Evanston Public Library Reviews

Love the library as a community resource beyond just books. Let's expand the collection to match neighboring suburbs.

Safety precautions are in place and hours are shortened due to Covid. Overall, its the same great place to borrow books. Staff is helpful, friendly and willing to assist with finding a title or recommendations.

So happy this place is finally open! This was my happy place and is a real comfort while sheltering in place!

I love Evanston in General. The place where real equality exists

Those same caring minds have since the pandemic been very organized by virtually counting every person who came in and kept a limit very successfully and secured everyone no matter their race and everyone is treated the same and respected the same and cared for the same way.

The facility is treated with great care and for those who can't access the internet due to being challenged by being financial disadvantaged and really not included in society, they created "cheat codes" for these people. I feel that this library is very special, really beautiful. The only thing that I must also for the same reason say is that you must be aware of the transient community and have a kind spirit and avoid if you can but know that the community of Evanston cares because they have had in-house case management and super good care for all. It's hard for a "black" person like I am to imagine but it's real.

That's how I know that this library is special because they take care of all, rich, poor, young, old, etc. They have something for everyone. Will always love the place.

The kids section at the library is top notch. On a rainy or snowy day this is an easy outing that grabs the attention of our five year oild.

I am Super Grateful for ALL Librarians and Resources here!

This place rocks. Good place to study or check out some books. The decor is Frank Lloyd Wright inspired from the chairs to the lighting. Its open seven days a week so even if you wanted to pop in and check it out, its worth the visit if you are in Evanston.

This is the best library ever! Great kids department! The librarians were super helpful and suggested great books for my second grader!...they have great collection of books,movies,audiobooks, magazines. Great reading rooms... clean. Check out is automatic or with the personal! Never had any issues! BTW if you watch your kids there won't be any problems! Thank you for a great service and experience!

Love this library for it's size, the amount of books and movies it has, and the variety of activities offered to the local residents!

This library is good, but I always feel cold. Need to fix the temperature.

I like the quiet reading room on the 3rd floor. It is great for studying. Big tables, fast wifi are also a plus. Wish there were more electrical outlets though, especially on the 3rd floor common area. Also, the people who use the quiet reading room to sleep and snore should be asked to wake up or leave.

Generally loud, people coughing and talking constantly.

Love audiobooks section. A nice place to chill for a little while. I love the art display of many kinds.

I really like this library, but I'm giving it 4 stars because of the noise. Generally quiet, but they have a lot of activities for children, which I love as a mother, but I know that most people go to the library expecting quiet. As long as there are not many children, it's fantastic.

They let Chicago cardholders check out books, so I go here. Like other libraries (as in Chicago), it seems to also serve as a kind of shelter where people can rest instead of on the streets. The librarians aren't as friendly as in Chicago, but that seems typical in the northern burbs. Overall a nice place that usually has what I'm looking for.

There was a time I use to like going to the library until it turned into a homeless shelter don't leave your stuff laying around or someone will steal it there's never any computers available not even to quickly print something and you can forget about you using the bathroom it's disgusting

The library is open different hours then posted on the door they have a flyer with current hours must were face covering and limited to 1person or 1 family for elevators also bathroom and visit limited to 1hour

The library, like the community, has all of the choices one might wish for.

Great collection, large space, helpful and jovial staff make this library feel fun and lively. Their active testing of people' temperatures entering the building may or may not be effective, but it surely helps one feel safe spending time there!

This is a fantastic library. It's large, well-maintained, and has a wide variety of books. The staff is nice and helpful, too.

Wonderful library, very community oriented. I've been going here all of my life, the library staff is very nice and helpful. You can easily get a hold of them if you have a question about your holds or bill. The library itself is very spacious, when you walk in there is a colorful children's section with a wide variety of books. As you go up, there is another section for teens. I remember going there after high school ended to work on homework or read something. Apart from typical library stuff, this place also offers classes. I've seen taxes help which is great. Like I said, very community oriented. There is usually a wall full of flyers from a lot of different organizations. This library also offers books on wheels which is great if you can't make a trip. Basically a library volunteer will deliver books/dvds/audiobooks to your home and pick up what you need returned. This is a great service.

The worst experience I have ever had with a public institution.

Its a nice library, nice place to study, clean vacinity however the parking is expensive and i have to go back to add money every hour and so. How i wish there is a free parking like other libraries so we can stay longer rather than thinking of the money were gonna spend on parking which we can already buy a meal for my 3kids, especially to a minimum wager worker like me who tries to look for a place to study.

Fantastic library. Tons of Great Courses books. Fast internet, very quiet too.

I have used libraries all over the US and in many foreign countries. This is the worst one of the lot. They often do not have books which they should have, but always have multiple copies of the latest trashy novels. They do not have subscriptions to magazines they should have, but do have junky ones. In addition the atmosphere of the library is not well maintained. For example people openly use cell phones within the library with impunity. All in all, rather shameful.

Best Library as to variety of services. Also make corrections according to patrons needs or concerns as soon as able to address.Computer speed and sever in past a problem, but very much enhanced timing,plus technical glitches for computer use no longer much a concern .

Be careful and mindful of where you leave your things if you go to the Teen Loft. I recently had my scooter stolen during a change in librarians. Aside from that I have never had a bad experience here, the selection is very much up to par for a bookworm, and all of the librarians are very friendly as well as helpful!

I have studied here a few times and the library is well managed in my opinion. Plenty of space to work, and obviously an enormous book selection. Its not a library that will blow you away, but its a great place to focus and do work.

A dainty place to come work study or read a nice book

Contradictions between the library's website (Items Available) and the actual site (Items Are Not Available). Waste of time, in addition to wasting energy with Rude circulation desk people at the third floor. Public libraries could do much better than this.

It is really nice that the library has a Teen Loft for the kids!

The EPL is a very good library, I have been using it for over 15 years. The staff is always helpful. I wish Chicago Library System and Staff would copy them.

Homeless people in my space!? The horror!

(Libraries are amazing. Get over yourselves.)

Great place with friendly helpful staff to assist you.

The place is just plain creepy. Its basically a homeless shelter.

This is a real library. Where people come to study and check out material. Unlike Skokie library where all of Niles West and Niles North kids come to socialize.

A "friendly librarian" is like an oxymoron.

Overall a decent place to study, In my personal opinion librarians act like PhD students all with their gruff and laconic mien.

The chatter in the common areas on the "study floor" (i.e. the 3rd floor) gets a bit loud and distracting. But you always have the option of going to the quiet room.

I'm also like George Costanza - and get a little irritated by folks who use the bathless washrooms to get cleaned up... nonetheless, I appreciate that the library is open to the homeless.

A cashier named Louise at the front desk was very rude.

Love this place! A lot of great resources available and super helpful staff ! Sometimes can be a bit of a wait to print. As for the heartless reviewers who don't see homeless people as human beings, GET OVER YOURSELF.

I use this place for their private conference rooms on the top floor. Cool place

One of our family's favorite places. Well maintained and well-stocked, this is everything a public library (or any public resources) should be.

Funny how some people complain about coughing. As if people do that on purpose? But yeah, the bottom floor has a community room that is a bit noisy they need to add rooms that are for people who are 100% soundproof ish. and another for people who do want to chat up a bit.

When I need a little break away from campus, I like to come to the Evanston Public Library. It's nice and quiet (except on the first floor). The only thing is I wish there were more outlets! We had to keep switching seats in search of outlets.