news
Our online library system will undergo an update on Sunday, November 15, 2026, beginning at 6 PM. We expect the project to wrap up late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
Please note that the following services will be unavailable while the update is taking place:
- Pick-Up lockers in all locations
- Online catalog
- "My Account" access
- Digital collections like Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy, and more
- Online databases that require authentication with a library card number
- Room reservations
- Online bill payment
Thank you for your patience while this important work is completed.
Great news: your Barrington Area Library card is about to become even more valuable. Beginning Monday, November 16, 2026, customers with a valid BALibrary card are eligible for $5.00 in free printing credit every day! We're excited about making this service more convenient and accessible to our cardholders, whether you need printing for school, work, practical matters, or creative projects.
How It Works:
- If you have a valid BALibrary card, $5.00 in free printing credit will be automatically added to your account every day. It's important to use your BALibrary card number when sending your job to the printer, here at the Library or through our online print services.
- Credit may be used for black-and-white ($.10 per page) or color printing ($.25 per page).
- If a print job exceeds the available free credit, you may:
- choose to pay the difference that day or;
- split the print job into separate jobs and return on multiple days in order to print the entire document for free.
- Unused credit expires at the Library’s closing time each day. Credit is not added on days when the Library is closed.
New To Using Our Computers or Printing Services?
The next time you visit, log into one of our public computers with your BALibrary card number: then your Library account will be connected to our printing service. That's it: now your $5.00 in free daily printing credit will be available in your account whenever you need it!
Need help logging in or printing? Just ask the staff at our public service desks for assistance.
Printing By Email or at the EZ Scan stations
If you are printing by email or using the EZ Scans, talk to a staff member to have your free printing credit applied to the job. You must provide your BALibrary card number or provide an ID so your account can be verified.
Restrictions - free printing credit cannot be used:
- With computer guest passes – your credits are connected to your BALibrary card account;
- For 3D printing or other fees and materials in the MakerLab;
- For faxing;
- For fees or charges on a BALibrary account.
Printing credits have no cash value and cannot be exchanged, redeemed, or refunded for cash.
Beginning Monday, October 5, 2026, customers will be required to enter their BALibrary Password/PIN, in addition to their BALibrary card number or username, to access their Libby accounts. Libby's parent company, OverDrive, is taking this measure to create an additional layer of customer account security.
Existing customers will need to enter their information when they next check out an item from Libby. New users will authenticate with this method when first setting up their Libby accounts. Customers only need to enter this information once, unless they log out or add a new card number.
Have you tried Libby? Libby is one of our most popular services, offering free access to e-books, e-audiobooks, and magazines with your BALibrary card! Check it out today.
What is a PIN? PIN stands for Personal Identification Number. Some services require a PIN, rather than a password, to securely access your account.
When you register for a BALibrary card, your PIN is the last four digits of your phone number. You are welcome to change the PIN at any time, but if you have done so, our staff cannot see your new PIN. You may reset it by going to the My Account page and clicking "Forgot your password?" If you need staff assistance, our staff can only reset the PIN to the original last four digits of your phone number. You will be able to change your PIN after you have regained access to your account.
From books and movies to digital downloads, from Meeting Rooms to the MakerLab, from story times to symphony performances: your Library card connects you to all the resources, activities, and opportunities the Barrington Area Library offers.
The American Library Association designates every September as National Library Card Sign-Up Month. It began with one simple goal: that every child should have a library card and use it. Visit us in person this month, register for a card (bring your spouse, partner, children, best friend, or new neighbor, too!), and you'll get a handy tote bag to hold your first batch of great reads from our shelves. If this month isn't good for you, you can register for a BALibrary card whenever the time is right.
Can't get to the Library right now? Use the links below and begin the sign-up process online! It's easy, and if our registration system can verify your information, you may be eligible for a digital card you can use right away.
Ready to register for your BALibrary card?
Sign up in person at our Customer Service desk, or use the links below to begin the process online.
◯ Adult Library Card
◯ Youth Library Card
◯ Business/Non-Profit Organization Card
More information about BALibrary cards
Not sure if you live in the Barrington Area Library district? Use an interactive map on Google.
Lost your card? Contact Customer Service immediately to put a stop on your card: 1-847-382-1300.
The Library recently received special recognition in the areas of financial reporting, community spirit, and community service, and we are proud to share all this good news with you!
Financial Reporting
For the second year in a row, BALibrary has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. During the fiscal year 2024 audit process, the Library transitioned from an Annual Financial Report to an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). This report shows our financial information alongside statistics and meaningful comparisons, Library background, and other important details. Completing the ACFR makes an organization eligible for the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.
The report is the work of our Finance Manager, Lauren Rosenthal, with contributions from other key staff members, and we invite you to download and read a PDF version. Please note that the report is from the 2024-2025 fiscal year - reports must be audited before submission, and then the GFOA's review process takes approximately six months. We are proud to be one of three libraries in the state, and one of 23 libraries in the nation, recognized by the GFOA for excellence in financial reporting this year. The award program was established in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements in preparing annual comprehensive financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure.
Community Spirit
This year's Village of Barrington 4th of July Parade was an extravaganza, with so many creative participants and lots of spirited spectators! We were honored to receive the 2026 Spirit of Barrington award from the Parade judges. The Library has played a role in the Parade many times over the years, and this was one of the biggest groups of walkers we've ever had, including employees and Board members, along their spouses, partners, children, siblings, and parents. Being recognized for our community spirit was the perfect culmination to our 100th anniversary celebration which began in 2025.
"Through her commitment to preserving our past and helping others discover it, she has enriched the Barrington area in countless ways. Thank you, Kate, for your remarkable service and for helping our community stay connected to its history."
Community Service
In June of 2026, we bid a fond and grateful farewell to Adult Services Librarian Kate Mills, who retired after more than 40 years of service. Earlier this summer, Kate was given a rare honor, the Barrington Area Development Council Community Service Award. This unique award is given to "individuals whose dedication strengthens the fabric of our community."
The Council remarked that Kate has guided thousands of residents in preserving their family histories, assisted countless local historians and organizations with research, and played a vital role in preserving Barrington's story by managing the Library's Local History collection and digital archives. Her expertise has supported everyone from local authors and historians to BADC members researching recipients of the Citizen of the Year award. She has shared her knowledge through presentations, conferences, and community organizations, and brought people together through BALibrary's annual Fandom Fest, which welcomes more than 1,500 attendees each year.
Many here at BALibrary thought of Kate as "the librarian's librarian," and her contributions to the Library and to our community will continue to make a positive impact for many generations to come.
- Potential Power Outage On Wednesday, March 11, 2026: Library Will Remain Open
- McHenry County Library Lovers Expedition Returns to BALibrary For A Third Year
- Change Coming to the Library's Meeting Room Reservation Procedure
- ROUTE 14 temporary roadway is now open
- Library Access During the Route 14 Roadwork Project