaking work developing an injectable treatment for Hansen’s disease had been largely forgotten.

His interest began with a question from a ������Ƶ professor about whether there was a chaulmoogra tree on campus. After learning of the tree’s connection to Hawaiʻi‘s Hansen’s disease history, Wermager began researching Ball. He described the work as a giant jigsaw puzzle, with pieces of her life scattered across historical records.

His research eventually connected him with Stan Ali, a retired Baltimore resident who had independently rediscovered Ball’s story while researching Black people in Hawaiʻi. The two shared information about Ball and helped piece together her life and accomplishments.

“I finally got enough to envision what she was like,” Wermager told , describing the research process that led him to see Ball as a “very caring and giving” person.

Wermager contributed a chapter about Ball to the 2005 book They Followed the Trade Winds, gave presentations, and co-authored a scholarly paper on her contributions. After retiring, he continued working on a comprehensive biography and was still seeking a publisher when he died.

Kimberley Haines, a former Hamilton Library colleague who became a close friend, regularly heard updates about the project, noting he never stopped seeking answers about Ball’s life.

Keeping Ball’s legacy alive

Wermager’s commitment to Ball extended beyond his research. In 2017, he established the Alice Augusta Ball Endowed Scholarship to support underrepresented minority students pursuing science at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�. The scholarship reflected his own experiences; he wrote that his family struggled financially and that others helped him complete his education, motivating him to provide similar opportunities to students. To date, 12 students were awarded the scholarship.

Wermager brought Ball’s story to wider audiences and the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� campus. He co-produced the film The Ball Method and, in 2018, collaborated with librarian Monica Ghosh and artist Chad Kikuchi on a plaque and portrait honoring Ball, now displayed in the Science & Technology Reading Room near the life-sized bronze bust unveiled in 2024.

In 2024, Wernager and former ������Ƶ President David Lassner submitted the nomination that led the American Chemical Society to designate her “Ball Method” a National Historic Chemical Landmark. The designation was celebrated at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� in February 2026.

“Paul’s curiosity, tenacity and intellectual rigor were on full display through his work over these last many years to bring to light the story of one of the great scientists of the 20th century, Alice Augusta Ball,” Lassner said. “Paul’s work demonstrated how a dedicated scholar could rediscover a lost slice of history so that all of us can now celebrate her remarkable life and contributions.”

Hamilton Library Russian Bibliographer Patricia Polansky, added, “Paul was a stalwart colleague. At one point he had outlined a novel about Soviet spying, but his work on Alice Ball took precedence. That work, along with his contribution to documenting our library’s history, form a lasting legacy.”

Polansky noted in 2008, Wermager compiled . “His extensive work in the archives provided not only the story of our science and technology services, but also a broader picture of Hamilton Library’s history,” she said.

Wermager often spoke of Ball not only as a pioneering scientist but as someone whose life could inspire others. In 2022, he wrote in , “I believe that Alice Ball’s greatest gift to humanity was hope.”

For decades, Wermager worked to ensure that Ball’s story would not disappear again. Although his biography remains unpublished, his research, scholarship and advocacy helped restore her contributions to the history of ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and gave generations of students an opportunity to learn from her legacy.

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� Hamilton Library welcomed participants in the (ARL) Leadership Fellows Program for a four-day site visit July 28–31, giving emerging research library leaders an opportunity to engage with ������Ƶ leaders and explore the role of libraries in advancing higher education.

The fellows met with ������Ƶ President Wendy Hensel and ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Chancellor Vassilis Syrmos, along with other university leaders, library faculty and staff. Discussions focused on institutional priorities, academic affairs, research, student success and leadership in higher education.

“We were honored to host the Leadership Fellows and to showcase the outstanding work happening at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� in general, and at Hamilton Library in particular,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro.

Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, internationally significant collections

Hamilton Library’s programming highlighted the university’s work to become a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning and its internationally significant Hawaiian, Pacific and Asian collections. The fellows participated in a session on the Native Hawaiian Place of Learning initiative, visited ʻIolani Palace and toured Hamilton’s Hawaiian, Pacific, Asia and maps and geospatial collections.

“We are so pleased that the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� was able to host the Leadership Fellows Program,” said Audrey Grace, ARL director of learning and program instructor. “The fellows gained invaluable insights from the library’s unique special collections and authentic leaders, while seeing firsthand the institution’s clear vision and mission of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning.”

The visit also included sessions on academic policy, working in a union environment, futures thinking in libraries and leadership. Guthro concluded the Hamilton programming by sharing his own leadership journey.

The 13-month ARL Leadership Fellows Program prepares emerging leaders for senior and executive roles in research libraries and archives through mentoring, executive coaching, self-assessment and site visits.

The visit was coordinated by Grace and Associate University Librarian Vickery Lebbin. It was the second time Hamilton Library has hosted an ARL leadership program.

.

University of Hawaiʻi librarian Bronwen “Bron” Solyom spent more than 37 years preserving Hawaiʻi’s cultural heritage, strengthening internationally recognized collections, and mentoring generations of librarians, students and scholars. She died in Honolulu on May 23, 2026, at the age of 81.

Related: Bronwen Solyom: Passionate curator of Jean Charlot collection

Solyom’s colleagues, friends, family and researchers gathered in Hamilton Library’s Hawaiian & Pacific Collection Reading Room on July 17 to celebrate a life defined by curiosity, generosity and scholarship. Guests included Solyom’s husband, Garrett Solyom, friend Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Jean Charlot Foundation President Allison Wong.

Many colleagues and friends also shared memories of Solyom’s impact at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�.

A lasting legacy at Hamilton Library

Solyom was best known for her work as curator of the , an internationally recognized archive documenting religious art, Mexican art, Hawaiʻi artists and other unique cultural materials. From 2003 to 2016, she organized and preserved the collection, created finding aids, mentored interns and assisted researchers from around the world.

“Bron’s lasting and most excellent contribution not only to the university, but to the scholarly world, will be what she did as curator of the Charlot Collection,” said Russian Collection Librarian Patricia Polansky. “Scholars from around the world visit to use these materials. Bron has mentored countless numbers of interns from the library school and the museum studies program.”

Solyom also helped establish Hamilton Library’s , writing a white paper that encouraged former members of Congress to donate their papers and helped build a resource that now includes the papers of most of Hawaiʻi’s former members of Congress since statehood.

Solyom’s Hamilton Library colleagues recognized her contributions with the Nina D.P. Horio Award for Excellence in Librarianship upon her retirement in 2016. Through the collections she preserved, the librarians she mentored and the scholars she inspired, her legacy will continue to shape Hamilton Library and ������Ƶ for generations.

.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate students across a wide range of disciplines took their research beyond the classroom this spring, translating complex ideas into hands-on experiences for Oʻahu middle school students through the inaugural Graduate Research Outreach Workshop (GROW).

The three-week program in April brought together a cohort of 10 students to strengthen their ability to communicate research in clear, engaging ways for non-specialist audiences. Participants learned to summarize their work in jargon-free language, discuss its real-world importance and create interactive exhibits that make research accessible to the public.

The workshop culminated in a research outreach fair at Waipahu Intermediate School, where approximately 60 students in career and technical student organization programs explored exhibits led by the graduate students. Waipahu Intermediate faculty advisers and school administrators also attended the event, which highlighted higher education opportunities and showcased the diverse research taking place at ������Ƶ.

“Research has the greatest impact when people can understand it and connect it to their own lives,” ������Ƶ Mānoa Fellowships, Scholarships, and Professional Development Coordinator Kristen Connors said. “GROW gave our graduate students the opportunity to practice an essential professional skill while also building meaningful relationships with young learners who may one day pursue their own paths in higher education and research.”

The program was organized by the , and Interim Assistant Vice Provost for Student Academic Success Amy Hubbard, Hamilton Library and the .

Beyond developing communication skills, the program aimed to build stronger connections between the university and the community while encouraging younger students to see themselves as future researchers, innovators and problem-solvers.

A post-program evaluation found participants responded positively to the experience. All respondents said the workshop met their expectations and that they would recommend it to others. Most also reported feeling more prepared and confident explaining their research through writing, visuals and conversations with public audiences.

A rare century-old collection of South Asian lithographs and manuscripts is now available online to researchers and the public through the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s , with the launch of its .

Created in 1903 by Atul K. Basu, the collection includes 35 lithographic prints and three typed manuscripts documenting Hindu mythology and religious narratives. Twenty-nine of the lithographs feature Bengali text with handwritten pencil transliterations, adding another layer of historical significance.

Collaboration, technological advances

The digitization project brought together librarians, archivists, technologists and students across Hamilton Library.

“Working on this project was my first experience contributing to the creation of a digital collection and a meaningful opportunity to apply metadata and collaboration in practice,” library and information science intern Munju Kim said.

Kim helped digitize the collection and developed its descriptive materials under the mentorship of IT Specialist Alisa Kwok, who led the digitization effort.

Metadata Librarian Stasha Gardasevic said the project also explored new technological approaches for digital collections.

“This project served as an excellent testbed for exploring the use of AI in supporting digital collections discovery with the transcription of non-Latin scripts,” Gardasevic said. “Gemini Pro did an excellent job interpreting Bengali script.”

Web Developer and Digital Collections Manager Daniel Ishimitsu helped publish the collection online, while Monica Ghosh, chair of the Asia Collection and South Asia Studies librarian, contributed language expertise and subject knowledge throughout the project.

The digital collection is expected to support future research in Hindu mythology, South Asian religious traditions, art history and visual culture.

.

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s selected four graduate students as recipients of the , which support original research and creative projects using the library’s archival and special collections.

This year’s scholars represent the fields of linguistics, natural resources and environmental management and history. Their projects explore topics including Micronesian languages, trans-Pacific ethnobiological knowledge, public health in modern China and the early development of Japanese aviation.

The 2026 scholarship recipients are:

• Kelsey Bialo, a linguistics doctoral student, for the project “Exploring Minor Syllables and Sesquisyllabicity in Micronesian languages”
• Kelsie Kuniyoshi, a natural resources and environmental management doctoral student, for the project “Pilina Inoa: An Exploration of Trans-Pacific Ethnobiological Knowledge Through the Samuel Elbert Collection”
• SeungHyeon Pyo, a history doctoral student, for the project “Hijacking the Invisible Hand: The Language of Markets and Corporate Incubation of Early Japanese Aviation”
• Sijian Wang, a history doctoral student, for the project “Living with Toxicity: Chemical Disinfectants in China, 1910–1950”

Open to students from any discipline and level of study, the Library Treasures program encourages the use of archival materials, rare collections, maps, manuscripts, government documents, audiovisual resources and digital collections housed at Hamilton Library.

have examined topics connected to Hawaiʻi, the Pacific, Asia and global history and culture using collections such as the Hawaiʻi Sugar Plantation Archives, Tahitian newspapers and Okinawan magazines.

Scholarship recipients will present their work during a public event in the fall.

.

A new exhibit in the Bridge Gallery of Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� invites the public to play instruments repurposed from ʻō�貹���� (trash). Bike brake cables, SPAM cans, rice bags, and driftwood are just a few of the materials that make up the exhibit’s instruments.

Available through August 10, the “” exhibit by ethnomusicology lecturer Benjamin Fairfield combines ecomusicology with place-based learning and encourages examination of consumptive habits.

“The idea of accepting a label of trash as worthless primes us to see things as having no further utility and value,” said Fairfield. “This project is getting us to challenge those labels and think, ‘Is it really worthless? Can’t it still have a voice, a utility, be part of our song and part of our creative process?’”

Crafted in the classroom

Many of the pieces were crafted in Fairfield’s class, a sustainability-focused course initially supported by the (CSEAS), where students repurpose found objects into Thai musical instruments. CSEAS has also supported outreach workshops for Kani ka ʻŌ�貹����.

“The class is important as a course that uses an Indigenous approach to sustainable music-making by recycling found objects and promotes craftsmanship grounded in Southeast Asian studies,” said Teri Skillman, CSEAS associate director.

“I was thinking, how can we connect community and music in a participatory way that is also sustainability-oriented? That’s where MUS311(M) brought all of these things together,” said Fairfield. “When students take the class, I wanted to make sure that music isn’t this scary thing that you’re not allowed to do.”

Rooted in tradition and ʻ�徱�Բ� (land)

Fairfield’s project is largely inspired by his research as a graduate student and his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he lived in a village with the Indigenous Karen (Pgaz k’Nyau) people.

“There were these musical traditions that were very interactive, and everyone had a role to play, whether it was dancing and clapping or joining along in some sort of singing capacity. Music wasn’t a presentational sort of thing—it was more participatory,” said Fairfield.

Currently serving as affiliate faculty at the and CSEAS, Fairfield brings a sense of inclusivity and creativity into his teaching.

“We’re going to celebrate sustainability and connection to the āina, and also repurpose these things as is done in the tradition,” said Fairfield, “Working with these materials is a way to connect people on a personal level to these objects that we otherwise don’t give a second thought to.”

‘Everyone’s welcome’

The exhibit highlights community involvement every step of the way, from collaborative works with local elementary schools to musings from local poets and professors.

“We explore musicality in a way that’s fun, engaging, sustainable, and hands-on,” said Fairfield.

Instruments featured also include those from a previous exhibit displayed in Capital Modern: The Hawaiʻi State Art Museum as part of Fairfield’s selection for its . Fairfield’s illustrated children’s book, ties into the theme of the exhibit and is on display as well.

To learn more about the exhibit, visit the .

—By Josslyn Rose

A recent public talk at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� shed light on the decades-long fight for justice by Filipino veterans of World War II and the role of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye in advocating for their rights.

On February 27, Colin Moore, associate professor in the College of Social Sciences, presented “Soldiers of a Forgotten Empire: Filipino Veterans and the Politics of Denial,” exploring how more than 200,000 Filipino veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces were denied promised benefits under the Rescission Act of 1946.

His talk examined the plight of Filipino veterans within the broader context of U.S. imperialism and the Cold War, while tracing Inouye’s decades-long efforts to secure justice. Letters written by veterans to Inouye reveal their frustration, anger and disappointment.

Moore’s work draws from extensive archival research, including visits to the National Archives and Records Administration, the Clinton Presidential Library, and the Daniel K. Inouye Papers housed in Hamilton Library’s .

The presentation was followed by a discussion among in-person and Zoom attendees, many of whom had personal connections to Filipino veterans who struggled to access promised benefits.

Neil Abercrombie, ������Ƶ Regent and former governor, shared his perspective on advocating for Inouye’s redress legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. are also available to researchers at Hamilton Library.

The hybrid event was organized by the and co-sponsored by ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and the Daniel K. Inouye Institute (DKI). Moore’s research is part of the , supported by the Inouye Institute.

.

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.

.

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 Lā Kealaiwikuamoʻo Ea and Ka Lā ��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

University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s will receive the collections of the Hawaiʻi Tenri Library—one of North America’s largest Japanese-language community libraries—after its closure on December 13, 2025 after more than four decades of serving Hawaiʻi’s Japanese-language readers. The collections will be processed and made available for research and learning.

Japan studies librarian, Mitsutaka Nakamura, was invited to speak at the closing ceremony, reflecting on the library’s legacy and its continued impact through preservation and access.

“I have lived in the United States for the past 20 years—on the East Coast, the West Coast, and in the Midwest. Yet I have seldom seen a library serving the local community so dedicated to Japanese-language resources,” Nakamura said. “While it is painful to see the library close, I am confident these materials will continue to serve ������Ƶ and our community for many years.”

A legacy of Japanese-language collections

When the library opened in 1980 on Nuʻuanu Avenue, it welcomed about 100 guests, including the Consul General of Japan and ������Ƶ faculty specializing in Japanese literature. Over time, its holdings expanded to nearly 50,000 volumes, with monthly patron visits peaking at around 700. An extended closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with demographic shifts and a declining number of Japanese-language readers, ultimately led to the decision to close.

.

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� is giving readers and researchers a window into Hawaiʻi’s Nisei experience by acquiring the archives of Milton Murayama (1923–2016). Murayama, a Maui-born Nisei author, playwright and MIS veteran, captured the struggles and triumphs of Japanese American families through his novels and plays.

, available in the library and online, includes drafts of novels, short stories and plays, unpublished works, correspondence, photos and other materials.

Murayama is best known for his novel tetralogy All I Asking for Is My Body (1975), Five Years on a Rock (1994), Plantation Boy (1998) and Dying in a Strange Land (2008), which fictionalize his family’s emigration from Japan and life on a Maui sugar plantation.

“We were honored to partner with Dawn Murayama [the author’s wife] in preserving Milton Murayama’s tremendous legacy, which will enrich the social, intellectual and cultural fabric of our community for generations to come,” said Leilani Dawson, manuscript collections archivist.

Dawn Murayama donated his papers along with a gift to support the archive’s work.

“My late aunt dedicated her life to her husband’s work. She wanted to be sure it was preserved and made accessible to future writers and researchers,” said grand-nephew David Wakukawa. “It’s important because it brings to life the Japanese American immigration experience of coming to Hawaiʻi.”

Project archivist Tiffany Zarriello spent months processing, digitizing and organizing the collection. “Throughout this project, it has been an absolute joy and privilege to get to know Milton Murayama through the documents he’s left behind,” she said. (.)

The collection is now available online, with some materials requiring library access. Contact archives@hawaii.edu for details.

.

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.

.

The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life.
—King James Mangoba ()

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Hamilton Library’s and the Center for Philippine Studies at the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� opened , an exhibition linking 1500s colonial maps with tattoos as living archives of Filipino cultural memory, on view through February 2026.

Opening events, held October 15–17, drew more than 100 participants for workshops, talks and live tattoo demonstrations. Attendees explored how Filipinos have used body art and the written word to resist erasure—from rare 16th-century maps and letters from the Philippine Revolution to underground newspapers from the Marcos era, all part of Hamilton’s Philippine Collection.

Mapping identity through body and archive

Philippine Studies Librarian Elena Clariza opened the program with a presentation on early colonial maps, connecting “fragile maps on paper with living maps of the body—tattoos as archives of ancestral knowledge and cultural memory.”

Guest artists from California’s Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop and members of Tatak ng Apat na Alon (Mark of the Four Waves) demonstrated traditional hand poke and tapping tattoo techniques, sharing their nearly 30-year effort to revive Indigenous Filipino tattoo practices.

“In the beginning it was just for us to find our identity, to represent the culture in some way,” said Elle Festin, tattoo artist at Spiritual Journey and a Datu (chief) of the Mark of the Four Waves tribe. “It’s important to get the tattoos to show the resistance and to revolt against the systematic colonial mentality.”

������Ƶ community connects to heritage

For King James Mangoba, a ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� double major in communication & marketing and Hamilton Library social media content creator, the event was a personal and cultural milestone.

“The rice symbolizes my family’s livelihood of rice farming back in the Philippines. The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life,” he said. “This tattoo is a permanent reminder of where I came from and my appreciation to my ancestors who came before me.”

Doctoral candidate Matthew Melendez, from the , participated in the tattoo sessions. “Receiving knowledge from the Tatak ng Apat na Alon tribe through our cultural portal of batok (tattooing) has profoundly transformed me from within,” he said.

The event was co-sponsored by ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Center for Philippine Studies, and Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop. To support programs like this at Hamilton Library, visit the .

.

Mark of the Four Waves members visit the Philippine Studies section at Hamilton Library.The post Exhibit links Filipino tattoos, maps across centuries first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.]]> 225411 /news/2025/10/27/wwii-war-crimes-tools/ Tue, 28 Oct 2025 01:03:30 +0000 /news/?p=224371 ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s War Crimes Documentation Initiative unveils new digital tools revealing WWII Japanese war crimes across Asia and the Pacific.

Reading time: 2 minutes

The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (WCDI) has released new online tools uncovering Japanese war crimes in Asia and the Pacific during World War II.

Launched in 2019, WCDI is housed in and led by historians, librarians and Geographic Information System specialists. Using digital humanities–computational analysis of the humanities–they map, contextualize and analyze data on Japanese military operations and war crimes. The initiative’s research draws from more than 2,240 Allied war crimes trials conducted across 51 locations in Asia and the Pacific between 1945 and 1952, with the goal of making complex historical evidence accessible to students, scholars, and the public.

“WCDI’s projects illuminate the scale and patterns of WWII Japanese war crimes in Asia and the Pacific,” said Theodore Kwok, geospatial librarian in Hamilton Library’s Government Documents and Maps department. “They expose students and researchers to primary sources, information and data otherwise hidden or difficult to discover.”

The new resources include:

Interactive ArcGIS map, War Crimes against Ethnic Chinese: A Case Study of Group-Selective Violence by the Japanese during the War in the Pacific, 1941–1945, visualizes postwar Allied trials involving crimes against ethnic Chinese communities. It shows how Japan’s war with China (1931–1945) spread into the Pacific, revealing patterns of targeted violence and intimidation.

Text-searchable archive, Imamura Statements: The 8th Area Army Commander’s Apologia for Japanese War Crimes at Fortress Rabaul, digitized using Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) standards, offers access to two statements from General Imamura Hitoshi’s 1947 trial in Australia. His testimony sheds light on prisoner abuse around Rabaul and his perspective on the postwar Allied war crimes trials.

StoryMap exhibit (coming soon), The Sook Ching Massacre: Promises and Limitations of a British Singapore War Crimes Trial, March 10–April 2, 1947, explores one of the most infamous massacres of ethnic Chinese civilians and how Allied trials sought—often with mixed results—to deliver justice.

������Ƶ ����ԴDz� history professor Yuma Totani, who leads WCDI, praised the collaboration with Hamilton Library. “WCDI has a terrific team of librarians whose expertise in digital technologies, knowledge in the humanities, and commitment to collaborative work have been invaluable,” she said.

.

The post New digital tools document WWII war crimes first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.]]>