At the W. Dale Clark Library, movers are loading up for Omaha Public Library’s next chapter.”I don’t think it’s quite hit me yet. I keep seeing the giant boxes of books being moved out and it’s a little startling sometimes,” executive director Laura Marlane said. Omaha’s City Council this week approved an extra $130,294.24 for library relocation. In the initial deal with HDR, the city agreed to pay $494,613.76. In an email, the mayor’s deputy chief of staff for economic development said the original number was an estimate.KETV NewsWatch 7 asked the mayor’s office whether inflation contributed to the updated cost, but we did not receive a response. “I think once we’re there, everybody will realize this was the right thing to do,” said Marlane, who is taking a page out of the Gene Leahy Mall book as she discusses the relocation. “Some ways, it’s similar to the park project, people were reluctant to see this beautiful space change. And yet now we have this even more accessible, beautiful space.”Marlane did not know about the added cost, but said her focus has been on moving into the new space – an interim downtown branch on 14th and Howard and the new administrative branch at 84th and Frederick. “We are just sort of the boots on the ground with the move itself,” Marlane said. “We’ve learned a lot from this move.”Marlane said there is no playbook for transporting 122,000 square feet worth of titles. The new space will have about 90,000 square feet, though Marlane said all the collections from W. Dale Clark will fit in the new building on 14th and Jones. “We have tried to plan out Plan B, Plan C,” Marlane said. “I think we’re going to have a nice space to use.”Getting all the volumes where they need to go is not a task for the faint of heart, so they have booked a team specializing in moving libraries. “This building, while it’s been wonderful and has done such an amazing service for the community, it doesn’t work well with technology,” said Marlane, referring to the building’s thick concrete, which was fashionable in the 1970s but inhibits the use of Wi-Fi, which is a leading reason people visit libraries in 2022. The new downtown branch is still on the books to open in March 2023. Shelves are stacked at the interim library.”It’s still a little early to see how well that collection is meeting the needs of the patrons,” said Marlane, adding they are considering adding more seating in the winter when people use libraries as a refuge from the cold.
At the W. Dale Clark Library, movers are loading up for Omaha Public Library’s next chapter.
“I don’t think it’s quite hit me yet. I keep seeing the giant boxes of books being moved out and it’s a little startling sometimes,” executive director Laura Marlane said.
Omaha’s City Council this week approved an extra $130,294.24 for library relocation. In the initial deal with HDR, the city agreed to pay $494,613.76. In an email, the mayor’s deputy chief of staff for economic development said the original number was an estimate.
KETV NewsWatch 7 asked the mayor’s office whether inflation contributed to the updated cost, but we did not receive a response.
“I think once we’re there, everybody will realize this was the right thing to do,” said Marlane, who is taking a page out of the Gene Leahy Mall book as she discusses the relocation. “Some ways, it’s similar to the park project, people were reluctant to see this beautiful space change. And yet now we have this even more accessible, beautiful space.”
Marlane did not know about the added cost, but said her focus has been on moving into the new space – an interim downtown branch on 14th and Howard and the new administrative branch at 84th and Frederick.
“We are just sort of the boots on the ground with the move itself,” Marlane said. “We’ve learned a lot from this move.”
Marlane said there is no playbook for transporting 122,000 square feet worth of titles. The new space will have about 90,000 square feet, though Marlane said all the collections from W. Dale Clark will fit in the new building on 14th and Jones.
“We have tried to plan out Plan B, Plan C,” Marlane said. “I think we’re going to have a nice space to use.”
Getting all the volumes where they need to go is not a task for the faint of heart, so they have booked a team specializing in moving libraries.
“This building, while it’s been wonderful and has done such an amazing service for the community, it doesn’t work well with technology,” said Marlane, referring to the building’s thick concrete, which was fashionable in the 1970s but inhibits the use of Wi-Fi, which is a leading reason people visit libraries in 2022.
The new downtown branch is still on the books to open in March 2023. Shelves are stacked at the interim library.
“It’s still a little early to see how well that collection is meeting the needs of the patrons,” said Marlane, adding they are considering adding more seating in the winter when people use libraries as a refuge from the cold.
