South Omaha Public Library

The South Omaha Public Library was originally located at 2302 M Street in South Omaha, Nebraska. The most recent building, completed in 2008, features the city of Omaha's largest Spanish language collection and a large collection hosted in partnership between the City of Omaha, the Omaha Public Library and the Omaha's Metropolitan Community College. [ [http://www.omahapubliclibrary.org/events/press/08/South%20Branch%20Closing.html "South Branch closing for move to new library"] , Omaha Public Library. May 15, 2008. Retrieved 6/19/08.]

First building

The original South Omaha Public Library was built in 1904 with a $50,000 grant to the City of South Omaha from the Andrew Carnegie Library Fund. The purpose of the grant was to design, build and equip the library. After buying a lot at South 23rd and M Streets, the City contracted prominent local architect Thomas Rogers Kimball to design a building. Built to resemble an Italian Renaissance palazzo, the building had two stories over a fully raised basement. The first story featured library services, while the second floor boasted a large auditorium for community events and speakers from across the Midwestern United States. [(1907) "State library associations," "Library Journal." American Library Association. p 512.] The central feature of the exterior was an archway over the front doors, two symmetrical sidelights and two large arched windows on either side of the front entryway. Built of brick and limestone, the building featured a red clay tile roof, with oak woodwork throughout the interior. In 1915 South Omaha was annexed by the City of Omaha this library became the first branch of the Omaha Public Library system. In 1953 this building was demolished. [Gerber, K. and Spencer, J.S. (2003) "Architecture for the Ages: Omaha's Architectural Landmarks." Landmarks, Inc. p. 31.]

econd building

In October 1954 a new one-story building was constructed at the original location. [Gerber, K. and Spencer, J.S. (2003) p. 31.] It was officially closed on May 17 2008.

Third building

A new, $6.9 million South Omaha Library opened on June 2 2008 at 2808 Q Street. The Omaha Public Library partnered with the City of Omaha and the Metropolitan Community College (MCC) to build a new facility in 1999. There were a number of setbacks including tight budgets and a large community interest in keeping the building at its historical location. Construction began in 2006. ["South Omaha library project moving ahead," "Omaha World-Herald". September 28, 2006.] Designed by Omaha's DLR Group and Engberg Anderson Design Partnership of Milwaukee, it was constructed next to MCC's South Omaha Campus. The convert|23300|sqft|m2|sing=on building houses a computer lab, a state-of-the-art teen center, a larger reference and research space with a combined Omaha Public Library and MCC materials collection, an enhanced children's area and the city's largest Spanish language collection. [Burbach, C. and Kuiper, J. [http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1219&u_sid=10336697 "South Omaha's new library will open soon"] , "Omaha Public Library". May 16, 2008. Retrieved 6/19/08.]

ee also

* History of Omaha

References

External links

* [http://www.memories.ne.gov/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/nlc&CISOPTR=73&CISOBOX=1&REC=1 Historical photo] of the original library
* [http://www.omahapubliclibrary.org/events/programs/sol.html South Omaha Library (Artist Concept)]