Evanston Public Library reflects on 2020 in annual report May 12, 2021 In its 2020 report, Evanston Public Library reflected on its response to the pandemic, its commitments to equity and the changes instituted throughout the year. Last year, EPL buildings temporarily closed to the public in response to COVID-19, but saw use of the 24/7 digital library increase by 55 percent from 2019, according to the report. EPL implemented curbside pickup and reopened in July with new safety measures. Services inside the library began with access to WiFi, computers and printing, and EPL phased in a more complete range of services in August, according to the report.