Question: I visit several different public libraries during the week after work and have noticed many tables with pairs of adults and young children, some are families doing homework and some are not. I was told by the library workers that many of the adults are tutors. Are they volunteer or salaried tutors? If paid, are people allowed to conduct their business in the library?
Answer: No.
Under the Hawaii State Public Library Systems’ policy, private, commercial activity cannot be conducted in any of its 50 libraries statewide, said spokesman Paul H. Mark.
That policy is in accordance with the state Department of Accounting and General Services’ administrative rules regarding state facilities and grounds.
“Since our public libraries are administered by DAGS, these rules apply to our facilities and grounds,” Mark said. “It is a relatively common practice nationwide for library and library system policies to permit only nonprofit or volunteer tutoring.”
In addition to tutoring by private paid tutors, prohibited activities include presentations to prospective clients for paid services and/or solicitation of goods and/or services.
“Our libraries are very heavily used, especially after school, and this is the time that most tutoring occurs,” Mark said. “Tutors will be asked by library staff whether the tutoring session is a paid or volunteer service.
Question: The Pearl City Public Library is open from Sunday to Friday and closed on Saturday. But when there is a Monday holiday, the library closes on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. If the holiday is on Monday, why are they able to close on Sunday also? Sunday is the only weekend day that the library is open for people who work Monday through Friday.
Answer: Yours is a question we periodically receive.
As explained previously, the three-day holiday for library employees was set in May 2004, in a written agreement between their labor union and the state. The agreement affects seven out of a total of 13 state holidays if they fall on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday.
Those holidays are New Year’s Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day and Christmas Day.
For the other six state holidays not affected by the agreement, some libraries still will open on Saturdays, depending on when the holiday is observed and their regular schedule.
Question: Can you please find out the approximate opening date of the new Longs Drugs store being built between Young and King streets?
Answer: The new 20,000-square-foot Longs Drugs is scheduled to open next June, said Michael DeAngelis, director of public relations for CVS/pharmacy, which owns the Longs Drugs chain in Hawaii.
The store will occupy the site of the former King-McKinley Building at 1040 S. King St., and a smaller building at 1026 S. King, across from McKinley High School.
Auwe
To the bikers who have to rev their engines and race on Ala Moana from Hobron Lane to the Ala Wai Bridge. A lot of elderly people live in the Tradewind condos. They are someone’s aunty or grandparent. Show some respect to them and take your actions out of town! — Bill
Mahalo
To a city lifeguard at Magic Island. On Oct 23, I was enjoying a quiet afternoon at the beach when I noticed the lifeguard jogging very slowly up and down the length of Magic Island, carrying a small scoop net and rake. He was picking up any piece of litter, no matter how small. Great job! Mahalo not only for watching out for our safety, but also caring for the aina. — B. McCarthy
Mahalo
To Lance, a city sanitation worker, who pushed my heavy power wheelchair, even heavier because I was in it, several long blocks to my residence after my chair broke down in the rain in the gathering darkness of nightfall. I would have been stuck there all night without his kind help. — A Very Grateful Person
———
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
