Volunteering at the Barrington Area Library

• supporting special events such as BALibrary Fandom Fest, Creator Fair, and Local Flavors Food Exposition;
• assisting with our summer reading program;
• digitizing our local history collection;
• sorting and packaging of seeds for the Seed Library;
• and more, depending on the Library’s needs!

Anyone interested in volunteering must complete a Volunteer Application. Volunteer applicants 18 years of age and older must consent to a criminal background check to be considered for volunteer participation.

While we accept volunteer applications from students who are 14-17 years of age, not all volunteer opportunities are available to those under 18 years of age. All applicants under 18 years of age must have a parent/guardian signature of approval on the application.

Once the application and background check (for those 18 years and older) are processed, individuals are eligible to volunteer and contact information is added to our volunteer database. While we try to place as many volunteers as possible, depending on the needs of the Library, we cannot guarantee volunteer opportunities.

Current Volunteer Opportunities:

100th Anniversary Celebration
June 21, 2025

We’re excited about celebrating the Library’s 100th anniversary with a special birthday party, and we’d love for you to be part of it! The event is happening on Saturday, June 21, from 10 AM to 2 PM, and we’re looking for volunteers to help make the day a success.

There will be live music, carnival games, crafts, a dunk tank, an airbrush artist, a juggler, a photo booth — and yes, plenty of cupcakes to go around. Activities will take place both indoors and outdoors, depending on the weather.

We are in need of volunteers for a variety of roles, including:

• Running games;
• Assisting with crafts;
• Handing out refreshments;
• Helping manage lines.

We have shifts available for the full event (10 AM – 2 PM) or for two-hour blocks (10 AM – 12 PM or 12 – 2 PM).

To be considered for a volunteer opportunity please complete our Volunteer Application (PDF). Completed applications may be emailed to volunteer@balibrary.org or you can mail your completed application to:
Julie Ary, HR Manager
Barrington Area Library
505 N. Northwest Hwy. Barrington, IL 60010 

Teaching Garden 2025 Volunteer Opportunities

Garden Cleanup

Work side by side with Master Gardeners to help us prepare our garden for planting.

• Wednesday, May 14, 9:30 - 11 AM

Planting Days

Help us plant the Barrington Area Library Teaching Garden for the 2025 growing season. No experience necessary, tools and gloves provided. All ages welcome. 

• Friday, May 16, 10 AM - 12 PM
• Saturday, May 17, 1 - 3 PM

Garden Maintenance

Help us care for our Teaching Garden. Each Tuesday from 9:30-10 AM (except for July 1), we’ll work on basic garden maintenance like weeding, deadheading, and pruning. Then, from 10-11 AM, we’ll learn about a specific garden topic with hands-on classes. All ages, no experience needed. Gloves and tools provided. Choose the dates that work best for you!

• Tuesdays from May 27 to Sept 30, except for Tuesday, July 1. 9:30 - 11 AM

Garden Mentors

Local gardeners, want to share your gardening expertise? Do you love talking about growing beautiful veggies, caring for flowers, seed collecting, or other garden topics? Help us teach a new crop of gardeners by co-leading hands-on workshops in the Teaching Garden with Adult Services Librarian Liz Kirchhoff. 

To be considered for a volunteer opportunity please complete our Volunteer Application (PDF). Completed applications may be emailed to volunteer@balibrary.org or you can mail your completed application to:
Julie Ary, HR Manager
Barrington Area Library
505 N. Northwest Hwy. Barrington, IL 60010 

Open Application:
If there are no current volunteer opportunities, you can still submit a Volunteer Application (PDF) to be considered for a future opportunity. Your completed application will be considered once volunteer opportunities become available.

Please email your completed application to volunteer@balibrary.org, or you can mail your completed application to:
Julie Ary, HR Manager
Barrington Area Library
505 N. Northwest Hwy.
Barrington, IL 60010

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If you have any questions regarding the volunteer program, please contact Julie Ary, HR Manager, at jary@balibrary.org. Volunteers play a significant role in enriching the programming and services offered at the Library.

We appreciate your willingness to donate your time and talent to help us serve the community!