Children’s Author Jen Sweeney (in white, second from right) and Rotary members and friends get ready to invite students into the library at Princess Nahi‘ena‘ena School. Children from both Princess Nahi‘ena‘ena and King Kamehameha III Schools can select free books to take home.

LAHAINA — The Rotary Clubs of Lahaina Sunrise and Lahaina Sunset, and children’s author Jen Sweeney, collaborated on a project that saw a container of 16,000 pounds of books shipped to Maui.

Rotary members and friends unloaded the container on Tuesday, Nov. 7. This was the project of Sweeney, who now resides in Northern California. Rotarians then boxed and transported books to the Friends of the Library and West Maui locations.

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Rotarians and friends met at Princess Nahi’ena’ena School. Hundreds of books were laid out on the tables in the school library.

With the assistance of Librarian Miriam Tamayo, 50 third grade students from both Princess and King Kamehameha III Schools were invited into the library.

Sweeney read aloud from her book, “The Wish,” and the children were able to select any three books to take home to keep.

Over the next two weeks, Librarian Tamayo will invite all teachers and their classes into the library, and every child will be able to select three books to take home.

This literacy project is of the many community service activities sponsored by two Rotary Clubs of West Maui.

Rotary is a leadership organization made up of local business, professional and civic leaders.

For more information about Rotary clubs on Maui, contact Maui Rotary Clubs Advisor Joanne Laird at mamalrd01@gmail.com.