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The Barrington Public Library District (Barrington Area Library) was delighted to receive a three star national ranking in the Library Journal annual review of public libraries. A total of 7,409 public libraries were rated nationwide and only 259 qualified as "Star Libraries," putting the Barrington Area Library in the top 3.5% of American public libraries. Only 22 libraries in Illinois received a star rating.
This year's Star Library rankings are based on statistics from the 2014-2015 fiscal year. The statistics include the following categories: circulation per capita, e-circulation per capita, visits per capita, program attendance per capita, and computer use per capita. Libraries are also ranked by budget category, with the Barrington Area Library listed in the $5-9M category. 2014 was the year that the Barrington Area Library celebrated its grand reopening, after a complete renovation and revitalization project, and this three star ranking reflects the community's enthusiasm for the new library.
Also worth noting: the Barrington Area Library ranks higher in e-circulation (downloadable e-books, audiobooks, etc.) than most of the libraries in its budget category. In the 2016-2017 fiscal year, our e-book circulation increased by another 14%. You can count on us to continue growing our digital collections, and bringing you the most innovative online services. Read the full Library Journal report.
Other highlights of our 2016-2017 fiscal year include three popular events: a family concert by beloved Chicago musician Ralph Covert (303 attendees), our first-ever Comic Con Barrington (300 attendees), and our annual Local Author Fair (approximately 250 attendees).
Want to learn more about all the great things that happened at the Barrington Area Library over the past year? We invite you to check out our online annual report (below - use the "Fullscreen" icon to enlarge), and we look forward to bringing you another year full of wonderful books, movies, services, and experiences.