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The Youth Services staff have picked their favorite books published in 2021 for readers from ages 0-13. We hope you and your family find some new favorites here, too!
Our 2021 MakerLab Holiday Gift Guide is ready for you!
It really is better to give than to receive, especially when you make your gifts using the MakerLab. Customize one of the projects in the guide, or create something entirely your own. Don't worry about technical expertise. Our Digital Services staff is available to help through a virtual or in-person, one-on-one appointment. Please e-mail us, or contact (847) 382 - 1300 x 2050 to set up an appointment.
Located on the first floor in the Business & Technology Center, the MakerLab gives Barrington Area Library cardholders access to a variety of cutting edge tools including 3D printers, a laser cutter, CNC machine, and vinyl cutter. These tools can be used in countless ways, from practical uses (3D printing spare parts for appliances) to artistic projects.
Once again, we have put together a holiday gift guide, where customers can see examples of the wide variety of projects that are possible with MakerLab technology. MakerLab appointments are going quickly this holiday season, so browse the guide for inspiration, and book your appointments ASAP.
Please note:
• MakerLab is open to Barrington Area Library cardholders by reservation
• One group may use the MakerLab at a time. Groups should be 3 people or fewer
• Masks are required by staff and all customers ages two and up
• No food or beverage is allowed in the MakerLab
The Barrington Area Library is proud to offer a new service, Explore More Illinois, to Library cardholders. Explore More Illinois is a cultural pass program that allows Illinois public library cardholders access to discounts at museums, park districts, historical societies, arts centers, recreational facilities, and other attractions.
Get started right now at Explore More Illinois: https://exploremore.quipugroup.net/?Barrington. You'll find this same information when you click the Explore More Illinois logo from the Library home page and the kids' page.
Select the Barrington Area Public Library District from the drop-down menu and enter your BALibrary card number and the password/PIN for your Library account. There are attractions all across the state, including the the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Chicago Children's Museum, Anderson Japanese Gardens, Ernest Hemingway Birthplace, Illinois Holocaust Museum, and more! Questions about this new service? Ask at the Adult or Youth Services reference desks or at 847-382-1300.
The Barrington Area Library stands in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Hate crimes against Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders have been on the rise in America over the past year, adding to the systemic injustice this population already experiences. We grieve for lives senselessly lost and the ongoing trauma felt by other victims and their loved ones.
As a library, we believe one of the strongest tools in the fight against discrimination and intolerance is education. Empathy and understanding flourish when we open ourselves up to everyone’s stories, voices, and experiences.
The Barrington Area Library is committed to furthering its own knowledge and ability to act as an open, equitable institution. Libraries are for everyone and all are welcome here.
Fostering lifelong learning is a central part of our mission. If you are interested in further self-education on these issues, we have compiled a list of resources to deepen understanding of the AAPI experience, ranging from online resources to books available for checkout.
Resources And Reading Lists
Web Resources:
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Becoming an Upstander
Be The Change Barrington
Videos from the Courageous Community series:
Confronting Prejudice | With Jenan Mohajir, includes how to intervene safely and effectively
Becoming America | With Eric Liu of Citizen University and Aspen Institute
Love, Anger, & Apology | With Valarie Kaur, author of See No Stranger
Vicki Rakowski, new Executive Director of the Barrington Area Library
“We are very pleased to name Ms. Rakowski as our new Executive Director,” said Library Board of Trustees President Don Minner. “With her knowledge and experience, we expect that she will step into the role seamlessly while providing the leadership to ensure that our talented and dedicated staff continue to meet the varied needs of our patrons and community.”
Rakowski has been in the library profession for 13 years, receiving a Masters in Library and Information Science from Dominican University in 2010. She began her career in Youth Services, then moved into a series of management positions, joining the Barrington Area Library team in January 2017. As Head of Operations in Barrington, she has overseen the Customer Service, Material Services, and Building Services departments, and served as Interim Director from October 2017 – April 2018. She also has an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Michigan University.
“I am truly honored to be the next director of the Barrington Area Library. I look forward to leading our staff through the difficult times we face at present, as well as the challenges and opportunities in our future. The four years I have spent in this organization have shown me time and again that this is a special library in a special community. I am proud to continue my work here in this new role.”
Rakowski is an avid reader and gardener. She is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area, and currently resides with her husband in Oak Park.
The Library and its Board of Trustees extend their sincere gratitude to Henning for his leadership and service, which included significant achievements such as the elimination of overdue fines, the completion of critical maintenance projects for the building and campus, and the introduction of updated library policies to expand access to more area residents.
Board President Minner stated, “While saddened that Director Henning is leaving us, we extend our best wishes for success in his next endeavor and thank him for his many accomplishments, guidance to our staff, and efforts for our district.”
"It has been an honor serving this community,” said Henning. “From my first day on the job, I have been awed and amazed by the level of civic and social engagement among Barrington area residents and how this library plays an important role in supporting that community spirit. I am proud to have worked with a staff so fiercely dedicated to providing efficient, effective, and transformative library service. The Barrington Area Library is truly a special place and I am glad to have played a part in writing its story."