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You've heard of TED, the non-profit, global phenomenon devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Its goal? To make great ideas accessible and spark conversation. A TEDx event is a local version of TED - talks by our own community members, designed to energize and inspire. This year we're delighted to welcome a trio of inspiring and powerful Barrington area women at our fourth annual TEDxBarringtonAreaLibrary, on Thursday, Oct 11, at 7 PM.

Come and hear:
• Sam Oliver, Recipient of Barrington Area Development Council (BADC) Lifetime Volunteer Award 2018
• Chrissie Mena, Founder/President of Living60010 and Community Volunteer
• Reverend Dr. Zina Jacque, Pastor of the Community Church of Barrington

Sign up for the waiting list - we will do our best to honor all reservations.. First floor Meeting Room.



Construction continues on the Library grounds. Weather permitting, striping will take place in the parking lots and roadways on Saturday, Sept 29. Watch for new outdoor lighting to be installed, beginning Monday, Oct 1. Thanks for your patience as we complete these important improvements to our campus, making it safer and more welcoming to our visitors.

All are invited to Rootsfest, Sunday, Sept 9, 1:30 - 4:30 PM, inside and outside at the Barrington Area Library!

Join us for a celebration of ROOTS - roots that sustain and nurture us, that help us grow, that connect us.

EXPERIENCE art in nature:
Plein art painters
will create beautiful works of art right before your eyes
Read a "Tale on the Trail" as you journey through Citizens Park

EXPRESS your own creativity through our community drawing activity - participants can win a beautiful coloring/drawing journal from artist Catherine Chifflot Nealey

MARVEL at the skills of master woodturners - and maybe try a little woodturning yourself!

EXPLORE the living world: Get expert tree care advice and see a root exhibit from Bartlett Tree Experts of Lake Barrington, get answers to all your gardening questions and make a children's craft with the Cook County/North Suburban Master Gardeners | Try hands-on learning activities and crafts with Smart Farm of Barrington, the Lake County Forest Preserve District (see their salamander and "soil critters"), Barrington Area Conservation Trust (discover Monarch Mania!), and Citizens for Conservation (explore prairie plants).

LISTEN to the warm harmonies and acoustic roots music of popular local band The Corner Boys, while you RELAX AND ENJOY refreshments and conversation with your neighbors, in our Meeting Room. Make a souvenir leaf bookmark to take home! Our friends from Cook Street Coffee and Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters will be serving up delicious samples of some of their best coffee drinks. Talk to the friendly folks from Milk & Honey Farmstead in Wauconda and learn more about eating local. You'll be able to pull up a chair and watch some of the plein art painters from the Meeting Room, too! Don't forget to fill out a raffle ticket before you leave!

DISCOVER your personal roots at our "Genealogy Reference Desk."

No need to register - just drop in, bring a friend, bring the family! We're still planning more surprises for Rootsfest, so check back for updates.


Summer Learning Challenge has ended for 2018 - what an amazing and record-breaking summer it has been! We're proud to say that our friends at Barrington Bank & Trust will generously donate $1,000 to the Cuba Township and Barrington Township food pantries, because the readers of the Barrington area not only met our community goal of 400,000 minutes read, they smashed it by topping 1 million minutes! Thank you - it is a joy to share our love of books and learning with this wonderful community.

Sponsored by:

Active podcasters, bloggers, YouTube content creators, online shop owners, and e-book authors: be part of our first Media Fair and share your work with our community! The BAL Media Fair will take place on Sunday, September 23, 2018, from 1:30 - 4:30 PM. Please note: space is limited and preference will be given to applicants who reside in the Barrington Public Library District.

Ready to apply? Just follow this link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/BALMediaFair. Have questions? Contact Business Liaison Librarian Annette Bochenek via email.

Interested in new media? Mark your calendar for Sunday, September 23, and explore our showcase of online media success stories! Watch our newsletter for details.