Preparing for a New Normal:  Right now, we are in planning mode. Safety for staff and for community members is our number one priority. In-person services will resume in phases, beginning with contactless, select, location deliveries and curbside pickup. Social distancing requirements, PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) and best practices for the handling of library materials are key factors. Our plan is coming together with guidelines from Restore Illinois, guidance from local public health officials and state library leaders.

We will keep you updated through our social media channels, email, and at epl.org. Our bookdrops are currently closed;  library materials are due on July 1. Public, in-person programs are cancelled through August 31. Our Summer Reading Program will be offered virtually, beginning June 1.

The Digital Library with thousands of ebooks and eaudiobooks is always open. For help using the Digital Library, call us at 847-448-8630 or view our video tutorials in English and en Español

For information focused specifically on children and teens, read our KIDS Newsletter and our TEEN newsletter.

Evanston Connects

Evanston Art Connects. You’re invited to transform Evanston into a citywide art gallery through June 9! Read more. 

Evanston Care Network. This newly created database allows you to search for free and low-cost, local access to services related to childcare, unemployment, job training, food, housing, and more. Go to evanstoncarenetwork.org. Assistance for using the database is available by calling 311 or the Evanston Public Library at 847-448-8630. All of the information is available in 100+ languages. 

Make History. The Evanston History Center is documenting the pandemic in Evanston. Help create the historical record by submitting photographs, written reflections, artifacts, and more. Read more about the Evanston Community History Project or contact Jenny Thompson for more information. The Daily Northwestern has a story about it too. 

Give Blood. The Levy Senior Center Community Blood Drive is on Friday, May 22. Schedule an appointment here: https://bit.ly/2Wzhp66 Eligibility and COVID-19 precautions information: https://bit.ly/2WCgCRD

Library Events Via Zoom

Memory Cafe: A social hour for those on the memory loss spectrum and their care partners. Register. Saturday, May 16, 1 pm

North Branch Book Discussion: News of the World by Paulette Jiles, Register. Monday, May 18, 6:30 pm

City Novels: A mini-course from EPL and NU Emeriti: Examine four well-known 19th-century city novels set in Paris, London, and Chicago. Register. Wednesday, May 20 and May 27, 4 – 6 pm

Technology Tutorials: How to Manage Your Online Privacy, Thursday, May 21, 11 am – 1 pm.; Organizing Photos with Your iPhone or iPad, Thursday, May 28, 11 am – 1 pm. Please register. 

Midwest Address Author Event: Author Michael Zapata in conversation with Chicago Tribune reporter Christopher Borrelli. Zapata’s book, The Lost Book of Adana Moreau was published earlier this year to literary acclaim. Register.  Co-sponsored with Bookends and Beginnings. Thursday, May 21, 12 pm

Chicago Ave/Main St. Branch Book Group: They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Register. Monday, May 25, 7 pm

Staff Recommendations

Katy recommends: Super Chill: A Year Of Living Anxiously by Adam Ellis, available on Hoopla. Adam Ellis is an Instagram-famous comic artist whose work regularly has me in stitches. He is one of my go-to creators for content to cheer me up.

Halka recommends: BPM (Beats Per Minute) directed by Robin Campillo, available on Kanopy.  This cinematographic marvel won the Palme d’Or in 2017.  BPM features the work of AIDS activist group ACT UP underscored by an incredible electronic score.  If you are looking for some historical catharsis for the inequities of our current public health crisis–look no further. 

Mariana recommends: Siete Cajas (Seven Boxes), available on Kanopy. This movie is action-packed and keeps you at the edge of your seat! The story revolves around a kid who really, really wants a nice TV set being sold in el mercado and the trouble he gets himself into with rival cartels when he signs up to deliver seven inconspicuous boxes for some extra money. 

Heather R. recommends: A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev, available on Hoopla. If you are craving a little escape and romance, this is a charming read that is the first in a series.

Heather N. recommends: Learning Express Library, an online database of free practice tests for real estate, elementary and high school skills practice, citizenship exams, and SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT, GED, TOEFL, ASVAB, and more. Available for use with your library card.

Read our Commitment to Racial Equity Statement. This new statement was created through a collaboration between the Library‘s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and our Racial Equity Task Force. 

Para leer la declaración completa del “Compromiso de la Biblioteca Pública de Evanston con la Equidad Racial”, visite www.epl.org/equity-statement

The Check Out Podcast

The Check Out, Episode 8, is new today with guest Jenny Thompson who tells us how all Evanston residents can help shape Evanston history. Jenny is spearheading the Evanston Community History Project at the Evanston History Center, documenting the pandemic in Evanston. We talk about what goes into making a worthy collection, the importance of history, “rapid response collecting,” and the concept of “the necessity of ruins.” Listen at epl.org/thecheckout or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Business and Finances

Health Matters

It’s National Prevention Week, dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, mental health and substance use disorders. This communication from Peer Services covers key topics from opioid misuse to talking with your kids about alcohol and cannabis use.

EPL Social Worker, Christina Mendez, is available to provide support and help navigate services during this difficult time. She can be reached at 847-448-8659, Monday-Friday from 10 am-6 pm. We encourage you to leave a message. She or another mental health provider will return your call.

Information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on: Running Essential Errands; Testing for COVID-19; Stress and Coping

The Black Women’s Health Imperative site supports wellness in Black women, especially in times of heightened stress.

Four Baby Falcons

The four peregrine falcon eggs at the Library‘s nesting site all hatched between May 12 and May 14. The peregrine falcon is the world’s fastest animal. Wish these young eyases good luck as they grow, and keep track of their progress at epl.org/falconcam.