Maui council honors Wailuku bookmobile librarian for national 'I Love My Librarian' award

The Maui County Council unanimously adopted Resolution 25-84 on April 4 congratulating Jessica Gleason, Wailuku Public Library bookmobile librarian, for receiving the 2025 I Love My Librarian Award from the American Library Association.

The resolution cited Gleason’s work since 2016 as the bookmobile librarian for the Honoholo Bookmobile and credited her for quickly bringing the Hola Hola bookmobile to West Maui less than a month after the August 8, 2023 wildfires. Councilmembers praised her outreach to families and her role in providing books, internet access and programming to communities affected by the fires.

Gleason spoke briefly to the council after the vote and credited colleagues, partners and volunteers. "I could not do this work without the support of my... I am proud to be a part of the Hawaii State Public Library System and to be working alongside passionate, skilled and caring people," she said.

Council members described personal connections to library services and to Gleason’s work. Council Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura called the honoree “a steadying presence” after the Lahaina fires, and Member Paul Walton described the bookmobile as a “silver lining” when school and internet access were disrupted.

Action taken: The council adopted Resolution 25-84 congratulating Jessica Gleason for the 2025 I Love My Librarian Award and directed that certified copies be transmitted to the awardee and several library officials and organizations.

Additional details in the resolution note that Gleason received a Master of Library Science in 2007, served as bookmobile librarian since 2016, helped coordinate story times at Lahaina District Court’s multipurpose room in partnership with the state judiciary, and worked with local partners including Family Hui Hawaii and the Visual Arts Center to provide arts and literacy programming.

The council asked Gleason and her family to come forward for a photograph after the vote.