‘A Library for the Heart of Tonga’: Building a hub for Nuku’alofa

A proposed new library at Tonga’s Royal Palace Estates could become a vital educational and cultural hub for the wider community.

The library will offer 22,000 e-books, reading spaces, bicycles, and modern technology to students. The land for the project was generously gifted by Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho.

The initiative is led by Kahoa Corbett and her husband, Brendan, the couple behind Tonga’s first-ever public library in Kolovai, Nuku’alofa. They hope to raise more than TP$2 million (NZ$1.45m) to fund the Kolomotu’a Public Library in Tonga’s capital. AD

This follows their successful Kolovai Library, which was inspired by Cyclone Gita in 2018 which destroyed 85 per cent of homes and left schools with no books. At the Kolovai branch, locals can borrow not only books, but also DVDs, laptops, and bicycles donated by the New Zealand company ONZO.

Speaking with John Pulu on PMN Tonga, Kahoa says the initiative is purely driven for the community rather than a commercial venture. She says the Kolomotu’a library can benefit the Kingdom.

“They can use the library at any time. It's for our children's education, it's for everyone, people of all walks of life. Pretty much grateful for the Queen, for all this work,” Kahoa says.

3D renders of the Kolomotu’a project. Photo/Givealittle

The vision is deeply rooted in Pacific heritage, aiming to celebrate Tongan language and culture while providing modern digital resources. Kahoa has secured support from library management company Catalyst IT, based in New Zealand, Wellington.

Auckland Library is also supplying the book collection for the new branch. The project also serves a critical role in preserving the Kingdom’s history. Rare volumes donated from New Zealand and various organisations are currently being held in the Queen’s archives at the Palace office to protect them from environmental damage.

Kahoa says the library team works as a collective, previously collaborating with The University of the South Pacific (USP) Tonga Campus and US Peace Corps volunteers to share systems and resources.

Thousands of books are already being distributed to 40 schools across the islands while the team awaits the funds to ship the remaining stored containers from New Zealand to their new home in Nuku'alofa.

Watch Kahoa Corbett’s full interview below.

The project has faced significant hurdles, including a three-year delay following the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption, in which they had only done the land survey then. The plan is now in full swing, with a Givealittle page established to raise money

“I had volunteers that had been to Kolovai, had meetings with librarians from the National Library. They [spoke] about the interior design inside and how to fit in the bookshelves and everything. The only thing that we need now is the money,” Kahoa says.

“It's going to be a huge library. We're going to look for funds, donors and sponsors.This is going to be a very huge investment for generations and generations. I know that money doesn't grow on trees, but you just have to go the extra mile, you can pass on the word to people.”

To find out more about the Kolomotu’a library, visit their Facebook page, and Givealittle page.