2022: Year-in-Review

Each year, OPL provides an annual summary of significant library statistics and other notable information.

• OPL celebrated 150 years of service to Omaha and Douglas County in 2022. Established in 1872, the first Omaha Public Library was recognized as the Omaha Library Association and was located on the second floor of the Simpson Carriage Factory at 14th & Dodge streets. Since that time, the OPL system has seen many milestones. A video celebrating the history of OPL and its impact on the communities it serves will be available in 2023.

• OPL’s strategic plan to help guide services and programs in the next three to five years was presented to OPL’s board of trustees for approval during their March 2022 meeting. After discussion, the plan was approved, and returned to library staff to develop a timeline and plan for implementation. The plan is available to view at omahalibrary.org.

• The annual Summer Reading Program saw 14,996 people participate and more than 50 percent completed their goals.

• W. Dale Clark Main Library had its last day of service to the community on August 28, 2022. The following day, Interim Branch opened at 1410 Howard Street to ensure that downtown library patrons would have continuous library service during the time between the closure of Main Library and the opening of the Downtown Branch at 1401 Jones Street in spring 2023.

Useage Statistics

Items Borrowed | 3,881,921

Library Visits | 1,004,215

Website Visits | 1,450,140

Desktop Computer Sessions | 166,822

Digital Downloads | 881,210 (books, audiobooks & videos)

Current Library Cardholders | 273,570

Service Statistics

14,996

12,307

64,906 kids, teens & adults registered for the Summer Reading Program people attended a meeting in a library meeting room individuals attended a library program

Top Circulating Titles

Adult fiction: The Maid by Nita Prose

Adult nonfiction: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette

McCurdy

Adult eBook: The Last Thing He Told Me by

Laura Dave

Laura Marlane Executive Director

DVD: Dune

Youth/Teen: The Summer I Turned Pretty by

Jenny Han

Children’s: The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! by Mo

Willems

Winter Recap

OPL Teen Poetry Bash

The 22nd annual Teen Poetry Bash took place on December 10, 2022, at Milton R. Abrahams Branch. Students in grades 8-12 were invited to prepare two original poems to read aloud or perform as slam poetry. All Writes Reserved coaches from the Nebraska Writers Collective served as judges and emcees for the event. Top scoring participants were awarded with cash prizes.

• 1st Place: Annabelle Carney

• 2nd Place: Anna Conway

Jane Austen Tea

• 3rd Place: Knyomi Turley

• Audience Favorite: Anna Conway