news

August 28, 2015

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, and for the fifth year in a row, the Barrington Area Library is celebrating through a unique partnership with local businesses.

All residents of the Barrington Area Library district who sign up for a new library card during the month of September 2015 will receive a free mini tote bag stuffed with valuable coupons from local businesses. Patrons who renew expired cards will also receive a bag. Use the coupons, then use the bag whenever you visit the library. Know someone who is new to the neighborhood? Tell them September is the perfect time to come over and get their library card.

In addition, 50 bags will be raffled off to BAL cardholders who attend some of our adult programs throughout the month of September - the more programs you attend, the better your chances for winning!

Look inside your tote bag for a library pen and newsletter, plus coupons from the following generous businesses*:

Acacia Organics
Advocate Good Shepherd Health & Fitness Center
Allure Massage Spa
Ayur-Jyoti Massage & Holistic Healing
Barrington Cultural Arts Center
Barrington Dance Academy
Barrington Martial Arts
Calico
Chessie’s Restaurant
Costco
Fancy Art, N.F.P.
Foss Swim School
Frantonio’s Italian Deli & Café
Kaleidoscope School of Fine Art, Inc.
Meatheads
Norton’s U.S.A.
Pepper Park Coffee
Reber Auto Service
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
The Sanctuary Salon and Spa
Subway
Tattered Tiques
Tootsies Shoes
Wireless Zone of Barrington

*Please note that due to differing coupon counts, each bag may have coupons from only some of the listed businesses, not all. Get your bag early for the biggest variety.

August 12, 2015

The Barrington Area Library has held a Summer Library Club for many decades, with themes ranging from food to music to travel. Over the last two years, in an effort to revitalize the Summer Library Club for adults and young adults, the library has partnered with local businesses to provide assistance to area food pantries. Adult and young adult readers are given a reading challenge - this year's challenge was 1,000 books in two months - and if the challenge is met, the businesses make a financial contribution to the food pantries.

This summer, the Barrington Bank & Trust stepped up in a big way by being the sole sponsor of Summer Library Club, offering a $1,000 donation to be split between the Barrington Township Food Pantry and the Cuba Township Food Pantry. Thank you to the adult and young adult readers of our community for reaching the 1,000 book goal, and THANK YOU, Barrington Bank & Trust, for this very generous donation!

All of us at the Barrington Area Library believe that reading is good for mind, heart, and spirit, and this community endeavor proves that in a very powerful way. Barrington Township Supervisor Eugene R. Dawson put it this way: "Wow! How do we begin to thank you for your extremely generous monetary donation for the benefit of the Barrington Township Food Pantry? It's not often we get a donation of this amount and I can tell you, we were very excited to receive your generous check...People often think that because we are located in Barrington that there is no need for assistance. However, as you know, there is always a need to help someone. We will be able to provide food and use the money to stock our pantry shelves."

Library Executive Director Detlev Pansch (left), Community Librarian Ashley Johnson (second from right), and Barrington Bank & Trust Senior Vice President of Business Development John Haniotes (right) present a check to Cuba Township Supervisor David F. Nelson (center) and staff at the Cuba Township Food Pantry.

Lots of smiles as the check is presented to Barrington Township Supervisor Eugene R. Dawson and staff at the Barrington Township food pantry.

Generous Sponsor of Barrington Area Library Summer Library Club 2015

July 29, 2015

Please note the following important information concerning parking at the Barrington Area Library:

Repair work on the back/upper parking lot has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 26.

The back parking will be closed off at 9 PM on Tuesday, August 25, and will not be available until some time on Thursday, August 27.

Please do not park in or pass through the back lot during this time.

Thank you for your patience as we make improvements to our campus.

July 13, 2015

Update: around noon on Friday, July 31, we exceeded our 1,000 book goal! Thank you, adult and young adult Barrington area readers, and thank you to our sponsors, Barrington Bank & Trust, for their generous $1,000 donation to the Barrington and Cuba Township food pantries!

Time is running out on Summer Library Club - and we need your help!

This year's club for adults and young adults came with an exciting challenge from our sponsor, Barrington Bank & Trust: if we can get adults and high school students to read and log in 1,000 books this summer, Barrington Bank & Trust will donate $1,000 to local food pantries. (The total will be split between the Barrington Township Food Pantry and the Cuba Township Food Pantry.) So, you can help feed hungry people in the local community just by reading and telling us what you've read!

That's it! You'll also be entered into a drawing for some unique and fun prizes but the real reward comes from helping others. We know this wonderful, generous community will come through by helping us reach our 1,000 book goal by July 31 2015!

May 27, 2015

From babies to seniors, all are welcome to join us for Summer Library Club!

Every Hero Has a Story:
for kids & young teens

Preschool Club (Birth - Kindergarten)
Preschool Club members collect stickers for visiting the library until they earn a free book. Register at the library.

Student Club (Grades K - 8)
Student Club members receive a free book after completing ten library activities, such as reading a book or attending a library program. Those who keep reading will earn Library Bucks to spend on prizes and activities of their choice. Register online.

It's a great way to encourage library attendance and reading during the summer months!

Sign up any time between June 5 - July 31 on the library website.

Read To The Rhythm:
for adults & young adults

We've made some changes to these clubs this year which we hope will entice you to join. Look for musical performances and music-themed events all summer, too. Registration for Adults and Young Adults is now open - use the links below.

Adult registration

Young Adult registration

For adults: what's a personal MakerLab session? It's the opportunity to work one-on-one with our expert staff to make one of these fun projects! We supply the tools, you bring the curiosity!