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On Tuesday, September 30, 2014, Barrington Area Library Executive Director Detlev Pansch and Business Liaison Librarian Barbara Alvarez presented the first of two donation checks to area food pantries. A check for $567.00 was presented to Cuba Township Supervisor David F. Nelson and staff to be used to stock the shelves of their food pantry. This money was donated by generous local businesses during the library's Summer Library Club for adults and young adults. Patrons were asked to read 1,500 books during the summer months, while businesses pledged a portion of one day's proceeds if that reading goal was met. Nine businesses made contributions to the final total of $1,134.00, which will be split between Barrington Township and Cuba Township. Donating businesses included:
Cooper’s Pizza
Subway
Meathead’s
Paul’s Burrito Express
Nature’s Select Pet Products
Savory Salads
Calibrè Coffee
Georgio’s Chicago Pizzeria and Pub
Cook Street Coffee
Top donating businesses were Calibrè Coffee in South Barrington, Paul's Burrito Express, Cooper's Pizza, and Cook Street Coffee, all in Barrington. We thank all who participated, either by making a donation, or by signing up for Summer Library Club and logging in books read. "We were excited about the possibility of doing something new with Summer Library Club, by keeping a focus on reading, but adding in an aspect of social good," stated Executive Director Pansch. "The library staff was really energized by the opportunity to contribute in a positive way to relieving hunger right here in our community." Some additional funds were donated by individual library staff members.
Barrington Area Library Executive Director Detlev Pansch (far left) and Business Liaison Librarian Barbara Alvarez (far right) present a food pantry donation check to Cuba Township Supervisor David F. Nelson (center) and his staff on Tuesday, September 30, 2014.
Due to an important upgrade to the library's Polaris system, many online services will be unavailable on Monday, August 11, 2014. Unavailable services will include:
Self Check-In/Check-Out stations
Online library catalog and mobile catalog
Credit Card Payments (Online and Self Check)
Telephone and online renewal
Owl Library app
3M Cloud
ComicsPlus
Freegal
Hoopla
OneClickdigital
OverDrive
We anticipate that these services will be unavailable from 7 AM until approxiately 5 PM on Monday, August 11. Even though the self-check stations will be down, you will still be able to check out and check in library materials that day, at the Customer Service Desk. In the event that online services become available earlier in the day, we will keep you informed. Thanks for your patience as we implement this significant upgrade.
June - August 15, 2014: In celebration of the Barrington Area Library's complete renovation, the Gallery in the Library has brought back select works by some of the most popular artists to exhibit here in the past. Stop in and enjoy paintings by Kathleen Eaton, Bruno Vanoudenhove, and Lou Taylor, along with photography by Barbara Pintozzi and former Gallery co-curators Kelly Stachura and Lisa Swarbrick!
Kathleen Eaton is a Chicago area artist interpreting city and suburban life.
Her works reflect a fascination with architectural spaces and the
unexpected solitude or human activities that occur within them. From
this perspective, her paintings explore the emotional landscape between
imagination and reality in man-made surroundings. Eaton graduated with
a BFA from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Her works
have been featured in shows for over 20 years and many pieces have
been acquired for public, corporate, and private collections. You may
have seen her large murals at Midway Airport.
We are delighted to feature the works of Kathleen Eaton again in the
Gallery in the Library. Her 2012 show, Urban Landscapes, was one of
the most popular Gallery exhibits of all time, and resulted in Eaton’s
painting Entrance to the Red Line being featured on the cover of the
Illinois Library Association Reporter magazine.
For more information on her work, please visit her website at:
www.eatonart.com.
Bruno Vanoudenhove uses his photographic background to create
photorealistic portraits in black and white acrylics on canvas. Born in
Belgium, he is now a resident of Barrington, where he began a career
as a freelance architectural photographer. When he first arrived in the
United States, he was awed by the tall buildings, and marveled at how
this concrete “garden” created a skyline that integrated both form and
function, yet ebbed and flowed with nature. He transformed his love for
well-known Chicago landmarks into intense and elegant art works.
He has studied drawing and painting at Harper College.
We are delighted to feature him again in the Gallery in the Library, showing
some of the most popular works from his 2010 show, Black Tie, as well as
additional pieces.
For more information on his work, please visit his website at:
www.bvartisticexpressions.com.
Lou Taylor, former resident of Cary and Barrington, was an artist and
photographer. After receiving photography training in the Navy during
World War II, Taylor also trained at the Modern School of Photography
in New York and the American Academy of Art in Chicago.
Professionally, he owned LFT Studios, and produced photography,
illustration, and fine art for corporate and private collections for 70
years. Personally, Taylor offered community art workshops through
the schools and park district, and took great interest in preserving,
through photography and art, the treasured rural countryside. The
Library was honored to host Taylor’s final public show in May of
2011. Upon his death in December 2011, a number of pieces were
gifted to the McHenry County Historical Society to benefit their programs.
The library greatly appreciates the loan of these exhibited works from
the McHenry County Historical Society in Union, IL.
For more information or to purchase one of Taylor’s works,
please visit:
www.mchsonline.org -> Gift Shop -> Rural Images by Lou Taylor
Barbara Pintozzi: Few of us have time to examine closely the intricate patterns, colorful hues, and graceful arrangement of flowers in the garden. Barbara Pintozzi’s garden photographs are a call to slow down and look more thoughtfully at nature and gardens, in order to increase your appreciation for growing things and green spaces.
Shot without a macro lens, these images were inspired by Pintozzi’s observations of her garden, revealing the stories hidden within. The artist hopes that you, too, will hear the flowers speak.
Pintozzi has been working creatively in the arts since childhood. Pursuing music for a time, she took photography courses in college and was active in a camera club. Pintozzi’s photography has received awards from the Chicago Area Camera Club Association, Chicago Flower and Garden Show, and Gardening Gone Wild’s “Picture This” competitions. She also features her photographs in her garden blog, Mr. McGregor’s Daughter, and explores her artistry further in her welded garden sculptures. In her role as Barrington Area Library Trustee, Pintozzi serves as a member of the Gallery in the Library Art Advisory Committee. Pintozzi previously displayed her garden-inspired photography in the show, “In the Garden of Live Flowers,” Spring of 2012.
A ribbon cutting sponsored by the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce led off the festivities at The Remix, the library's grand reopening. Pictured: Suzanne Corr, President, Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce; Charlotte Neault, Chairman, BACC; John Haniotes, Barrington Bank and Trust; Barbara Pintozzi, Secretary, Barrington Area Library Board of Trustees; William Pizzi, Library Trustee; Karen Darch, Village President of Barrington; Carrie Carr, Library Trustee; Edmund Tobias, D.D.S., Vice-Chair and Treasurer, BACC; Don Minner, President, Library Board of Trustees; Richard Ryan, President Emeritus, Library Board of Trustees; Detlev Pansch, Library Executive Director; Carolyn Welch Clifford, Vice-President, Library Board of Trustees; Kathleen Leitner, Village President of Tower Lakes.
After a 14-month renovation project, 1,200 guests attended “The Remix,” the Barrington Area Library’s grand reopening on Sunday, June 22, 2014. Crowds formed early to watch a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m., hosted by the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce. Participants in the ribbon cutting included the Library’s Board of Trustees, Barrington Village President Karen Darch, Tower Lakes Village President Kathleen Leitner, Chamber President Suzanne Corr and Chamber Chairman Charlotte Neault. Applause rang through the library’s beautiful atrium as the ribbon was cut, and the festivities got underway.
Guests enjoyed live jazz from guitarist Jerry TIberi and the Jazz For You quintet, while sampling food from Barrington favorites, like Frantonio’s, Clarke’s Bakery and Deli, Cooper’s, Sergio’s, and Heinen’s/Hissho Sushi. Library Executive Director Detlev Pansch and department heads gave tours of the completely renovated library, pointing out highlights like the new MakerLab, digital creation studios, meeting rooms of all kinds, and the exciting, interactive new Youth Services department. Visitors received a warm, tail-wagging welcome from some four-legged friends, too, a group of Barrington area TDI certified therapy dogs, who also participate in the library's "Read To Rover" programs. A surprise visit from the Gelato D'Oro gelato truck capped off a fun afternoon. See an online photo gallery here.
Thank you, Barrington, for a wonderful turnout to our grand reopening, for your patience during the construction project, and your ongoing support for (almost) 100 years of library service in Barrington!
We were delighted by the following two videos which highlight some of the exciting new services and spaces here at the library, as well as capturing the fun of our Remix event. Thank you to 365 Barrington and Living 60010 for sending out these young, enthusiastic, and very talented reporters!
VIDEO: Inside the the New Barrington Area Library from Living60010 on Vimeo.
Sunday, June 22, 2014: we invite you to experience The Remix, the official grand reopening celebration of the Barrington Area Library!
Join us at 1 p.m. for the ribbon cutting ceremony with our Board of Trustees, library administrative personnel, the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, and elected officials from the Barrington area.
Then, you and your family can enjoy:
- tours of the newly "remixed" Barrington Area Library, including the brand new Business & Technology Center, and the Youth Services department everyone is talking about;
- a meet and greet with our furry "Read To Rover" friends - trained therapy dogs and their human companions;
- live jazz from the Jazz For You combo;
- delicious treats from Frantonio's, Wild Asparagus, Cooper's, Sergio's, Clarke's, and Heinen's;
- souvenir photos from Photo Booth Express;
- a surprise visit mid-afternoon from Gelato D'Oro - while supplies last;
- free library tote bags and other giveaways - while supplies last.
We would be so honored if you would join us for this day of celebration. We are grateful for the support we receive from everyone in the Barrington area, and for your continued patience through 14 months of construction. This is your new community gathering space, so come over and make yourselves at home!
