DIrector'S message
FROM jason pinshower
In this year’s annual report, we focus on the relationships between the Library and our community partners, and how these partnerships support the backbone of our Library, our community.
You may not know this, but in 2025, we will celebrate our 100 year anniversary as a publicly-funded library, and you are the reason we are here.
Our story began in 1914, when Caroline Ela left $1,000 in her will for a public library. The Barrington Junior Woman’s Club created a library in 1915 with donated books and a volunteer staff. The Library moved several times and ended up at Village Hall in 1924. In 1925, residents approved a tax-supported library with the first library board elected in 1926.
Over the course of the next four decades, the Library moved around a bit until three crucial things happened. Referenda were passed in 1969 and 1970, making the village library a district library that serves portions of four counties (Cook, Lake, Kane, McHenry) in an area of 72 square miles. Subsequently, in 1972, the Jewel and Kendall Companies in Barrington donated the current library property. Thanks to a bond issue in 1975, a new library building opened its doors in 1978.
BALibrary was expanded to its current 60,000 square foot size by 1993. We then underwent a major renovation in 2013-2014 and have continued to improve our spaces due to customer demand.
Your support over the past 100 years has allowed us to shape who we are today: a community hub for reading, learning, connecting, making, play, conversation, and exploration. Cheers to 100 more years!
Photo: Executive Director Jason Pinshower, along with Youth Services team members Erin Bartolai, Claire Markuson, MaryJo Nitz, and Adult Services team member Danielle Golding, welcomes guests to the Summer Kick-Off event.
SAVE THE DATE! You are invited to our 100th anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
CREATING COMMUNITY: BARRINGTON TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY
HOW IT STARTED: In 2014, BALibrary staff felt it was time for a change in our Summer Reading program. Could the power of reading and learning be channeled in a way that would benefit the larger community?
Barrington Bank & Trust stepped up as our first Summer Reading sponsor. Barrington area book lovers were issued a challenge to read a combined total of more than 1,500 books between June - August. If the reading goal was met, the Bank would donate $500 to the Barrington Township food pantry and Cuba Township food pantry.
HOW IT'S GOING: Barrington Bank & Trust was our only sponsor until 2020, when a variety of other community organizations also got involved. These have included:
- Barrington 220 Educational Foundation;
- Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital;
- Daughters of the American Revolution - Signal Hill Chapter;
- Barrington Area Ministerial Association;
- GoGreen Barrington;
- Barrington Breakfast Rotary;
- Barrington Noon Rotary;
- Barrington Rotary;
- BStrong Together;
- Barrington Junior Women's Club.
OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, OUR PASSIONATE COMMUNITY OF READERS AND THESE GENEROUS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO PROVIDE $8,200 IN FUNDING TO THE BARRINGTON TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY.
Food Pantry Coordinator Patrice Miller (pictured here) says that an average of 60 shoppers visit the Barrington Township pantry every month. Some are shopping for themselves, but many also shop for a partner or another family member, even an entire family. About 35% of shoppers are using the pantry's services temporarily, while the majority will need long-term assistance.
The Barrington Township food pantry is funded entirely by private donations, and recent grant funding made it possible to remodel and improve the facility. Local retailers and non-profits donate items like fresh produce and frozen meat. The pantry is a bright, welcoming space overflowing with a wide variety of healthy and delicious food, as well as much-appreciated personal care items.
Twelve volunteers assist with weekly shopping sessions, and Advocate HealthCare sends a mobile team to the Food Pantry on the second Wednesday of the month, offering wellness services at no charge, no appointment needed.
The connection between BALibrary and the Barrington Township Food Pantry goes back a very long way: the red brick building on Hough and Monument Streets was the first purpose-built library location in Barrington, and served as our home from 1957 to 1978.
The food pantries aren't the only ones who benefit from Summer Reading at BALibrary. This year, 2,474 readers of all ages read for a record-busting 3,071,900 minutes (an increase of 13% from the previous year). That's more than 51,000 hours of learning, exploring, imagining, and growing through the power of reading, and that's good for everyone!
As we prepare to celebrate our 100th anniversary, we thank our summer readers and our very generous community sponsors for the work they've done together on behalf of the Barrington Township and Cuba Township food pantries. Let's keep this good thing going!
Creating Community: Bacoa
Older adults hold a special place in our hearts here at BALibrary, so partnering with our friends at Bacoa, the Barrington Area Council on Aging, just comes naturally.
Bacoa serves as a one-stop shop: a comprehensive resource for navigating aging, supporting older adults, caregivers, and families through a wide range of services and education. Bacoa provides programs and counselling on topics which effect older adults, facilitates social and enrichment activities, offers "A Day Out" respite program serving people with dementia, conducts support groups for caregivers and families, and runs a Meals with Wheels program as well as a lending closet. In 2021, the Library was proud to offer its support to Bacoa's work in establishing Barrington as a dementia-friendly community.
Bacoa's new Administrative Executive Director, Sue McNamara, has been with Bacoa for 22 years. Janine O'Leary (pictured, far left), Programs Manager, has been with Bacoa for six years. We asked Janine for her thoughts on how Bacoa and BALibrary create community together. (Also pictured: Whitney Martin, Adult Services Librarian, and Bianca Diaz from RTA.)
"The Barrington Area Library is ESSENTIAL to Bacoa's ability to serve. Because Barrington does not have a senior center, the Library's generosity of space and resources has been a life saver. From hosting our annual 'When I'm 64' sessions, to multiple collaborations on legacy, transportation, and naturalist presentations, to partnering in community Game Days, to allowing us space to conduct learn and play activities, to facilitating small groups in the MakerLab, this partnership has greatly benefitted the aging population here in the greater Barrington area."
"The library is our community center, where young and old feel welcome and a true sense of belonging."
Janine is also a fan of the Library on a personal level. "As an 18 year Barrington resident, the Library has been a focus in our family. The abundant resources and friendly staff make it a hub of enrichment and the heart of this community. Personal favorites? Storytime when my kids were small, music and movie lending, and your book club collections. I also have to shout out one of my favorite people, Sam Adams-Lanham. As a collaborator and general 'life enthusiast,' there is no one better! Also, Whitney Martin has become such a friend to Bacoa and to the aging population. She is a gem!"
CREATING COMMUNITY: BSTRONG TOGETHER
Creating young readers, from infants to teens, is a foundational element of BALibrary's mission, and the young people of our community fill the Library with energy, joy, and creativity. Local non-profit BStrong Together provides free educational programming, support, and resources, all in the spirit of raising healthy, happy, resilient, and adaptable youth prepared to navigate the complex world of today and the future.
"BStrong Together has a strong and invaluable partnership with the Barrington Area Library," says BSt's Executive Director, Kyle Kick.
Sam Adams-Lanham, our Community Engagement Librarian, serves on BST's Programming Committee (pictured here, but without Sam, in the Library's conference room). Sam and Head of Youth Services Aly Prchal are also in BStrong's Advisory Group.
BST and BALibrary host multiple QPR Suicide Intervention & Prevention trainings each year to teach our community how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone for help.
BStrong Together makes great use of the Library's free gathering spaces for committee meetings, Coffee & Conversation events, their annual Advisory Group meeting, and their Speaker Series event with clinical psychologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and national media expert Dr. John Duffy. The Library hosts a booth at BST's annual free Community Wellness Walk & Family Health Fair.
"We are also grateful to be able to market our events through the Community Calendar and Community Information screens at the Library."
CREATING COMMUNITY: BARRINGTON AREA VOLUNTEER CONNECTION
HOW IT STARTED: What is one of the greatest natural resources here in the Barrington area? Volunteer power! We introduced the newly-launched Barrington Area Volunteer Connection (BAVC) in our 2020-2021 annual report. At that time, more than 80 local non-profits had registered with BAVC’s website, waiting to be discovered by the more than 700 residents who had signed up to search for volunteer opportunities.
HOW IT'S GOING: 100 non-profits are now registered with BAVC, along with a total of 1,700 generous, civic-minded residents. Anyone over the age of 13 can create an account and look for volunteer opportunities – including openings at BALibrary!
Photo: Members of Barrington Area Volunteer Connection received the 2024 Collaboration Award, along with their regular grant funding, from the Barrington Area Community Foundation.
In four years, BAVC has grown into a perfect example of successful collaboration: Barrington Area Development Council member Bob Lee initiated its creation and recruited early partners and supporters; 100% of its financial support comes from the Barrington Area Community Foundation; technical, marketing, and networking support come from the Library; and local volunteers bring their energy, time, and talents!
Our Community Engagement Librarian, Sam Adams-Lanham, has served on the BAVC steering committee from the outset. She also wrote the grant application to the Barrington Area Community Foundation to cover BAVC operating fees through 2024. Other BALibrary staff consulted on BAVC’s web platform and assisted with design and technical concerns.
Several times a year, BAVC and BALibrary work together on programs, such as the Volunteer Connection LIVE, a community fair where area residents can explore non-profits, learn about their services and volunteer needs, and donate requested items. The Library provides free meeting spaces, in person and online, for BAVC’s Advisory Group meetings and Steering Committee working sessions.
Community Engagement Librarian Sam helps to represent BAVC at events like National Night Out. In turn, BAVC keeps non-profits informed about important learning experiences, such as the Library’s Non-Profit Know-How sessions and Barrington Area Leadership Development collaborative programs.
RENOVATION UPDATES
Have you stopped by to visit our new MakerLab? Our original MakerLab was built in 2014. 14' X 20' in size, it worked well as a starting place, but as usage and the demand for additional equipment increased, the room was quickly outgrown.
Our new MakerLab is 22' X 30', increasing the square footage by 380', and also prominently located at the front of our Business & Technology Center. Spacious, welcoming, and light-filled, the new MakerLab provides:
- Increased room capacity;
- Increased capability – multiple machines can run simultaneously;
- Flexibility, room, and fixtures to use the space for Library programming; and,
- Improved collaboration.
Right: Digital Services Specialist Kat Stemple, Digital Services Manager Michael Campagna, and Digital Services Specialist Tom Tokarski.
Check out the improvements we've made in Youth Services, too! You'll find a new train table, a ball drop, a Baby Garden, and other new interactive play elements, along with useful items like storage cubbies and coat hooks. Many of these changes were made based on your feedback!
Right: a young guest enjoys the Library's new ball drop, which provides endless combinations of fun and some educational engineering concepts, too!
BALibrary By The Numbers
FY 2023-2024
This year's numbers demonstrate one of the best-kept "secrets" about public libraries: our strength isn't just in the items on the shelves, it's in the expertise and helpfulness of our staff.
Reference questions continue to rise, despite the omnipresence of web search engines. One-on-one help sessions between our staff and customers rose 50% last year, and then rose an amazing 80% this year! And customers love our value-added services like Homebound Delivery and Borrow By Mail.
Interlibrary loan remained steady this year. While the number of wi-fi sessions decreased slightly, the number of computer use sessions increased by a greater amount.
Maybe the most exciting number for this year? Overall library visits increased by an incredible 29% from the previous year, for a total of 268,722 visits!
THE NUMBERS:
15,600 reference questions answered (+7%)
891 one-on-one training/assistance sessions (+80%) on subjects like MakerLab projects, digital studio projects, genealogy, test proctoring, and non-profit support.
2,210 items loaned out through Interlibrary Loan
4,161 items borrowed through Interlibrary Loan
9,611 public computer sessions (+8%)
42,917 wi-fi (wireless Internet) sessions
The total number of registered BALibrary users dropped slightly, by about 4%, in this fiscal year: if you've got new neighbors, please encourage them to sign up for a library card!
Checkouts By Item Type:
This year's overall circulation numbers show dramatic increases in the popularity of digital content (e-books, e-audio, e-magazines, etc.), with shrinking numbers for more traditional formats like CDs and DVDs. We'll keep monitoring these trends and adjusting how we build our collections so that customers have access to the resources they want and need.
- BOOKS: 405,583 (slight increase)
- DVDS: 125,656 (-8%)
- CDS: 14,062 (-7%)
- PRINT MAGAZINES: 5,147 (-3%)
- EQUIPMENT & KITS: 2,680 (+11.5%)
- E-BOOKS: 123,691 (+8.3%)
- E-AUDIOBOOKS: 74,680 (+22%)
- E-MAGAZINES: 61,391 (+52%)
- STREAMING VIDEO: 11,210 (+22%)
- DIGITAL MUSIC: 19,114 (-45%)
- OTHER ELECTRONIC CONTENT RETRIEVAL: 129,176 (+18%)
- TOTAL: 972,390, an overall increase of 4.2%
TOP TITLES
Adult Fiction:
- THE WOMEN by KRISTIN HANNAH
- TOM LAKE by ANN PATCHETT
- THE HOUSEMAID by FREIDA MCFADDEN
- REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by SHELBY VAN PELT
- FOURTH WING by REBECCA YARROS
Top E-Books:
- TOM LAKE by ANN PATCHETT
- FOURTH WING by REBECCA YARROS
- THE COVENANT OF WATER by ABRAHAM VERGHESE
- LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY: A NOVEL by BONNIE GARMUS
- THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE by JAMES MCBRIDE
Top DVDs:
Our top DVDs each year tend to be full seasons of popular TV series, along with blockbuster movies. This year's favorites included:
- YELLOWSTONE TV series
- OPPENHEIMER
- DOC MARTIN TV series
- MIDSOMER MURDERS TV series
- TULSA KING TV series
Photo: That's our top-notch Technical Services team (left). L-R: Swati Pawar, Hallie Sinkovitz, Bridgid Furmanek, Department Head Maripat Olson, Lisa Dockery, Cathleen McAuley, Elizabeth Morris. These are the helpful experts who order, process, catalog, and get library materials out on the shelves for you to enjoy!
ADDING VALUE THROUGH SPECIAL SERVICES
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME!
BALIBRARY PROGRAMS: ALL AGES, ALL SEASONS
78,919 people of all ages enjoyed programs at the Barrington Area Library this year. Keep reading to explore the many ways in which we fulfill our commitment to providing great experiences to our customers.
Programs don't have to be large to make a difference: from encouraging young readers with the gentle therapy dogs of SOUL Harbour, to making cards for children in Lurie Children's Hospital, to learning more about local history at a "Blast To Our Past," the impact is tremendous when our community comes together at the Library to learn about and support each other.
"BEST LIBRARY EVER!"
CREATING COMMUNITY THROUGH CONVERSATION
The Long Struggle For Peace In Israel-Palestine
On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, the Barrington Area Library invited Dr. David Faris to provide historical background information and a timeline of events that would give context to the long-standing conflict in Israel-Palestine and help attendees to grow in their understanding of this conflict.
The decision to host this program and others like it reflects the Library’s mission to be a trusted, neutral, safe space for civic discourse and the exchange of ideas. The Library recognizes that programs may occasionally contain sensitive subject matter and that attendees may have strong and vastly different opinions on the topics discussed.
125 people attended this event, many of whom expressed their thanks afterwards, commenting that the Library is "on the side of humanity."
CREATING COMMUNITY: MCHENRY COUNTY LIBRARY LOVERS EXPEDITION
We were genuinely excited to participate, for the first time, in this year's McHenry County Library Lovers Expedition, which took place from Feb 1- March 30, 2024.
This program was started in 2022 by a group of creative Youth Services staff at 11 public libraries across McHenry County, IL. The goal was to get library enthusiasts out and about during the cold, blah month of February, by enticing them with activities, prizes, and a sense of adventure! The program has grown every year, and in 2024, a total of 14 libraries opened their doors to the expedition, with 3,113 total participants, 1,474 of whom visited BALibrary!
Why are we participating? Even though our building is located in Lake County, the Barrington Area Library District serves part of McHenry County (and Cook and Kane Counties) as well. We're already looking forward to being a part of the 2025 McHenry County Library Lovers Expedition!
CREATING COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS
In addition to the organizations featured in this year's Annual Report, we want to once again express our gratitude for all of our local partnerships. The Library is proud to offer support, outreach, resources, research, meeting space, promotion, and other services to these worthwhile community organizations and businesses - more than 110! - who also provide us with outstanding programming opportunities, subject area expertise, event participation, and so much more.
- Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington
- Alzheimer's Association
- The Arboretum of South Barrington
- Ascension Illinois Behavioral Health
- A Baby Place
- Bacoa (Barrington Area Council on Aging)
- Barrington 220 Educational Foundation
- Barrington 220 School District, Schools, and School Board
- Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce
- Barrington Area Community Foundation
- Barrington Area Conservation Trust
- Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG)
- Barrington Area Development Council
- Barrington Area Volunteer Connection
- Barrington Bank & Trust Company
- The Barrington Center
- Barrington Children's Choir
- Barrington Council for the Gifted and Talented
- Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District
- Barrington CROP Walk
- Barrington Cultural Commission
- Barrington Farmers Market
- Barrington Giving Day
- Barrington Junior Women’s Club
- Barrington Newcomers and Neighbors
- Barrington Police Department
- Barrington Rotary Club
- Barrington Township & Food Pantry
- Barrington United Methodist Church
- Be SMART
- Bear Family McDonald's
- Boy Scouts (several local troops)
- Bright Start
- BStrong Together
- The Build Team
- Cary Area Public Library
- CASA Lake County
- Center of Concern
- Chicago Living Corridors
- Citizens For Conservation
- Community Meal
- Cook County Forest Preserve District
- Crabtree Nature Center
- Cub Scouts Pack 183
- Cuba Township Food Pantry
- DaVinci Waldorf School
- Daughters of the American Revolution - Signal Hill Chapter
- Elderwerks
- Elgin Symphony Orchestra
- Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watershed
- The Garlands of Barrington
- Girl Scouts (several local troops)
- GiveNKind
- Go Green Barrington
- Good Shepherd Birthing Center
- Harper College
- Home of the Sparrow
- House of Hope
- Illinois Department of Human Services
- Illinois Holocaust Museum
- Illinois Humanities Council
- Illinois Libraries Present
- Journeycare
- Kaleidoscope School of Fine Art
- Lake County Forest Preserve District
- Lake County Haven
- Lake County Health Department
- League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area
- Let It Be Us
- Lurie Children's Hospital
- McHenry County College
- McHenry County Historical Society and Museum
- McHenry County Library Lovers Expedition Libraries
- McHenry Public Library District
- Montessori Academy of North Barrington
- Montessori Children's House of North Barrington
- My Density Matters
- NIU (Northern Illinois University) Center for Governmental Studies
- North Cook County Master Gardeners
- Options and Advocacy for McHenry County
- Opus Montessori, Tower Lakes
- The Orchard, Barrington
- Parker Players
- Postpartum Support International
- Presbyterian Church of Barrington
- Purrfect Cat Rescue
- Quintessential Barrington
- Rahab's Daughters
- Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)
- Roosevelt University
- Saint Anne School
- Saint Hubert Job and Networking Ministry
- Saint Mark's Day School
- Saint Matthew Lutheran Church
- Salem Methodist Preschool
- School of Rock Barrington
- Shelter Inc.
- SOUL Harbour Ranch
- South Barrington Park District
- Stillman Nature Center
- TEDx
- United Way
- University Center of Lake County
- Village of Barrington
- Village of Barrington – Public Works department
- Village of Barrington Hills
- Village of Deer Park
- Walk On Farm
- Weiss Financial Ratings
- Willow Recreation Center, Hoffman Estates
- WINGS
A publication of the Barrington Public Library District, 505 N Northwest Hwy, Barrington, IL, 60010
847-382-1300 | balibrary.org
Credits:
All photos courtesy of the Barrington Public Library District