It’s midday on a Sunday, and traffic has ground to a halt on Dodge Street as an unusually high number of cars try to press forward. While such a jam is unusual for a weekend, there’s a good reason. As people find parking spots and set out into the crowd, they arrive just in time for the blue ribbon to be cut for the long-awaited opening of a new building.

After four years of construction, the Omaha Central Library opened on Apr. 19th, with an opening ceremony with over 1,000 people in attendance. Since then, people from all across Omaha, such as junior Charlotte Slimp and sophomore Auspy Li, have visited to see what the place is like.

“I really like it, I think it’s pretty interesting, and it’s a big development for libraries in the city. I really like the Zen Coffee and the study rooms, they’re nice amenities that make the study process more dynamic,” Slimp said.

A three-story building with over 100,000 square feet, the Omaha Central Library is now the largest library in Omaha.

“There’s actually a decent amount of room that you’re able to study in around the building. I thought it would be really full and packed, because it was kind of new, but it’s big enough that it can hold [the visitors],” Li said.

One of the first people to visit was MN Librarian Rebecca Kegley, who had signed up for the library’s monthly silent reading club. She and the other members of the club were invited to visit for their first meeting, until they found out that they would instead be given a special opportunity.

“The preview night was going there to join others to just have a reading night. But when we got there, they surprised us and said that we had full access to the library to walk around and see it for the first time, so that was really special,” Kegley said.

One of the standout features of the library is the automatic storage and retrieval system, a robot that can find and sort books into thousands of bins throughout the library.

“The automated retrieval system is the only one of its kind in this country. They said it holds over 500,000 books, it’s three stories high, and it’s the most incredible thing you’ll see,” Kegley said.

But not all of the library’s improvements involve revolutionary technology: despite its advancements, it hasn’t lost its identity as a library. It still serves as a safe haven for students like Li who want the quiet and collected environment of the study rooms.

“I had gone to the Omaha Public Library a few times, but I didn’t really like the study rooms that much. It was kind of dark, and I definitely prefer the windows in the other one. The study rooms are a lot nicer, and they have a TV in there,” Li said.

The Omaha Central Library has also expanded its Do Space, where people can access all the technology they need to create what they want. From 3D printers to laser cutters to sewing machines and even recording spaces for music and podcasts, there’s something for everyone who visits.

“I love that they’re keeping up with what people are using media for. And the podcasting element is something I would like to incorporate here in my own library, so I appreciate that it’s out there for people to use and to become familiar with,” Kegley said. With all of these factors combined, plus the new centralized location on one of the busiest intersections in the city, the Omaha Central Library gives people more reason than ever to visit a library.

“I think the library’s taking on this idea of being a third space for people, and this helps bring people to the library for things other than just reading and books… But I also think that there’s a lot of old school readers out there who still want a book in their hands, and I think the combination of all those things gives a little something for everyone,” Kegley said.

Whether you visit to check out a book, or to check out the new Do Space, the Omaha Central Library is a one-of-a-kind place in Omaha. With its opening, it has opened a new chapter that has redefined what a library can be.