Today a Reader…

…tomorrow a leader and community builder.

These are words that the Evanston Public Library has lived by for 150 years. And we know that today’s readers become not only tomorrow’s leaders, but also advocates, friends, volunteers, partners and supporters of the public library and in our community.

From Reader to Advocate…Friend…Partner…Volunteer…Leader…Community Builder

We all have a role to play at Evanston Public Library. It may start with a book, but Library resources are much more than that! EPL has programs ranging from computer classes in Spanish to STEM camps designed to encourage girls and BIPOC students to consider engineering fields, game nights for the whole family, dementia caregiver support groups, and much, much more. With your support, we are building opportunities for everyone…opportunities that can take us anywhere in the future and build stronger communities.

A gift of $10 can provide a book by an author with known underrepresented identities to give to a child during a Library summer pop-up
A gift of $25 can provide 2 STEM kits to give to children during a Library summer pop-up
A gift of $50 helps us provide support to our community, such as bags of diapers and books that will be made on the September 11 Day of Service by Library volunteers in collaboration with Bundled Blessings
A gift of $120 helps us purchase as many as 12 books by authors with known underrepresented identities to give to children during a Library summer pop-up. A great opportunity for making a recurring gift of $10 per month!
A gift of $300 helps us provide bi-lingual materials and translation services to ensure EPL programs are inclusive, just like our staff and our community!
A gift of $500 helps us bring programs that provide a safe space for conversation and learning from each other how we are different and how we are the same, such as the Human Library.
A gift of $750 can bring performances and art to Evanston, like the1619-The Journey of a People, co-hosted by EPL, Fleetwood Jourdain and ETHS in May 2023.
A gift of $1,000 supports programs that encourage dialogue, such as the Dedicated to the Dream program, a family workshop designed for children and families to talk about race together and affirm all shades of skin.
A gift of $3,000 can encourage a young learner by purchasing supplies for programs like ABC Boosters, a pre-reading summer course to get kids entering D65 ready for Kindergarten. This year, 110 rising kindergarteners are participating.
A gift of $5,000 can spark a love in reading in kids and introduce books by diverse authors through programs such as Summer Learning, Reading, and Engagement program.

Why your support matters

Your donation provides general support to the Library. The possibilities are endless, but our resources are not. As we consider the exciting possibilities for the Library’s future, we must face our financial reality: EPL is funded at about half the amount of our neighboring libraries.

Our community loves our programs and services, but the costs to maintain these critical, equity-focused programs are increasing, and our current tax revenue cannot cover all of EPL’s expenses. Donations help close the gap between underfunding from taxes and EPL’s annual expenses.

Donations to the Evanston Public Library are tax-deductible as allowed by law. We hope you’ll consider making a gift today — we need your support. Make your donation a recurring gift and spread your Library Love across the whole year!

Together, we are the Library. Thank you!

Make your donation a recurring gift and spread your Library Love across the whole year!

Choose the “Recurring Donation” box in the form below
Select the amount and date you would like your credit card to be charged each month
Fill out the rest of the form and click the green “Give Securely” button

Reach out to the EPL Development team at 847-448-8657 to discontinue your gift or change the amount at any time.

GO GREEN and give online above or call 847-448-8657 to make a gift by phone. Checks made out to the Evanston Public Library can be mailed along with our donation form to:

Evanston Public Library
Development Department
1703 Orrington Ave
Evanston, IL 60201

For questions, please contact Wynn Shawver, Chief Development Officer at wshawver@cityofevanston.org or 847-448-8657.