During these challenging times, we're doing all we can to provide Library materials, services, and expertise to you and your household. While the Library building remains closed until further notice, we're expanding and enhancing the ways we serve you digitally and in person.
Try our new Parking Lot Pick-Up service!
Parking Lot Pick-Up is an easy, convenient, and safe way for you to borrow books and other materials from the Barrington Area Library. Here's how it works.
- Search the online catalog for books and movies.
- Place requests on items you'd like to borrow. If you already have items on hold, those requests will be automatically changed to Parking Lot Pick-Up requests. Note that items may only be picked up at the main Library at this time. Also, Interlibrary Loan service is unavailable until further notice.
- Watch for an e-mail or text notification when the items are ready for pick-up. Come to the Library during Parking Lot Pick-Up hours: Monday - Friday, 1 - 6 PM, Saturday, 9 AM - 1 PM.
- Park in a designated pick-up spot (near the book return), call the number on the sign, and tell us the number of your parking spot.
- If all six spaces are full, please pull around to the front of the aisle near the Library canopy, and wait for the first available spot to open. Have your Barrington Area Library card number ready when you call. Walking or biking, or don't have a mobile phone? Come to the pick-up table outside the building and follow posted instructions.
- A staff member will check out your materials and deliver them to your vehicle.
- Enjoy your Library materials, and rest assured: our building has been disinfected to EPA standards, and our staff equipped with PPE/social distancing training and equipment. Health and safety remain our highest priorities.
Questions? E-mail or chat with our Customer Service representatives, Monday - Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM. .
June 12: You may begin to notice "overdue" items in your library account. Rest assured: no fines will accrue at this time. The drive-up book return at the main Library and eight other return locations are open again. Click this link to see which returns are open and which remain closed until further notice.
Please note: all returned items will be quarantined for seven days, due to guidelines from the Reaching Across Illinois Library System. So even after you return items, they will remain on your account for another seven to ten days.
Please do not worry about overdue fines - we've got you covered. We appreciate your patience and good will during these challenging times.
What else can the Barrington Area Library do for you?
Apply: https://webpac.balibrary.org/polaris/patronaccount/selfregister.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.7
Renew: https://www.balibrary.org/renew-your-card
Digital collections, including thousands of e-books, e-audiobooks, digital magazines and newspapers, streaming movies and TV shows. Many of these providers have expanded their offerings to give you more choices, and more checkouts per month, at this time. Get started: https://www.balibrary.org/downloads
Use the Library’s email contact forms: https://www.balibrary.org/contact-us#email or online chat via our website or social media sites to send in your questions. Make sure you're on our e-mail newsletter list, too - that's the best way to stay informed about Library services.
https://www.balibrary.org/contact-us#email
https://www.balibrary.org/downloads
Research services: https://www.balibrary.org/databases
Online courses/video tutorials: https://www.balibrary.org/online-learning
NEW: Ancestry.com is making its Library Edition available for free to at-home users at this time. Get started on our Genealogy page, have your BALibrary card number handy: