New Omaha Central Library to Open April 19, 2026
Omaha, Nebraska — November 13, 2025
Omaha Public Library’s new Central Library will open to the public on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Omaha Mayor John W. Ewing, Jr. made the announcement this evening at a celebration marking the completion of construction on the building at 72nd and Dodge streets. Omaha Public Library (OPL) staff will now spend the next several months moving books, technology, furniture, and staff into the library.
The world-class, 96,000 square foot Central Library is one of the largest investments in a public library system in the United States in recent years. The City of Omaha committed $20 million to the project, and the rest of the $158 million goal was provided by generous contributions from local foundations, individual donors, and corporations.
OPL Executive Director Laura Marlane said OPL staff members are eager for April 19 when they can welcome people inside. “This vibrant building - from its architecture to its incredible design details - will leave visitors in awe,” said Marlane. “But I’m most excited to see the building come to life with people browsing through shelves of books, learning new technology, exploring the City Garden, and digging into their family histories. Everyone will be able to find their place here.”
Central Library’s design was shaped by input from the Omaha community, including more than 1,600 survey responses, meetings with hundreds of diverse community organizations, and a public open house. It was led by a partnership between the City of Omaha, OPL, Omaha Public Library Foundation, Do Space, and Heritage Omaha, which oversaw raising the funds and construction of the building and will officially gift the building to the city in the spring.
Heritage Omaha also helped form the nation’s first technology library, Do Space, at 72nd and Dodge streets more than 10 years ago. Do Space will be integrated into OPL at the beginning of 2026 and have a large presence on the 2nd floor of Central Library upon the library’s opening.
President Tina Cherica said Heritage Omaha founder Walter Scott would be thrilled with how his vision is coming to life. “Walter Scott knew that libraries of the future would need to provide people with free access to technology and the education on how to use it,” Cherica said. “Combining Do Space with OPL’s already robust offerings makes Central Library a one-of-a-kind place in providing this essential community infrastructure."
Central Library is also believed to be the first public library in the United States to utilize an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS). This three-story, secured, climate-controlled system can store more than 600,000 materials, allowing OPL to grow its collection without being limited by shelf space in branches.
Additional details about Central Library can be found at OmahaCentralLibrary.org.
About the Partners
Omaha Public Library (OPL) has served City of Omaha and Douglas County residents for 150 years and is one of the most visited institutions in Nebraska. OPL’s mission is to strengthen our community by connecting people with ideas, information and innovative services. Learn about OPL’s collections, facilities, services, programs and more at OmahaLibrary.org. For information, contact Courtni Kopietz at (402)444-4896.
The Omaha Public Library Foundation has raised more than $20 million in private support for Omaha Public Library programs and services since its creation in 1985.
Founded in 1854, the City of Omaha is principally responsible for the operational and capital funding, leadership and oversight of the Omaha Public Library (OPL) system. For more information, contact Erin Grace at (402)444-5000.
Founded in 2015, Do Space is the first technology library in the United States. Created by Heritage Omaha and operated by the Community Information Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Do Space empowers the community through free access to technology and innovative learning experiences. Do Space is a catalyst for innovation in Omaha. With more than 90,000 members, Do Space is uniquely equipped to expose community members to technology and to inspire them to take ownership of their digital learning experiences. For information, contact Rebecca Stavick at (402)819-4022.
Heritage Omaha identifies substantial needs and opportunities with high community impact and supports the realization of viable and sustainable civic projects. To date, Heritage Omaha has raised more than $1 billion in philanthropic support for capital projects serving the Omaha community, making Omaha and the region a more dynamic and vibrant place to live. Heritage Omaha has a 30-year track record of success in capital campaign leadership, building design and construction project facilitation, multi-stakeholder engagement, due diligence and feasibility studies, and institutional and organizational development. For information, contact Trisha Meuret at (402)658-0017.