Realizing the vision for a modern central library

The City of Lincoln and Lincoln City Libraries plan to transform a 1979 urban mall (currently used as post-secondary education space) into the city’s new central library. Designed to serve all of Lincoln and Nebraska as a whole, it will help the city realize a downtown dynamic of residents, commuters, state workforce, university students, and statewide event goers. The design reimagines an opaque streetscape into a transparent extension of Lincoln’s Main Street to create an innovative 21st-century library focused on lifelong learning, creativity, and community connection. It will feature flexible community spaces, interactive youth areas, makerspace and digital labs, a rooftop auditorium, and much more. Repurposing the existing Education Square building will cost approximately 35% less than constructing a new building and an estimated $11 million less than modernizing the current downtown library building.