Hawaii Colleges & Universities
Top college and university libraries in Hawaii
These college and university libraries stand out for their collections, special collections and archives. Public access varies, so each entry says how visitors can use the library.
Hamilton LibraryUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
UH Mānoa's main library welcomes visitors: its general collections in business, humanities, social sciences and Asia are open to all researchers, scanners are free, and special collections can be seen by appointment. Its Maps, Aerial Photographs and GIS collection is the largest collection of cartographic materials in Hawaiʻi, with more than 300,000 items. The Wong Audiovisual Center holds a large collection of media related to Asia, Hawaiʻi and Oceania. Borrowing is limited to the UH Mānoa community and certain other users.
Hawaiian and Pacific CollectionsUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
These leading research collections on Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands have their own hours, reference service and circulation counter. The Hawaiian Collection covers Hawaiʻi from the eighteenth century to the present and includes many unpublished reports unique to the collection. The Pacific Collection covers Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Materials are kept in closed stacks and are generally ready about 15 minutes after an online request.
Joseph F. Smith LibraryBrigham Young University–Hawaii
BYU–Hawaii's library in Laie holds the Pacific Islands Collection in room 218, a non-circulating collection on Pacific history and politics, legends and folklore, and Indigenous knowledge and cultural practices, both in the islands and across the global Pacific diaspora. The University Archives, in room 214, is open weekdays. The library also hosts community events, including a weekly storytime for children ages 3 to 5.
Sullivan Family LibraryChaminade University of Honolulu
Chaminade's library honors Maurice Sullivan, founder of Foodland Super Market, and his family. Its three-story, 30,000-square-foot building was dedicated in 2008 and was the largest academic building constructed on campus since the campus opened in 1955; it also houses the university's technology departments. The library has a Hawaii-Pacific reference collection and is open seven days a week during the semester.
The most beautiful college library in Hawaii
Hamilton LibraryUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
UH Mānoa's main library doubles as a gallery. It keeps a descriptive list of the artworks found inside the building, and rotates exhibits through its Bridge Gallery and lobby displays. It is also home to the Jean Charlot Collection, the archive of the artist whose first Hawaiʻi fresco was completed in 1949 for Bachman Hall.
Last verified: November 2, 2026. Visitor rules, hours and borrowing policies change, so check the library's website before you go.
About colleges and universities in Hawaii
Being one of the most unique states in the United States of America, it is not surprising that there are many differences in the higher education system in Hawaii versus the systems in the continental United States. With 7 inhabited islands making up this paradise, many people are surprised to find out that one university operates all of the higher education institutions in the state.
The University of Hawaii is the major research institution and place of higher learning in the state of Hawaii. Its main campus is the University of Hawaii at Manoa, which is located in Honolulu, Hawaii - the capital city on Oahu. The Manoa campus houses many of the college's residential halls as well as the university's main administrative buildings. It provides students with a less-than-usual college experience, as it is three miles from the downtown city life in Honolulu and just one mile from the famed Waikiki Beach. Essentially students can go to class, spend the afternoon studying in perfect paradise and then head out for a night on the town in the big city.
The University of Hawaii system consists of three university campuses - Manoa, Hilo and West Oahu. In addition to the university campuses, there is also one college that operates under its jurisdiction. The college is University of Hawaii - Maui College, located on the island of Maui. There are six community colleges that are a part of the system as well, including: Hawaii Community College, Honolulu Community College, Kapi'olani Community College, Kaua'i Community College, Leeward Community College and Windward Community College. Also a part of the system are four professional schools, 11 research facilities, three university centers and five educational centers.
This is one of the smaller college systems in the United States, with an enrollment of about 50,000 students throughout all of the facilities and campuses across the state. As it is a remote destination, the majority of students at the University of Hawaii are residents of Hawaii, but about 8 percent of students travel from the U.S. Mainland to attend school at this institution. Notable alumni who graduated from this educational system include Senator Daniel Inouye and actress Bette Midler. President Barack Obama's parents Barack Obama Sr. and S. Ann Dunham also went to the University of Hawaii, with his mother earning three different degrees including a doctorate degree in anthropology from the university system.