Located at the intersection of 15th and Farnam Streets, across from the Gene Leahy Mall, the building was a modernist design, built in 1976.
[5] 15th and Farnam was chosen as part of a $15 million revitalization plan to redevelop a 6-block area of downtown Omaha.
The new library building at 100 Reading Road was nearly six times larger than the lower-level room at the community center.
After buying a lot at South 23rd and M Streets, the City contracted prominent local architect Thomas Rogers Kimball to design a building.
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.
Built of brick and limestone, the building featured a red clay tile roof, with oak woodwork throughout the interior.
There were a number of setbacks including tight budgets and a large community interest in keeping the building at its historical location.
The 23,300-square-foot (2,160 m2) 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.
[12] In 2006 a major renovation and expansion was completed focused on upgrading the exterior of the building and increased the technology available at the branch.
Mayor Mike Fahey, performers from North High School and University of Nebraska at Omaha, and actor/rapper Ice-T attended.
[13] A new teen center is unique to Omaha's public library system, along with a large collection of African American materials.