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No one says “shush!” when it comes to talking about the public libraries in Greater Omaha.

Not only does the Omaha Public Library system have a main library and 10 branches whose collections are extensive and growing, it also has Director Rivkah Sass, named 2006 “Librarian of the Year” by Library Journal magazine.

Chosen from a field of professional librarians throughout North America, “Sass has labored with passion, joy and a heavy dose of courage to begin to push the Omaha Public Library toward greatness,” says John N. Berry III, Library Journal’s editor-in-chief.

Sass worked to expand the library system’s digital collection, launched the “Omaha Reads” program, incorporated the city’s O! symbol into an “O! What a Library” campaign and partnered with (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest. Omaha novelist Timothy Schaffert organizes the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest, bringing authors with ties to Omaha back to the city for appearances and readings. In 2007, the annual event is Sept. 14-15.

The library also formed a partnership with the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts.

The Bemis Center’s Art 4 Omaha Project 4, “Together Everyone Achieves More” (TEAM) was a community-wide, collaborative venture with area high schools, artists and public library branches. TEAM guided young people through a step-by-step process on how to develop an extensive civic art project that resulted in 11 artworks for display at each of the Omaha branches and the Council Bluffs Public Library.

One of the works, “Trees of Knowledge,” was crafted by faculty and students at Omaha North High Magnet School, assisted by artist Dianne Mattern, and installed at the recently-renovated Charles B. Washington Branch of the library, which also is home to the Black Culture Collection, a wide array of materials focusing on the history and culture of African Americans. The Omaha Public Library and the City of Omaha Public Arts Commission pledged a portion of the renovation funds for the Washington branch to public art.

Other works of public art at the Omaha library branches include Richard Weigmann’s “Earth is an Open Book” mural and Catherine Ferguson’s bronze and wood “Reading Garden” at the Millard Branch, and Ferguson’s striking aluminum “Totem” at the W. Dale Clark main library downtown.

Public art has become a feature of every branch location, proving you can’t judge a library by its building.