Retired Honolulu Teacher Builds Free Library Network Serving 12 Homeless Encampments

Linda Kaimana, a retired Farrington High School English teacher, has built and stocked 12 small free libraries at homeless encampments across urban Honolulu, providing books and educational materials to hundreds of unsheltered residents and their children.

The libraries, fashioned from weatherproofed wooden boxes mounted on posts, are placed at encampments along the Ala Wai Canal, Kakaako Waterfront Park, Chinatown, and Iwilei. Each holds roughly 50 books and is restocked weekly by Kaimana and a team of volunteers from the Farrington High School honor society.

“I taught for 35 years, and some of my best students were kids who were housing-insecure,” said Kaimana, 68. “Losing your home shouldn’t mean losing access to books and the dignity that comes with reading.”

The collection includes children’s picture books in English and Hawaiian, young adult novels, GED preparation guides, and self-help books focused on job skills and financial literacy. Kaimana said the GED guides are the most frequently taken items, with many adults working toward the credential as a pathway to employment.

Funding comes from Kaimana’s retirement savings and a GoFundMe campaign that has raised $14,000 from former students and community supporters. The Hawaii State Public Library System recently partnered with the initiative, donating surplus books and offering library card sign-ups at encampment sites.

Kaimana’s next goal is adding solar-powered reading lights to each library box so residents can read after dark. She’s also working with UH Manoa’s College of Education to recruit student volunteers who can offer informal tutoring sessions.