- From the outside the Central Library looks like it's nearing completion however, the inside tells a different story
- Tuesday media was invited to take a sneak peek at the ongoing construction inside the building
- The library has four main areas of focus including: Community Room, Cafe Space and Garden, Do Space, and Automated Storage and Retrieval System.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Construction on the Central Library from the outside looks like it nearly complete, but the inside is a different story. KMTV walked through the library and got a sneak peek at the progress so far.
The Central Library is composed of 4 main areas the community room, cafe pace and garden, Do Space, and the Automated Storage and Retrieval System. The community room along the west entrance will seat 250 people
and have an additional 16 meeting rooms.
"This is a place for everyone in the community to connect to learn to grow new technology to new authors to new just sitting down and studying something at a table," said Senior Manager of Community Engagement Stacy Lickteig.
Lickteig says the real page turner is the Automated Storage and Retrieval System, which can store 650,00 items from books, magazines and genealogy records.
"This means that we can hold on to those series, you know, the ones that come out and 5 years later Netflix decides to do a movie and everybody's like, I gotta read the book," said Licketig.
Items housed in the Central Library can be delivered to other branches however, the local genealogy records cannot be checked out.
Before the library was being built at this new location, "Do space" a free technology and learning space was here. They'll have a designated area on the second floor with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines that use pre-programmed software for cutting and creating things, and more.
"We're making technology accessible to everybody and on top of all of our services we also run programming for kids and seniors and everyone in between," said Rebecca Stavick.
Lickteig said the Omaha Public Library Administrations hopes the central branch will be open in 2026.
