News

Story Time Programs

Introduce young children to books and reading at our fun story times. Each week librarians and specially trained staff adapt stories, songs, and movement activities to match the ages and attention spans of the children attending. Parents learn how to foster early literacy skills to prepare their children for learning to read. Librarians answer questions about books and library services and teach parents how to interest their children in books.

• Learn more about how story time is the perfect skill-building activity to help your child get ready for kindergarten. 
• An adult must remain with babies and younger children. 
• Space at story times is limited. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Note: All programs are not always offered concurrently. Check our calendar of events for availability or call a Youth Librarian at 708.422.8522, ext. 136.

Tiny Tots

Ages birth-2 years (with a favorite adult) enjoy songs, action rhymes, and playtime and share a book together in each session. Tiny Tots gives your baby the opportunity to encourage your child's emerging language skills while you get to know other young families.

Preschool Story Time

Children from ages 3 to 5 years have fun with engaging books, songs and activities as they build their early literacy skills.

Family Story Time

Children from grades 5 and under (with a favorite adult) enjoy books, songs, rhymes, and movement activities while building language and literacy skills.

Pajamarama

Children from Grades 5 and under (with a favorite adult), put on your pajamas, grab a bedtime buddy, and join us for stories, songs and fun. 

MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival

Join us at the Library Monday, September 28 - Saturday, October 3 for the 29th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival. The Festival screens simultaneously across the world during a one-week period, with the Best Film and Best Actor awards determined by ballots cast by the audiences in each participating venue. By virtue of their selection by MANHATTAN SHORT, each short film is automatically Oscar-qualified.

For the first time in its history MANHATTAN SHORT has selected ten films from ten countries with films from USA, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Moldova, Russia, Cuba, Georgia and Mexico making up MANHATTAN SHORT 2026. Learn more about the films here.

The MANHATTAN SHORT screenings are generously sponsored Evergreen Park Public Library Foundation. Films will be screened at the Library on the following dates and times. Registration is encouraged but not required.

• Monday, September 28 @ 10 am
• Monday, September 28 @ 2 pm
• Tuesday, September 29 @ 2 pm
• Tuesday, September 29 @ 6 pm
• Wednesday, September 30 @ 10 am
• Wednesday, September 30 @ 2 pm
• Thursday, October 1 @ 2 pm
• Thursday, October 1 @ 6 pm
• Friday, October 2 @ 10 am
• Friday, October 2 @ 2 pm
• Saturday, October 3 @ 1 pm

September is Library Card Sign Up Month!

A Library Card Hits All the Right Notes

Check out a classic story or hit shuffle and try something new. Find harmony at the Library’s book clubs, movie nights, crafting classes, and author talks. A headphone kind of day? Find your focus in a study room or vibe out in the quiet reading room or a cozy nook. Compose your future with new skills in the computer lab or check out instruments and tools in the Library of Things. No matter what rhythm you find yourself in, there’s a seat in the front row at the Library for you.

$1 Fine Forgiveness: Clear Your Fines and Get Back in Tune!

Ready to hit the right note?
In celebration of Library Card Sign-Up Month, we’re offering $1 Fine Forgiveness all September long! Pay just $1 toward your Evergreen Park Public Library overdue fines and get back in harmony with the Library.

Fine Print: $1 Fine Forgiveness applies only to overdue fines on Evergreen Park Public Library materials. It does not apply to fees for lost or damaged materials, or overdue fines from other libraries. See the Circulation Desk for more details.

Library Card Sign-Up Month Raffle
Your library card is your all-access pass to everything the Library has to offer—and this September, it could come with some extra perks!All month long, sign up for your first Evergreen Park Public Library card or renew your old one and you’ll be entered into our special Library Card Sign-Up Month raffle! One lucky winner will score a special prize basket.

Strategic Plan

Shape the Future of Your Library

The Library offered three Town Hall meetings in June 2026 and a community survey that ran from June 1-August 8, 2026 to seek input and involvement in updating its strategic plan. Thank you to all who participated and offered feedback. This information will be used to update the Library's strategic plan. Please see below to view the Library's current strategic plan. 

Current Strategic Plan (2023-2026)

Interested in where we've been? You can always click here to view our current Strategic Plan.

Unearth the Magic of Words & Music: Ravinia Lawn Passes

Unearth the Magic of Words & Music: Ravinia Lawn Passes Coming to Evergreen Park Public Library!

Summer is finally here, and the music is about to play! Evergreen Park Public Library is thrilled to announce our participation in the 2026 Ravinia Words & Music Concert Program, bringing world-class outdoor performances directly to our community.

Through this special partnership with the Ravinia Festival's Reach Teach Play initiative, the library will receive a limited supply of complimentary lawn passes to select performance dates for the upcoming 2026 summer season. It’s the perfect opportunity to pack a picnic, grab a lawn chair, and enjoy incredible live music under the stars in Highland Park.

How to Get Your Tickets

Because these highly coveted passes are limited, they will be distributed under the following guidelines:

• Availability: Physical lawn tickets are expected to arrive at the library in mid-June.
• Distribution: Tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Eligibility: Ticket distribution is strictly limited to Evergreen Park Public Library cardholders. Please remember to bring your library card with you to request tickets at the desk.

Important Note for Neighbors: Chicago Public Library (CPL) and other neighboring suburban library systems participate in their own independent Ravinia partnerships. If you hold a card with another library system, please contact your home library directly to inquire about their ticket availability.

2026 Words & Music Concert Lineup

Mark your calendars! The library will have 4 lawn passes available for each of the following scheduled performances:

• Sunday, July 19 @ 5:00 PM – Marin Alsop & Maria Dueñas: Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony and Violin Concerto (Features pre-show KidsLawn activities from 3:00–4:30 PM)
• Thursday, July 23 @ 7:30 PM – Marin Alsop: Mahler's Sixth Symphony
• Friday, July 24 @ 8:00 PM – Breaking Barriers: On the Movies
• Friday, July 31 @ 7:30 PM – Marin Alsop: Dvořák's "New World" & Carlos Simon's "Good News Mass"
• Saturday, August 1 @ 7:30 PM – Marin Alsop & Emanuel Ax: John Williams and Rachmaninoff
• Sunday, August 2 @ 5:00 PM – This Land: America in Song (Features pre-show KidsLawn activities from 3:00–4:30 PM)
• Thursday, August 6 @ 7:30 PM – Klaus Mäkelä & Daniel Lozakovich: Snowy Sounds of Sibelius and Strauss
• Friday, August 7 @ 7:30 PM – Klaus Mäkelä: Stravinsky's "The Firebird" and Debussy
• Thursday, August 13 @ 7:30 PM – The Music of Quincy Jones
• Friday, August 14 @ 7:30 PM – Brahms x Radiohead
• Thursday, September 3 @ 7:30 PM – Dame Jane Glover & Steven Isserlis: Music of the Baroque

For immediate questions regarding library card sign-ups or general registration, please visit our front desk or contact the Adult Services department.

Summer Reading Community Challenge

Unearth A Story Summer Reading Challenge (All Ages)

Letter from our Director 

Summer is here, and I am inviting everyone in Evergreen Park, even adults, to register for our Unearth a Story Summer Reading Challenge. As librarians, we know the magic of reading 20-minutes a day for all ages: reading strengthens our brains, reduces stress, expands our knowledge, and boosts creativity. Summer is a great time for the whole family to get lost in books and read for fun. 

Study after study confirms that reading for pleasure is in decline, so help us reverse this troubling trend and foster a reading culture right here in EP. To accomplish this and foster a love of reading, we have added a community reading goal. Last year, 826 participants read 542,108 minutes. This year, we have set a goal to register 1,000 readers and/or read 750,000 minutes. To incentivize this goal, the Library will host an end-of-summer “block party” as a community prize. 

But that’s not all, this year we have added incredible grand prizes for adults, teens, and children to win. Everyone who completes the 600-minute summer reading challenge is entered in a drawing to win prizes. Do your part: register for the Summer Reading Challenge, help us achieve this community goal, achieve your own goals, and continue your lifelong learning journey, but most importantly, read for fun! 

The Community Challenge: Help Us Earn a Block Party

• The Goal: Register 1,000 readers and/or log 750,000 minutes read.
• The Reward: If we meet this challenge, the Evergreen Park Public Library Foundation will sponsor a "historic" End-of-Summer Reading "Block Party!

Summer Reading “Block” Party: Saturday, August 8,  4-7 pm

We’re unearthing one last adventure to celebrate a new reading record for EP! This celebration will feature games, delicious food, and fun for readers of all ages. Every minute you log brings us closer to the party!

How it Works:

Open to all ages! Read for at least 600 minutes this summer to earn fun prizes and entries into our end-of-summer grand prize drawings. Click here for more information about this summer's reading challenge! Summer Reading is June 1 - July 31, 2026. 

Evergreen Park Public Library uses Beanstack, an online portal that helps patrons track their reading and provides free personalized reading recommendations. Patrons can sign up here and use Beanstack from their home computer, mobile devices, or in the Library. Visit our Beanstack website to register for the first time or to sign in if you already have an account.

You can also download the mobile app to your mobile device through the iTunes App Store or Google Play.

Register for our Summer Reading Programs for all ages! 

A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are incredibly grateful for the support of our generous sponsors: Evergreen Park Library Foundation, Academy of Self Defense, Bookies, Blick Art Materials, Chicago Stars, Colorful Berries, Cravings, Culver's, Dakajos Family McDonald's, Kane County Cougars, M. E. P. Exterminating, Mayor Burke, Village of Evergreen Park, Meijer, Peace of Mind Professional Organizing LLC., Raising Cane's, Senator Bill Cunningham, The Lyric Theatre, and Windy City ThunderBolts.