Job Title: Head of Operations
Department: Operations
JOB PURPOSE: Under the direction of the Executive Director, support the mission of the library by establishing initiatives to ensure innovative library operations. Assure building operations, library grounds, customer and material services meet the needs of the community.
Essential Job Duties:
1. Provide operational project management under the direction of the Executive Director.
2. Develop and recommend goals that correlate with the library’s mission.
3. Develop and recommend policy and operational procedures relevant to each department.
4. Serve as a member of the library’s management team, acting as liaison with all departments to execute projects and tasks. Ensure completion, evaluate and report feedback, and educate the management team as needed.
5. Actively seek out developing technology and trends to enhance services and operations.
6. Provide direct management and leadership to the Customer Service Manager, Material Services Manager, and Building Services Manager.
7. Analyze, investigate, and resolve all escalated customer and maintenance issues.
8. Provide or coordinate learning experiences for staff.
9. Manage contracts, warranties, and compliance with mandated inspections.
10. Network with community partners and vendors as needed.
11. Oversee monthly/annual statistical reporting obligations.
12. Analyze statistical and demographic trends.
13. Compile data for submission of annual report to the State Library (IPLAR).
14. Oversee branch and remote service operations.
15. Oversee room reservation procedures.
16. Evaluate and improve customer service model.
17. Interview and recommend selection of appropriate department personnel.
18. Provide input on and approval of staff appraisals.
19. Develop, administer, and monitor department budgets.
20. Interpret and enforce library policies and procedures for public and staff.
21. Serve as the library’s Person-In-Charge in the absence of the Executive Director.
22. Represent the library at conferences, meetings, and networking opportunities.
23. Participate in professional development opportunities.
24. Attend library meetings and serve on planning committees.
25. Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications - To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:
1. Act as a progressive, self-sufficient, and highly resourceful leader.
2. Set the strategic direction as a senior leader within the library.
3. Represent the library in a professional manner.
4. Provide strategic direction, positive motivation, and appropriate guidance for staff.
5. Implement quality improvements in collaboration with the library’s management team.
Education and/or Other Requirements:
• Completion of an ALA-accredited Master’s in Library and Information Science degree.
• 4 years of relevant work experience.
• Management experience within a public library environment is preferred.
• A combination of equivalent education and work experience may be considered.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with Polaris or another ILS is preferred.
• Successful project management experience is preferred.
Physical Requirement:
1. Frequently required to see, walk, sit, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, stand, talk and hear.
2. Physical dexterity to reach shelves of various heights, push full carts and lift containers occasionally (up to 20 pounds) during a work shift.
3. Ability to read, write and communicate fluently in English.
4. Dexterity to perform data entry on a computer, lap top, iPad or other electronic device.
5. Visual acuity sufficient to read print in 8 point font.
Note: This job description describes a general category of jobs. In order to meet the needs of the Barrington Area Library or its departments, employees may be assigned other duties, in addition to or in lieu of those described above, and any duties are subject to change at any time.
The Barrington Area Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Library will review a reasonable request for accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
Interested? Download and complete the job application (PDF), and email it along with a cover letter and resume to resume@balibrary.org.
Job Title: Librarian
Department: Adult Services
SUMMARY OF ROLE: Recommend, plan, and present diverse and innovative programs, and provide services to community members, organizations, and businesses.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES:
- Serve adult and young adult customers at in-person and virtual service points through expert-level reference, reader’s advisory, and basic technology assistance.
- Plan, coordinate, and facilitate assigned services, projects, and programs; prepare and train other staff to assist.
- Select and maintain circulating adult collections as assigned and in accordance with the resource selection policy.
- Initiate, plan, and present diverse and creative programs in support of department goals and community needs; research and arrange for vendors to present programs.
- Plan, promote, and provide outreach services for community members, organizations, and businesses.
- Ensure good stewardship of physical and virtual spaces by preparing and merchandising displays, and by producing and updating content for the Library’s website.
- Actively promote Library services, materials, and programs to customers.
- Respond to and resolve customer questions, concerns, and complaints.
- Act as person-in-charge for the Library.
- Serve on planning committees, attend library meetings and outreach activities as requested.
- Perform other responsibilities and duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Master of Library/Information Science from an ALA-accredited program.
- At least 1 year of relevant work experience, including delivery of library programs to adults and young adults.
- Written and oral communication skills, including public speaking.
- Knowledge of adult and young adult collections.
- Able to use computers, software, and other technologies utilized at a public library.
- Flexibility to work rotating hours and various work shifts including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Physical Requirements:
- Standard office environment
- Push carts
Onsite/Remote Work Location:
Some work may be done remotely with manager’s approval.
Travel Requirements:
- Occasional travel in local community for services.
- Occasional national travel for professional development and library community networking.
Note: Nothing in this job description restricts the rights of Barrington Area Library to supplement or otherwise modify the responsibilities and duties of this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities or other needs to perform the essential functions of the position.
The Barrington Area Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Library will review any reasonable request for accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
To Apply:
Complete, save and send the PDF application, a cover letter, resume, and references to resume@balibrary.org.
Job Title: Librarian
Department: Adult Services
JOB PURPOSE: Under the direction of the Department Head, support the overall mission of the library by effectively providing library services to customers and the community.
Essential Job Duties:
1. Deliver exceptional customer service in a variety of formats.
2. Provide customer-focused reference and reader’s advisory services.
3. Supply technology assistance within current library guidelines.
4. Initiate, plan and provide outreach services for customers, community members, organizations and businesses.
5. Organize, recommend and present programs and services for relevant age groups.
6. Contribute to the selection of materials for the adult collection as assigned.
7. Prepare and maintain booklists, website information, and in-house book/media displays as appropriate.
8. Maintain expertise by reading professional literature, attending workshops and seminars, and researching significant topics and trends in the field.
9. Ensure all policies and procedures of the Barrington Area Library are followed.
10. Serve on planning committees and attend library meetings as requested.
11. Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:
• Knowledge of adult literature and relevant reference sources.
• Familiarity with current technology trends.
• Ability to educate customers and staff in individual and group settings.
• Ability to recommend effective services for the appropriate age group.
Competency: To perform the job successfully, an individual must demonstrate the following competencies:
• Ability to enhance the customer’s experience through exceptional service.
• Continually represent the Library’s image by providing best solution strategies that gratify both the customer and the library.
• Lead the facilitation of projects and programs successfully.
• Ability to stay current with library technology and trends.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external customers.
Education and/or Other Requirements:
• Completion of an MLIS degree from an ALA accredited institution.
• Public library experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, and Polaris or another ILS, is preferred.
• Travel locally as needed.
Physical Requirement:
• Frequently required to see, walk, sit, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, stand, talk and hear.
• Physical dexterity to reach shelves of various heights, push full carts and lift heavy (up to 20 lbs) containers occasionally during a work shift.
• Physical dexterity to guide customer throughout the library as needed.
• Ability to read, write and communicate fluently in English.
• Dexterity to perform data entry on a computer, laptop, iPad or other electronic device.
• Visual acuity sufficient to read print in 8 point font.
Note: This job description describes a general category of jobs. In order to meet the needs of the Barrington Area Library or its departments, employees may be assigned other duties, in addition to or in lieu of those described above, and any duties are subject to change at any time.
The Barrington Area Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Library will review any reasonable request for accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
Interested? Complete and send your PDF application along with a cover letter and resume to resume@balibrary.org
Job Title: Assistant Librarian
Department: Adult Services
Summary of Role:
Provide library services for adult and young adult customers at remote and onsite service points.
Essential Functions, Responsibilities, and Duties:
- Provide service at in-person and virtual service points for reference, reader’s advisory, and basic technology assistance for adult and young adult customers.
- Provide basic support to customers for the downloadable/streaming services.
- Actively promote library services, materials, and programs to customers.
- Respond to or refer customer questions, concerns, and complaints.
- Assist in preparation and delivery of programs.
- Support department activities through remote services as needed.
- Maintain current knowledge of trends in popular culture related to books, film, and other library services.
- Serve on planning committees and attend library meetings as requested.
- Perform other responsibilities and duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience preferred.
- Customer service experience for diverse individuals and groups of people preferred.
- Collaboration and problem-solving with coworkers and customers.
- Written and oral communication skills.
- Proficiency with MS Office and familiarity with other current technology.
- Flexibility to work rotating hours and various work shifts including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Physical Requirements:
- Standard office environment
- Occasionally push carts
Onsite/Remote Work Location:
Onsite
Travel Requirements:
Occasional travel in local community
To Apply:
Complete, save and email the PDF application, along with a cover letter, resume, and references, to resume@balibrary.org.
Note: Nothing in this job description restricts the rights of Barrington Area Library to supplement or otherwise modify the responsibilities and duties of this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities or other needs to perform the essential functions of the position.
This job description describes a general category of jobs. In order to meet the needs of the Barrington Area Library or its departments, employees may be assigned other duties, in addition to or in lieu of those described above, and any duties are subject to change at any time.
The Barrington Area Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Library will review any reasonable request for accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
SUMMARY OF ROLE:
For the Library’s youngest customers and their caregivers, plan and present diverse and innovative programs; provide reference and reader’s advisory services; and select and maintain collection materials.
Essential Functions, Responsibilities, and Duties:
- Plan, coordinate, and facilitate assigned services, projects, and programs, including to prepare and train other staff to assist.
- Select and maintain the circulating children’s and teen’s collections in accordance with the Library’s Resource Selection Policy.
- Initiate, plan, and present diverse and creative programs for children from birth-eighth grade and their caregivers in support of department goals and community needs.
- Act as Person-In-Charge (PIC) for the library.
- Serve customers at in-person and virtual service points through expert-level reference, reader’s advisory, and basic technology assistance to children from birth-eighth grade and their caregivers.
- Plan, promote, and provide outreach services for area schools, preschools, daycares, and community organizations.
- Actively promote library services, materials, and programs to customers.
- Demonstrate good stewardship of physical and virtual spaces by preparing and merchandising department displays, continually maintaining interactive areas, and producing and updating content for the Library’s web presence, as assigned.
- Serve on committees, including hiring committees, and attend library meetings as requested.
- Perform other responsibilities and duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master of Library/Information Science from an ALA-accredited program.
- At least 2 years of experience in providing library service to children, including children’s programming.
- Strong written and oral communication skills, including public speaking.
- Knowledge of collections for children birth-eighth grade.
- Able to use computers, software and other technologies used at a public library.
- Flexibility to be able to work rotating and various work shifts including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Physical Requirements:
- Standard office environment.
- Support for some programs ideally performed at eye-level with young customers.
- Some programming duties performed outdoors in suitable weather conditions.
Onsite/Remote/Hybrid Work Location
Some limited work may be done remotely with manager’s approval.
Travel Requirements
Vary with individual assignment or seasonal requirements.
Ready to apply? Complete, save, and e-mail the PDF application, along with a resume and cover letter describing your interest, to resume@balibrary.org.
Adult Services Volunteer
Have an interest in local history? Enjoy working with computers and technology? Four volunteers are needed to help with scanning and making historical photos and documents available on our Web site and in the library. Days and hours are flexible - however, a commitment to a mutually agreeable schedule will be expected through the duration of the project.
Duties may include any of the following - on your application ("Additional Skills" section), please tell us if you have experience with any of these tasks (we can train you on less-familiar skills):
Computer Skills:
Creating and editing documents using Microsoft programs.
Using HTML to create and/or edit Web pages.
Using Adobe Acrobat Pro to create and/or edit PDFs using a Mac.
Photo Editing/Sound Editing Skills:
Using digital cameras to capture images.
Using Microsoft Office Picture Manager or other photo editing software.
Using Flickr to upload, edit and tag photos.
Using Roxio and/or Garage Band to record narration.
Archiving skills:
Indexing of historical materials to assist with our newspaper archives
Transcribing historical documents
Scanning of documents
Application:
To apply for these volunteer positions, please complete the volunteer application (PDF) and return via email to volunteer@balibrary.org. A representative may contact only the volunteer applicants that meet our current criteria.
Please be aware of the following important items:
- All accepted volunteers age 18 and older are required to satisfactorily complete a criminal background check prior to starting volunteer work.
- Volunteers are not paid positions and are not a promise for paid positions.
- The Barrington Area Library does not accept volunteers for community service hours, under the age of 16 or for special needs cases due to the independent nature of the projects.
Job Title: Material Services Page
SUMMARY OF ROLE: Ensure ready access to the Library’s physical collection for customers and staff.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES:
- Perform tasks such as check-in, inspection, alphabetizing, shelving, and straightening of materials to ensure ready access of the collection on library shelves.
- Maintain the appearance of public areas of library by collecting and reshelving materials.
- Use technology tools, such as RFID sorter, to check in materials.
- Assist with collection management projects by completing measurement and shifting procedures.
- Ensure that the collection is correctly shelved by the Dewey Decimal System, by inspecting labels.
- Provide directional service to customers as needed.
- Attend library meetings and outreach activities as requested.
- Perform other responsibilities and duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- At least 16 years of age and available to work evenings and weekends.
- Ability to collaborate and problem-solve with coworkers.
- Proficiency with MS Office. Ability to perform data entry on electronic device.
- Ability to work independently and complete work on time.
- Flexibility to adjust work schedule as needed.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Standard office environment.
- Push heavy carts daily.
ONSITE/REMOTE WORK LOCATION:
Onsite
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
None
Nothing in this job description restricts the rights of Barrington Area Library to supplement or otherwise modify the responsibilities and duties of this job at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities or other needs to perform the essential functions of the position.
Ready to apply for this job? Complete, save, and email the PDF application to resume@balibrary.org.
What will it look like when finished? What are the benefits of the renovation project?
See the architect's renderings of the first and second floors to get a widescreen look at the newly renovated library.First floor (Youth Services, Atrium, Popular Materials, Technology and Business Centers, Circulation, Staff Offices)
Second floor (Adult Print and Reference, New Teen Area, Reading Commons, Library Administration, Staff Offices)
See the Site Plan and Building Design presentation as a slideshow.
Read a brief description outlining some of the benefits of the renovation project.
Read a detailed press release containing information about the renovation.
Proposed Schedule of Overall Project Phasing
Phasing Plan with Color Detail
Project Budget Breakdown from Construction Management Firm
Site Plan and Building Design Review from February 20, 2013 Board of Trustees Meeting (large PDF - may take time to download)
March 15, 2012 press release announcing the Board of Trustees' approval of the renovation project (including background information concerning the renovation project)
Renovation Strategies from Strategic Facilities Plan
Engberg Anderson Executive Summary
Engberg Anderson presentation from May 14, 2012, Committee of the Whole Meeting - Plan Options
Engberg Anderson written summary, proposed floor plans and renderings from Schematic Design Phase presentation at August 13, 2012, Committee of the Whole Meeting.
Engberg Anderson presentation (large PDF file, may take awhile to download) and proposed floor plans from November 7, 2012, Committee of the Whole Meeting.
Estimate Summary. Includes cost breakdown and brief descriptions of each aspect of the project.
After several months of study and consideration, the Barrington Area Library trustees unanimously voted to move forward on plans to renovate the 33-year-old library facility. The vote took place at the regularly scheduled board meeting on Monday, March 12, 2012.
On this page, we will post news about the project, progress updates, and photos of the work as it moves along.
October 20, 2014: Good news! The audiovisual equipment is now ready in all of the library's public meeting rooms and coffee service is now available for groups using the first floor Meeting Room (full room or A/B) and Zimmerman Room. See the meeting room/Zimmerman Room policies page for complete details.
June 22, 2014: The library celebrated its grand reopening with a very special community event, The Remix! Almost 1,200 residents visited the library that day and enjoyed tours, entertainment, refreshments and plenty of time to explore all of the new spaces and features of the library. A few finishing construction touches are still in the works, including audiovisual equipment for Meeting Rooms, coffeemakers, etc.
If you missed The Remix, here's an informational slideshow that guests watched that day, to learn more about the library and its renovation into a truly 21st century community asset.
Click the YouTube icon to watch the slideshow in HD quality.
May 28, 2014: The library reached another renovation milestone today, as the new Business & Technology Center opened on the first floor. The area is not fully complete, but presently includes small group study rooms, a computer lab, private Business Cubicles, and media:scape collaborative meeting rooms. Soon to come: a MakerLab, Digital Studio, and 10-person conference room. Stop by and take a tour around this new, comfortable, and highly functional space. Make it your new office-away-from-the-office.
The final phase of renovation will be the completion of meeting rooms A & B and the Zimmerman Room. We know the availability of meeting space is a high priority to the community, and we hope to make the rooms available to the public very soon. We are nearing the finish line!
April 24, 2014: Beginning around Tuesday, April 29, the DVD collections will be moved into their new, permanent home on the first floor. During the move, there will be times when only library staff will have access to the DVDs. If you're coming over for a movie, please allow some extra time for the staff to locate what you need.
During the following week, new furnishings will arrive for our new Business & Technology Center on the first floor as well.
April 18, 2014: The final phase is going as planned. The meeting rooms and our new Business and Technology Center are under construction. Roof repairs are also taking place. During the week of April 28, furnishings and fixtures will arrive for the Business and Technology Center. We also expect that the new Media Browsing area on the first floor will be finished, so DVDs will be moved out of the Zimmerman Room.
Looking for a quiet place to work or study? Try the new areas on the second floor. Lots of light, lots of quiet, comfortable space (and lots of outlets, too!).
Watch our progress - the end is in sight!
March 28, 2014: We are well into the fourth and final phase of our renovation project. Things are moving along quickly and we remain on schedule for the renovation to be complete some time in May 2014.
What is currently under construction?
The first floor meeting rooms are being completely remodeled. Rest assured, we will let you know as soon as meeting rooms can be booked for your club or organization.
New restrooms are being added to the atrium.
An Internet cafe will also be created in the library atrium.
The area next to Youth Services will become a media browsing collection (movies and music). The hold pick-up area will then be improved.
Beyond the media browsing area will be the new Business and Technology Centers.
When the DVD collections are moved out of the Zimmerman Room, it will also be completely renovated.
On the second floor, the Young Adult game room is just about ready.
The plastic will soon be removed from the Reading Commons, so visitors will have a nice view overlooking the atrium.
Additional work in the adult fiction/nonfiction area should be complete soon.
New signage for these areas will also arrive in coming weeks.
NEW - February 19, 2014: it's another busy week with lots of activity and some service disruption.
Some Adult Services computers have been moved to the second floor, temporarily housed in one of the study rooms.
Fewer PCs will be available during this time. Laptops will still be available for checkout.
The Media Lab equipment will no longer be available until our renovation project is complete. This is expected to take 1-3 months.
Adult fiction books are being moved up to the second floor.
Adult media (DVDs and music CDs) will be temporarily moved into the Zimmerman Room, on the library's mezzanine level. Take the elevator to floor 1R or use the new stair tower for easy access.
We'll keep you posted as progress continues.
February 4, 2014: As we prepare for renovation work in the library atrium, the temporary Customer Service Desk has been moved a little farther into the building. We're just around the corner, waiting to help you.
January 31, 2014: The library renovation project has moved into phase four and is on schedule for completion in May of 2014.
Around the week of February 17, expect more activity and occasional disruption.
The remaining books for adults will need to be moved into their new home on the second floor.
Adult computers will also be moved. There will be a period of time when the adult computing area will simply not be available. This includes the Media Lab computer and equipment. In the coming weeks, the lobby entranceway will also be restructured as construction work begins in that part of the library. Be alert for "lane changes."
January 16, 2014: In addition to our new Youth Services department opening on the first floor, other changes have been taking place.
1) The automated check-in stations are back in service! We know how much you like knowing that your items are immediately checked in and being able to print a receipt.
2) The Hold Pick-Up Area has been moved back into the Circulation area, next to the Check-In stations.
3) New Books for adults and magazines have been moved up to the second floor. Take the stair tower or the elevator, and someone at the Reference Desk will be happy to help you.
4) A new Vending Cafe is available for your use, with a wide variety of snacks, plus hot and cold beverages.
January 15, 2014
Our new Youth Services department is open and waiting for you! After several years of planning and a few months of construction, the new department is now open on the first floor of the library. Prepare to be amazed at what you'll find: interactive, museum-quality learning experiences, computers and iPads, and, very soon, a gaming area and media lab just for younger users. Oh yes, and LOTS of books, too! Finishing touches are still being put in place, but stop by soon to explore and enjoy the new space.
January 8, 2014: our new Youth Services department will be arriving soon!
We hope you've been exploring and enjoying the new spaces we've opened up for you on the library's second floor.
From January 10-14, expect some disruption as we begin the move into our new Youth Services department on the first floor.
Shelves of books have to be tagged, packed and then moved. Furnishings, computers and other items have to be relocated. This means that there will be times when books, computers and other items for children and teens may not be available, or you will have to ask a staff person to retrieve items for you. Expect the biggest disruption on Monday, January 13, and Tuesday, January 14 - children's books, computers and iPads, and play areas will not be available on those days.
The good news? We will be waiting to welcome you into the wonderful new spaces we've created for children and teens on Wednesday, January 15. We thank you for your patience and we can't wait to show you around!
November 20, 2013: Good news - the elevator is back in service! We thank you for your patience as we waited for the repairs and then the inspection. We now have a safe and reliable way to transport you up to the second floor and back down again.
November 12, 2013: We continue to wait for a final inspection of the elevator. We appreciate your patience, as this step of the renovation project has taken considerably longer than anticipated. Rest assured we will reopen the elevator as soon as it has passed inspection and is safe for use.
October 2013: Phase Three has begun. Many changes, some temporary, some permanent, will be coming this month. As always, if you cannot find what you need here at the library, please ask someone for assistance.
What's changing?
1) The Circulation desk has been moved into the atrium. You can pick up items on hold right in the atrium.
2) The Circulation staff workroom has been temporarily relocated into Meeting Room B.
3) Items that were in Meeting Room B, like children's books and DVDs, are now available for checkout near the Popular Materials Desk on the first floor.
4) New restrooms (with some temporary fixtures) are open on both the first and second floors. Additional first floor restrooms will open later in the construction process. The current first floor restrooms may seem hard to find - keep in mind the bookshelves in that area will soon be moved away, and that group of restrooms will become part of the new Youth Services department.
5) The automatic check-in sorter will be temporarily shut down beginning Monday, October 7. Please return your library materials in the new drive-up outdoor return or the return box that has been placed in the atrium (or at any of our convenient drop boxes around town).
6) We expect the new elevator to be in service the week of Monday, October 14. The new stair tower should be in place around that time as well, but we do not have a firm deadline for either the elevator or new stair tower. The old staircase will be used until the new services are available.
7) During the week of October 14, the Adult Services Reference Desk will be moving to the second floor.
8) The Popular Materials Desk will remain on the first floor at this time, so Adult Services staff can assist patrons looking for fiction books, movies, music, magazines and computer assistance.
9) Adult non-fiction books and Young Adult fiction will be moved upstairs beginning October 16. Biographies and audiobooks will remain on the first floor at this time.
10) Beginning immediately, only Barrington Area Library cardholders may reserve computers from home.
11) Beginning October 15, no small group/study rooms will be available, until construction on the new rooms is complete. The online reservation system will not take reservations after October 14.
September 26, 2013: What's coming next?
We're about to move into Phase Three of our four-part construction project - we're really making progress!
Some big changes - some permanent, some temporary - will occur during Phase Three, starting in late September/early October 2013.
Watch for:
The Circulation desk to be moved into the lobby atrium.
Automatic check-in sorter to be temporarily shut down - return boxes will be placed in the Circulation area.
Circulation staff work area to be temporarily moved into Meeting Room B. This means the number of materials for browsing and checkout in the Meeting Room area will be reduced. Some items that have been in the Meeting Rooms will be located to other parts of the building.
New restrooms (with some temporary fixtures) to open on the first and second floors.
Temporarily reduced number of public computers and study rooms - we will provide more details about this ASAP.
We will do our best to keep you posted on these and other renovation developments when we have up-to-date information. Thank you for your patience as we work to provide the Barrington area with a truly 21st century library. When you're visiting us, please ask for help finding what you need.
September 17, 2013: You may have noticed a lot of construction activity at the front area of the building. What's going on?
1) Construction is underway on the new stair tower. This will replace the current stairway inside the building. The architecture of the new stair tower will blend in seamlessly with the look of our atrium entranceway, while locating the staircase in a less prominent part of the building. When renovation work moves into the atrium for awhile, the front entrance will be temporarily relocated, but when renovation is complete, the library's entrance will remain where it is currently located.
2) Additional digging and work is being done on a drainage pipe.
3) Our drive-up book and movie return is open and ready for business. Enhancements to this area continue: the X-tras outdoor sculpture has been moved near the new return and the ground has been seeded. Watch for a new light post coming soon, which will make returning materials after dark much more convenient.
UPDATE: August 12, 2013: The library's new drive-up return lane is now open! You'll find it in the main parking lot - make a left turn into the aisle closest to our entranceway, then make a right into the drive-up lane. Convenient, safe and a feature you have long requested!
UPDATE: August 5, 2013: Due to renovation, our elevator will be out of service for approximately 5 weeks. We apologize for this inconvenience. The elevator will be completely repaired as part of the renovation, and demolition work on that part of the building may also prevent access at various times. If you need assistance within the building because you cannot access the second floor at this time, please don't hesitate to ask anyone on our staff.
Good news - our drive-up return lane is coming this week! You'll find this convenient drive-up service located in the northeast side of our parking lot. Drive up, drop and go.
UPDATE: July 2013: Have you noticed the work going on in our parking lot? We're excited about it - that's where our new drive-up return box will be located! No more pulling up to the front of the building and having to leave your vehicle to return items. Just drive around to the large return box and you can place your items in it from the comfort of your car or SUV. Coming soon!
UPDATE: May 17, 2013: Occasionally, construction work will take place after hours or before our normal morning opening. We just want to make you aware of that, so if you see activity in the library during unusual times, you'll know that it's okay. Our construction team has been incredibly helpful by scheduling some of the noisiest work for times when the library is closed.
NEWS: May 6, 2013 construction update - Collections now located in the first floor meeting rooms include new books and DVDs for adults, new books, DVDs, award-winning books and graphic novels for kids and teens.
The restrooms on the second floor are now out of service, as construction has started on the second floor as well as the first floor.
The Media Lab is also closed, but the Media Lab equipment can still be used in the Adult Services computer area.
NEWS - April 23, 2013: Work began this morning to move certain parts of the library's collections into the first floor public meeting rooms. This frees up space in the main part of the library so demolition and construction may begin. Many staff offices will also be moved very soon. We are scheduling as much work as possible for the early morning hours, before the library hours, to keep disruptions to a minimum. Can't find what you're looking for the library? Please just ask. We're excited about bringing you a 21st century library!
NEWS - April 16, 2013: At a special Board meeting held on Monday, April 15, at 6 PM, the library's Board of Trustees voted to award contracts to the successful bidders, approve a total project cost of $8,769,557 and authorize the project to proceed into the construction phase. Library administration will begin meeting with the project's construction management team to plan for Phase I of the construction. Construction is expected to begin later this month.
March 6, 2013: Bid Notice for Construction Items
March 1, 2013: Bid Notice For Furnishings
Questions about the bidding process should be directed to:
Shales McNutt Construction
425 Renner Drive
Elgin, IL 60123
1-847-622-1214
Engberg Anderson, Inc.
320 East Buffalo Street, Suite 500
Milwaukee, WI 53202
1-414-944-9000
February 20, 2013: The Library's Board of Trustees held a special meeting and voted to move forward with the bidding phase of the renovation project. Bidding will take place in March 2013, with bids to be approved at special Board meeting in April 2013 (date/time TBD). Details about the bidding process will be posted here as soon as they are finalized.
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