All throughout Library Card Sign-Up Month , we're sharing library card fun facts and information about the ways you can use a Free Library card. From books, movies, and DVDs to musical instrument lending, online learning tools, and digital databases, a library card grants you access to our countless resources - both the expected and the… continue reading Library Card Sign-Up Month | "Unlock a World of Possibilities Today"

By written by Kate C.    September 5, 2019    3  

• Library Card
• Library Resources

Today is a big day, Philly! It marks the first day of school for the School District of Philadelphia , as the 2019-2020 school year is now officially underway! To celebrate, a few of our trusty Free Library staff members are sharing their favorite back-to-school memories and adorable photos! You can find more photos over on our Instagram page,… continue reading Ah, the First Day of School...

By written by Kate C.    September 3, 2019   

• Free Library Staff
• Back To School

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and we just wanted to remind you that securing your very own Free Library of Philadelphia library card is both easy and valuable! You can sign up online or in person at any one of our 54 neighborhood library locations around the city. Anyone who lives, works, pays taxes, or attends school in the city of… continue reading September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!

By written by Kate C.    September 3, 2019    2  

• Social Media
• Library Card
• Neighborhood Libraries
• Library Resources

Did you know that the first week of August is Simplify Your Life Week ? It’s true! In the spirit of clearing your mind and making your life simpler and more organized, we put together a few helpful tips that you can take advantage of right here at the Free Library ! Happy simplifying! Organize Your Finances If you need to get your… continue reading Simplify Your Life with the Free Library!

By written by Kate C.    August 2, 2019    1  

• Library Card
• Health
• Library Resources

Ever wanted to enjoy the streets of Philadelphia without the hustle and bustle of traffic? This Saturday, August 3, you’ve got that chance as Philly Free Streets returns to North Broad Street from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Philly Free Streets is a people-powered initiative of the City of Philadelphia , with the route temporarily closing to… continue reading Join the Free Library at Philly Free Streets!

By written by Kate C.    August 1, 2019   

• Community Events
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries

Did you know that August is Family Fun Month ? It’s true! And the Free Library is the perfect place to celebrate! Our events calendar is jam-packed with ideas for spending a fun day with your loved ones at the library . Check out our suggestions:   Storytimes Free Library storytimes take place all around the city, and there are… continue reading Celebrate Family Fun Month with the Free Library!

By written by Kate C.    July 30, 2019   

• Family Programs
• Neighborhood Libraries

The summer is heating up, and as we all try our best to deal with the rising temperatures, don't forget that the Free Library of Philadelphia is a great place to cool off! From books and magazines to free wireless internet and so much more, your neighborhood library is a welcome respite this time of year! And any time the City of… continue reading Celebrate Those Dog Days of Summer with the Free Library!

By written by Kate C.    June 27, 2019   

• Summer
• Cooling Centers
• Neighborhood Libraries
• PAWS Read to a Dog

You heard right! Today is National Selfie Day, an excuse to snap a photo of yourself in the name of this glorious (fake) holiday! Looking for the perfect place to take it? How about heading to your nearest Free Library location ? We’ve even put together a few suggestions of great selfie spots across our neighborhood libraries, but if we… continue reading Happy National Selfie Day!

By written by Kate C.    June 21, 2019   

• Art
• Holidays
• Social Media
• Neighborhood Libraries

Now that summer is upon us, we hope you’ve got the Free Library on your mind! Whether you’re looking for something fun to do outside, plan to cool off at your neighborhood library location , or take us along on your vacation or stay-cation, we’re excited to summer with you! One *cool* idea? Head on over to your nearest pool or… continue reading Summer at the Free Library!

By written by Kate C.    June 13, 2019   

• Summer Reading
• Digital Media
• Summer
• Neighborhood Libraries

When I noticed that May 23 is the birthdate of one of our great children’s authors – Margaret Wise Brown , of The Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon fame – I immediately thought of my son. Even though those two books, and others from Brown’s body of work, are favorites from my childhood, it had admittedly been years since… continue reading Happy Birthday to Children's Author Margaret Wise Brown!

By written by Kate C.    May 23, 2019   

• Childrens Programs
• Childrens Books
• Author Birthdays

If you follow us here on the blog or on social media, you may be familiar with our new #MyFreeLibrary campaign. With 54 neighborhood library locations across the city and over 30,000 events and programs going on each year in every nook and cranny across Philadelphia, it just makes sense to us that no two Free Library experiences would look the… continue reading Springing Into Your Free Library

By written by Kate C.    May 13, 2019    1  

• Social Media
• Neighborhood Libraries

The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) and Culinary Literacy Center (CLC) will receive a Community Partner Award from Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ASB) at the Louis Braille Awards luncheon on Friday, May 3. In its 59th year, the Louis Braille Awards honors… continue reading Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ASB) to Honor the Free Library

By written by Kate C.    May 1, 2019    1  

• Awards
• Culinary Literacy
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries

Here's some exciting news to close out National Poetry Month : Philadelphia Poet Laureate Raquel Salas Rivera has been selected by the Academy of American Poets as one of 13 recipients of a new fellowship award ! Rivera, who was appointed to their two-year term as Poet Laureate in 2018, is one of 13 poets in nine states receiving the… continue reading Raquel Salas Rivera Receives Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship

By written by Kate C.    April 30, 2019   

• Awards
• Poetry

What’s better than a fun Free Library storytime with your little one? How about a fun Free Library storytime complete with some of Philly’s most iconic eats just steps away? That’s right! On the first Wednesday morning of each month, the Free Library partners with our friends at Reading Terminal Market for a storytime in the… continue reading Join the Free Library for a Storytime in Reading Terminal Market!

By written by Kate C.    April 18, 2019    3  

• Childrens Programs
• Community Events
• Storytime

Today as part of National Library Week , we’re joining the American Library Association (ALA) in celebrating National Library Workers Day and the real heroes behind who we are and what we do: our librarians and staff! Today is a day to recognize the myriad contributions made by Free Library staff, those who work tirelessly to make… continue reading #NationalLibraryWeek: Happy National Library Workers Day!

By written by Kate C.    April 9, 2019    1  

• Free Library Staff
• National Library Week

It’s here, it’s here! It’s one of our favorite weeks of the year: National Library Week ! Founded in 1958, this is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians, and the role they play in transforming lives and strengthening communities. It’s also a time to collectively promote… continue reading #NationalLibraryWeek: It’s Time to Celebrate Libraries!

By written by Kate C.    April 8, 2019   

• National Library Week

If you’ve spent time visiting any of the Free Library’s 54 neighborhood library locations or reading this blog , you know that we’ve got something for everyone. With over 25,000 events and programs offered each year across our system, access to hundreds of databases , and something to read or watch no matter what you’re… continue reading #MyFreeLibrary: What Is YOUR Free Library Story?

By written by Kate C.    April 5, 2019    3  

• Social Media
• Neighborhood Libraries
• National Library Week

Following years of planning and renovation, the Free Library is set to open reimagined spaces in the Parkway Central Library later this month! The massive undertaking began with moving more than 800,000 books and materials, before deconstructing six levels of historic stacks. Three bold, new public spaces were created: The Robert and Eileen… continue reading #ReimaginedFLP: Free Library to Open Reimagined Spaces in the Parkway Central Library!

By written by Kate C.    April 1, 2019    3  

• Parkway Central

We hate to admit it, but the end of another phenomenal  One Book, One Philadelphia  season is already upon us! We’ve spent the last eight weeks reading, discussing, watching, creating, playing, and enjoying, with dynamic programs all around the city centered around Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Unburied, Sing and our companion… continue reading #OneBookWednesday: Closing the Book (For Now!)

By written by Kate C.    March 13, 2019   

• One Book, One Philadelphia

Throughout March and including International Women’s Day on March 8, the Free Library will join in the nationwide celebration of the vital role of women throughout American History during Women’s History Month . From special events at various neighborhood librar ies (including screenings of and conversations about Sisters in Freedom… continue reading March is Women’s History Month at the Free Library!

By written by Kate C.    February 28, 2019    2  

• Women's History Month