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 last night at a celebration marking the completion of construction on the building at 72nd & Dodge Street. Omaha Public Library staff will now spend the next several months moving books, technology, furniture, and staff into the library.
The world-class, 96,000 sq. ft. 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 was provided by contributions from local foundations, individual donors and corporations. Counting a mezzanine level and a ground level, the building essentially has five floors.
Library executive director Laura Marlane said 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,” Marlane said. “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, Omaha Public Libray, 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 this spring.
Heritage Omaha also helped form the nation’s first technology library, Do Space, at 72nd & Dodge Street more than 10 years ago. That building was demolished to make way for Central Library. Do Space will be integrated into OPL at the beginning of 2026 and have a large presence on the second floor of Central Library upon the building’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. This three-story, secured, climate-controlled system can store more than 600,000 materials, allowing the library system to grow its collection without being limited by shelf space in branches.
