As of July, the building on the corner of Ward Avenue and Kapiʻolani Boulevard in Kakaʻako is no longer just the home of the President Barack Obama mural. It's the new home of the Friends of the Library bookstore.
State Librarian Stacey Aldrich joined HPR to talk about the new retail location.
“When you walk in, you don't realize how big it is, but it's so beautiful,” Aldrich said.
“People still love to read physical books … so it's so lovely to have a Friend's bookstore that has every section you can think of.”
Aldrich also told HPR about her recent visit to the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Representatives of the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System were in the city to accept the John Cotton Dana Award from the American Libraries Association.
They received the award for their success in reconnecting residents to the library through their rebranding campaign.
“Before we rebranded the system, we spent a lot of time doing focus groups ... and that's what helped us build our brand, with the intention of inviting people back to the library,” Aldrich told HPR.
“I think now more than ever we have to invest in our libraries,” she said.
“Whatever need that you have, the library is there for you.”
The new Friends’ Books & Music store by Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i opened on July 15. More information about its hours and location can be found here.
This story aired on The Conversation on Aug. 4, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
