Well known for its friendliness, the Wauconda Area Library serves a fast-growing district of 28,000 residents with a staff of 50 employees, an award-winning building, and state-of-the-art automation and computer services. The Wauconda Area Library, North Suburban Library System's 2005 "Library of the Year," is located in the fast-growing northwest suburbs of Chicago, in western Lake County, just north of Barrington and Lake Zurich. The library district encompasses all or portions of Island Lake, Lakemoor, Lake Barrington, Port Barrington, Volo, Wauconda, and unincorporated Lake County.