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OPL starts a new chapter as it counts down to the grand opening of the Central Library
The Omaha Public Library will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony and host a special storytime with Mayor Ewing
WELL, WE’RE JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AWAY FROM OMAHA PUBLIC LIBRARY, OPENING THE DOORS OF ITS LONG AWAITED CENTRAL LIBRARY. BRANCH MANAGER MATT COUCH IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND WHAT OMAHA RESIDENTS GET TO EXPECT FROM THE NEW BUILDING. MAT WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT OPENING DAY? YEAH, THAT’S GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLE DAY. I’M SO EXCITED TO HAVE PEOPLE COME IN. WE’VE GOT A COUPLE FUN THINGS PLANNED. FIRST, WE’RE GOING TO DO A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT 1230, SO THE DOORS WILL OPEN AT 12 AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLORE THE FIRST FLOOR AT 1230. WE’LL CUT THE RIBBON AND THEN PEOPLE CAN GO THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. AND THEN AT 2:00 WE’VE GOT MAYOR EWING AND VIV EWING COMING, AND THEY WILL DO A SPECIAL STORYTIME. NICE. WHAT ARE THEY READING OUT OF CURIOSITY, DO YOU KNOW? OR IS THIS SOMETHING TO BE DETERMINED? I THINK WE’RE GOING TO SURPRISE PEOPLE WITH WHAT WE READ THAT DAY. OKAY, GOOD. YOU’LL HAVE TO. YOU’LL HAVE TO GET THERE THEN. SO WHEN IT COMES TO THIS LIBRARY, WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER LIBRARIES IN OMAHA? YEAH, WELL, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT DIFFERENT, WHICH IS THAT IT’S FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE’RE EXCITED TO HAVE EVERYBODY COME, REALLY COME. BUT THIS GIVES US A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, IT’S A GREAT NEW PUBLIC SPACE. IT’S RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS THAT PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED IN RECENT YEARS FOR A LIBRARY. WE’VE GOT AN AUTOMATED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO STORE UP TO 600,000 BOOKS AND OTHER ITEMS. AND SO THAT’S GOING TO ALLOW US TO INCREASE OUR COLLECTION AND STORE MORE STUFF, AND MEANS SHORTER WAIT LISTS FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY’RE WHEN THEY’RE LOOKING FOR BOOKS AND TITLES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO THAT’S ONE. WE’VE GOT NEW SPACE, CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY, JUST SOME INCREDIBLE THINGS. 3D PRINTERS, LASER ENGRAVERS AND CUTTERS, APPAREL, PRINTERS, AND THEN SOME INCREDIBLE SEWING MACHINES THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO SEE THEM TO. THAT’S AWESOME. I MEAN, MORE THAN JUST BOOKS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING, CAN ANYBODY KIND OF USE THESE THINGS? DO YOU HAVE TO PAY TO USE THEM? HOW DOES THAT WORK? RIGHT. NO, YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY. ANYONE CAN COME IN AND USE THEM. WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE LIBRARY CARDS. IF YOU LIVE IN DOUGLAS COUNTY OR OMAHA, THEN YOU GET TO HAVE A LIBRARY CARD. BUT EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE, WE STILL WANT YOU TO COME IN AND USE THE TECHNOLOGY, READ OUR BOOKS, JUST USE THE SPACE. IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO BE IN. THERE’S INCREDIBLE PUBLIC ART. I THINK IT’S JUST GOING TO BE A FUN PLACE TO EITHER SIT QUIET, STUDY, OR TO CONNECT WITH FRIENDS. YEAH, THIS IS ALL REALLY COOL. SO YOU SAID THIS BUILDING ALONE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE 600,000 BOOKS? OR IS THIS FOR ALL OF OMAHA? NOW YOU’LL BE ABLE TO HAVE 600,000. THAT BUILDING ALONE, THE STORAGE SYSTEM ALONE WILL HOLD 600,000. THAT’S ON TOP OF ALL THE BOOKS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR SHELVES, BOTH AT THE NEW LIBRARY AND AT ALL OF THE LOCATIONS. SO DOES THAT KIND OF MAKE THIS NOW, NOW THAT THIS IS THE BIGGEST LOCATION, RIGHT? THIS IS KIND OF THE HUB, THE NOT TO SAY HEADQUARTERS, BUT THE CENTER OF THE OMAHA PUBLIC LIBRARIES. YEAH, IT REALLY IS. IT’S A WAY TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE DO HAVE STAFF, NOT JUST ON THE FLOORS THERE, BUT ALSO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WILL BE THERE, BUT IT WILL ALLOW US TO TEST A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN THEN SEND OUT, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT TECHNOLOGY. SO MAYBE THERE’S A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE TRY OUT THERE AND WE CAN SEE THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE AT OTHER LIBRARIES AS WELL. IT COULD BE AN EASIER WAY TO PRINT PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS FROM YOUR PHONE. IT COULD BE A BETTER WAY TO DISPLAY MATERIALS. DEFINITELY W
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OPL starts a new chapter as it counts down to the grand opening of the Central Library
The Omaha Public Library will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony and host a special storytime with Mayor Ewing
OPL’s new Central Library’s grand opening kicks off National Library Week. The Omaha Public Library is hosting the event on Sunday, April 19th, inside the new space at 72nd and Dodge. Explore the first floor when the library doors open at noon, before the ribbon-cutting at 12:30 p.m. After that ceremony, you’re allowed to tour the entire facility.The Central Library’s branch manager, Matt Couch, sat down with KETV Newswatch 7’s Pete Cuddihy to discuss the grand opening event, which includes storytime with Omaha Mayor John Ewing, Jr.For more information, visit omahalibrary.org.
OPL’s new Central Library’s grand opening kicks off National Library Week.
The Omaha Public Library is hosting the event on Sunday, April 19th, inside the new space at 72nd and Dodge.
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Explore the first floor when the library doors open at noon, before the ribbon-cutting at 12:30 p.m.
After that ceremony, you’re allowed to tour the entire facility.
The Central Library’s branch manager, Matt Couch, sat down with KETV Newswatch 7’s Pete Cuddihy to discuss the grand opening event, which includes storytime with Omaha Mayor John Ewing, Jr.
For more information, visit omahalibrary.org.
