Omaha Public Library (OPL) is excited to announce Zen Coffee Company as its official café partner at the new Central Library, set to open in spring of 2026 at 72nd and Dodge streets. Known for its inclusive and community-focused atmosphere, Zen will offer library visitors a warm and welcoming space to enjoy coffee, conversation, and a good book.
Abby McLeay, co-founder of Zen Coffee Company, says that from the beginning, Zen has been rooted in community.
“Supporting local nonprofits and community spaces has always been core to our mission,” McLeay says. “When we learned about the opportunity to join the new Central Library, it felt like a perfect fit. A library is a natural gathering place, and we’re thrilled to be at the center of that energy.”
The café will be located on the east side of the library’s vibrant first floor near the indoor playscape and public commons, with a view of the City Garden. Zen at Central Library will offer much of the same experience customers have come to know and love from their other Omaha locations, with a menu that reflects their signature offerings and hospitality.
“We want people to feel like they can stay a while,” McLeay says. “Whether you're grabbing a coffee before a book club, sitting in on a workshop, or meeting a friend after a storytime, Zen is here to be part of your day.”
OPL is equally excited about the partnership. “Zen’s values of inclusion and community mirror those of the library,” says Laura Marlane, director of OPL. “A café supports the library’s role as a convener and place for connection, and the pairing of coffee and books is a familiar one. They both invite you to slow down, stay a while, and explore something new. We’re thrilled that Zen will be part of creating that experience at Central Library.”
A café was one of the most frequently requested amenities in a 2022 community survey about OPL’s future Central Library. Zen Coffee Company joins a slate of partners that will make Central Library a place for all: from browsable book stacks on every floor to artist installations, vibrant programming, and innovative technologies, including the integration of Do Space.
About Central Library
Launched by Omaha Public Library and the City of Omaha in partnership with three nonprofit organizations — Omaha Public Library Foundation, Heritage Omaha, and Do Space — Central Library is an important cultural investment in literacy, digital equity, community, and individual potential. Learn more at omahacentrallibrary.org.