About Library Collections

Several collections have moved since Summer 2023 due to construction. Please see a library staff member to help you find materials.

On this page:

Board and Card Games

A variety of board games and card games. Borrowing is on the honor system, so just bring them back when you are finished. If you would like to donate to the collection, please review the Gifts Policy; materials can be donated at the Circulation Desk.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) – near DVDs

small shelves with games

Books for Keiki

small wooden bookcase with books for keiki and two small colorful rugs

A mixture of fiction and non-fiction books for keiki. Borrowing is on the honor system, so just bring them back when you are finished. If you would like to donate to the collection, please review the Gifts Policy; materials can be donated at the Circulation Desk.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) – near DVDs

Cameras

The library has several different models of cameras that can be borrowed.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) – Circulation Desk

3 cameras

Closed Shelves

Current test preparation guides and other books in high demand. Most items may be borrowed, limited circulation periods may apply.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) – Circulation Desk

Course Reserves

"Does the library have my textbook?"

Materials that instructors have designated as high-use or required readings for specific courses.

Materials are listed in LibCat's Course Reserves search.

More information about Course Reserves.

DVDs

Movies, TV shows, documentaries, anime, foreign films.

Lists of available DVDs organized by genre are available.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level)

Popular DVDs Collection

General Collection

Bookshelves

Circulating books covering all subject areas.

  • Call numbers starting with A through HE – 2nd floor (Main Level)
  • Call numbers starting with HF through Z – 1st floor (Lower Level)
  • Larger materials designated as Folios or Grand Folios - 3rd floor (Upper Level)

Government Documents

See the FDLP Basic Collection for core U.S. Government resources.

The Hawaiian Collection houses Hawaiʻi state documents and maps.

Graphic Novels and Manga Collection

bookshelves with graphic novels and manga

A small but growing collection of graphic novels and manga. If you would like to donate to the collection, please review the Gifts Policy; materials can be donated at the Circulation Desk.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) - near Hawaiian Collection

Hawaiian Collection

Entrance to the Hawaiian Collection room

Hawaiʻi-related materials housed in a separate controlled-environment room. The collection contains books about history, art, culture, science, music, and language. Materials include maps, historic periodicals, and microfilm.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level)

HŌKŪ- Hilo Online Knowledge Universe

HŌKŪ logo banner The mission of HŌKŪ is to serve as a managed online space where UH Hilo scholarly or creative content in electronic formats may be stored, preserved, and disseminated. Some of the content in HŌKŪ includes Theses and Dissertations, School of Nursing Practice Inquiry Projects, DKICP Student Research Projects, and Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit Projects.

Laptop Computers

Laptops can be borrowed by UH Hilo students, faculty, and staff (not available to Hawaiʻi Community College at this time).

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) – Circulation Desk

Loanable Technology

Cameras, camera accessories, laptops, computer accessories, audiovisual equipment, stage equipment. Discover what technology the library has to borrow by visiting Wahi Pāpaho.

Maps

Some maps are listed in LibCat, however you may do better by browsing the maps located on the 3rd floor (Upper Level), which include:

  • World maps by the National Geographic Society (NGS), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and others. Many of these may be checked out.

  • U. S. maps by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), charts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and more. Many of these may be checked out.

The Hawaiian Collection houses Hawaiʻi state documents and maps.

  • Hawaiian Collection maps are for library use only and must remain in the room.

map cases and globe
open map drawers

Microforms

Microfilm and microfiche - mostly older newspapers. Library use only. Microforms of Hawaiian-language newspapers and other titles relevant to Hawaiʻi are located in Hawaiian Collection, near the maps.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) – near READ Collection
  • 3rd floor (Upper Level)

Music CDs

CDs are listed in LibCat - take the call number to the Circulation Desk.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) - Circulation Desk

CDs - various music genres

Online Collections

Ebooks, ejournals, news sources, streaming video, and other database collections. Most resources are licensed for use only by UH Hilo or Hawaiʻi Community College students, faculty, and staff.

Paperback Collection

Fiction and nonfiction books for light reading, entertainment, and learning.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) - near Hawaiian Collection

bookshelves with paperback books

Periodical Backfiles

Collection of older journal and magazine issues. Library use only. For online access to more periodicals, see Online Collections above.

  • 3rd floor (Upper Level)

READ and ESL

bookshelves

High-interest books including biographies, fiction, non-fiction, short-stories, and folk tales.

The collection also includes English language readers that are primarily used by students in English as a Second Language classes.

More information about the READ Collection.

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) - near Hawaiian Collection

Reference Collection

Dictionaries, encyclopedias, statistical sources, bibliographies, and other reference publications.

  • 3rd floor (Upper Level)

Streaming Video Collections

Streaming academic videos from various providers. Thousands of titles available in all subject areas, including Ethnographic Video Online: Indigenous Voices, a comprehensive resource of more than 650 documentaries, feature films, and short films made by and for indigenous people and communities from around the world.

Textbooks

stack of textbooks with text: "Does the library have my textbook?"

The library does not normally purchase textbooks, but does have a page that gives some options including Course Reserves, Open Educational Resources (OER), Interactive Digital Access Program (IDAP) through Laulima, rentals, and low-cost online or online + print textbooks.

ʻUkuleles

The library has two different types of ʻukulele that can be borrowed: concert and tenor, including one concert instrument that is strung and tuned for left-handed players!

  • 2nd floor (Main Level) – Circulation Desk

ʻukulele

Wahi Pāpaho

The Media Commons, Wahi Pāpaho, combines the cameras, laptops, ʻukulele, computer software, and other equipment available through the library.