The Evanston Public Library announces its support of the American Library Association’s new “Libraries Transform” campaign. The campaign, officially launched on Nov. 2, is designed to increase public awareness of the value, impact and services provided by libraries and library professionals.
The Library is collecting stories from Evanston residents describing how libraries have led to transformation, growth or change in their own lives. Interested residents with a transformational library story to share may send their stories or contact information for follow-up to Jill Schacter, the Evanston Public Library Marketing and Communications Coordinator, so that stories may be collected and/or shared with the public.
A recent community survey conducted by the Library in April 2015 with 1,284 respondents showed that Evanstonians are frequent users of the local library system, with 49% of residents visiting the Library once a week or more often and 72% of residents using the Library once a month or more. (In comparison, the Pew Reseach Center research shows that in the general public 14% of individuals visit a library once a week or more and 56% of the general public use the library once a month or more.)
Library Director Karen Danczak Lyons, in describing her support of the Libraries Transform campaign, said, “In Evanston, we are fortunate to have engaged, articulate citizens who place a high value on the role of the EPL in the community. Traditionally, libraries of all types struggle against the stereotype of being quiet places filled with dusty books. Through our work in Evanston and the national ‘Libraries Transform’ campaign, we will be highlighting the many ways that libraries make a difference in the lives of our residents. Whether we support a struggling reader, host a meeting on a difficult topic, help job searchers find a new career or provide accurate and timely answers to important, personal questions – libraries make a significant difference to the patrons that we serve.”