Feleti Barstow Public Library
Feleti Barstow Public Libraryis the main library inAmerican Samoa,and is located in the village ofUtuleiinMaoputasi County.It is the central public library for the territory and is situated immediately across from the Office of Tourism, next to the Executive Office Building, and just behindSamoana High School.[1][2]Besides a permanent display depicting American Samoa’s involvement in theApollo Space Program,the library has also worked with theAmerican Samoa Historic Preservation Office(ASHPO) since 2000 at creating a historic Polynesian Photo Archive. The goal of the project has been to electronically catalog and archive around 6,000 still and moving images ofPolynesiawhich were collected by the American Samoa Government.[3]The library has an extensive Pacific Collection which houses articles, books, and reports relevant to Pacific- and Samoan history. A large collection of photographs are stored in its Polynesian Photo Archive, which is a subset of their Pacific Collection.[4]
The library is named after Frederic “Feleti” Duclos Barstow, the first American philanthropist to come to the Samoan Islands. His trust fund, the Frederic Duclos Barstow Foundation, has contributed generously to the library.[5]
History
[edit]GovernorClark Daniel Stearnsbuilt American Samoa’s first library which he stocked with books that he personally solicited from friends in mainland United States. The library was built in Samoan-style at the later site of the Congressional Church of Jesus inFagatogo.The library served the public until its stock and functions were merged into theHigh School of American Samoain 1950.[6]
The Feleti Barstow Public Library building was constructed with theDepartment of the Interiorappropriations. It also received $60,000 from the Barstow Foundation to buy its opening stock of books. The library opened by theFagatogodockside in April 1973.[7]
Hurricane Valcaused irreparable damage to the former library in 1991, and as a result of executive order 09-1991, a new public library was set to be developed. Construction on the new library was completed in 1998 and the library officially opened on April 17, 2000, during American Samoa's CentennialFlag Day celebrations.In 2005, the library held over 27,000 items and had 13,000 card members.[8]
AnApollo 1150th-anniversary exhibit was held at the library in July 2019, in order to mark the milestone of 50 years since thefirst Moon landing.First LadyCynthia Malala Moligawas among those present attending the exhibit opening. A gallery was part of the exhibit and included photographs of the airport welcoming for the astronauts and a photo of PresidentRichard Nixonpresenting theAmerican Samoa flagandMoon rocksto GovernorJohn Morse Haydon.The exhibition was produced by Felipe Barstow Public Library,Jean P. Haydon Museum,and the Office of Archives.[9]
References
[edit]- ^Talbot, Dorinda and Deanna Swaney (1998).Samoa.Lonely Planet. Page 158.ISBN9780864425553.
- ^Stanley, David (1993).South Pacific Handbook.David Stanley. Page 367.ISBN9780918373991.
- ^"American Samoa Historic Preservation Plan"(PDF).American Samoa Historic Preservation Office. 2002. p. 10. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 22 February 2019.
- ^"American Samoa Historic Preservation Office".American Samoa Historic Preservation Office. Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2019.
- ^Sunia, Fofō Iosefa Fiti (2001).Puputoa: Host of Heroes - A record of the history makers in the First Century of American Samoa, 1900-2000.Suva, Fiji: Oceania Printers. Page 14. ISBN 9829036022.
- ^Sunia, Fofō Iosefa Fiti (2001).Puputoa: Host of Heroes - A record of the history makers in the First Century of American Samoa, 1900-2000.Suva, Fiji: Oceania Printers. Page 139. ISBN 9829036022.
- ^Sunia, Fofo I.F. (2009).A History of American Samoa.Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. Pages 230 and 307.ISBN9781573062992.
- ^"History".Feleti Barstow Public Library. Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2017.
- ^"Tala I Vaifanua".Samoa News.July 27, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 30,2021.
