Everybody agrees that the Hawaiʻi State Archives, the building that houses the state’s most valuable and irreplaceable historic documents, is a decaying mess. But one proposed solution is raising hackles.
The Hawaiʻi State Archives is the home of many of Hawaiʻi’s oldest relics, including the earliest letter written in the Hawaiian Islands, the correspondence of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, a 10-term U.S. congressman, and vintage photographs that capture unique images of Hawaiʻi’s transformations over the decades. It also includes many tangible items, such as uniforms from the monarchy period and a fast-growing Hawaiian music collection.
Researchers flock to this vital repository of information every day, looking for answers to important questions about Hawaiʻi’s history and heritage, searching for rare documents, ancient government reports and genealogical data. Overworked but diligent librarians juggle their competing demands, monitoring to make sure people get the papers they need and are handling them carefully and that the papers are stored away properly after each use…