The bitter cold, short days, and gloomy forecasts of wintertime have got me thinking... how does a person take heart, find courage, and call up the energy to keep going forward? Here are three titles that may provide some answers featuring characters dealing with serious situations and learning how to cope in positive, constructive ways.  … continue reading Book Recommendations for Social and Emotional Learning

By written by Jeff B.    March 4, 2022    1  

• Recommendations
• Self Care

"Our goal is to always promote literacy, encourage civic dialog, and amplify community storytelling." – Jim Kenney, Mayor of Philadelphia. This year’s One Book, One Philadelphia selection, My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes , commemorates 20 years of the city-wide program. Free Library Director, Kelly… continue reading 2022 One Book, One Philadelphia: Sharing Generational Stories

By written by Mary Marques    March 3, 2022   

• Community Events
• Family Programs
• One Book, One Philadelphia
• Reading

Fresh, frozen, sun-dried, freeze-dried, jelly, jam, milk, ice cream, fruit leather, syrup... strawberries are sweet, a treat, and fun to eat! A great source of vitamin C, strawberries are a special food with some surprises hidden under their green tops. The small freckles on the outside of the fruit are commonly referred to as the… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Strawberries Are Our Jam!

By written by Shayna M.    March 2, 2022    2  

• Culinary Literacy
• Cooking
• Crafts and Hobbies

This March, celebrate Women’s History Month with the Free Library! Women’s History Month originally began as a celebration of Women’s History Week. Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which designated the week of March 7, 1982, as Women’s History Week. For the next five years, Congress continued to pass resolutions declaring… continue reading March Is Women's History Month

By written by Inaara S.    March 1, 2022   

• Women's History Month

The John Newbery Award is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022! Commonly referred to as "The Newbery", the literary award is given each year by the American Library Association (ALA) to the author and their book considered the best in American Children's Literature of the past year. Beginning in 1922, one award winner is… continue reading Award-Winning Black Authors and The Newbery’s 100th Anniversary

By written by Jeff B.    February 28, 2022   

• Awards
• Black History Month
• Black Authors

Philadelphia’s Food Service History is Black History From the Historical Marker Database , photographed by Carolyn Martienssen, June 2015 You might have noticed on South 8th Street a historical marker that reads: “A noted Black caterer, [Robert] Bogle opened a posh eatery at this location in 1813. Recognized for his popular meat… continue reading Robert Bogle and Philadelphia’s Dynastic Black Caterers

By written by Lane    February 25, 2022    2  

• Culinary Literacy
• Black History Month

The Nourishing Literacy team has been creating a short series of audio shares with a focus on children and youth, highlighting skills and qualities that we practice and encourage in the kitchen. These shares include extended reflections and ideas beyond the kitchen context as well.  Our first topic explored is... confidence… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Kitchen Life Skills

By written by Shayna M.    February 25, 2022   

• Culinary Literacy
• Self Care

Many of us may get our news from online sources these days—social media feeds provide a constant source of information about everything from policy proposals, the weather, celebrity news, and more, as the events unfold in real-time. Moving between the national, the local, and the global within a matter of seconds, we can be connected to… continue reading Newspapers: A Guide Into the Past

By written by Inaara S.    February 24, 2022   

• Databases
• Digital Media
• Black History Month
• Newspapers
• Literature

Our podcast archive dates back more than 25 years and features scores of author talks to help you commemorate, celebrate, and reflect on Black History Month. But even in just this past year, we’ve hosted an incredible variety of Black voices across a rich spectrum of genres and topics. We’re talking literature, politics, social… continue reading Black Authors and Voices: Podcasts from the Author Events Archive

By written by Author Events    February 23, 2022   

• Author Events
• Black History Month

Read, Baby, Read is a Free Library initiative focused on encouraging early literacy development among infants and young toddlers under two years old. We work with 12 participating libraries across Philadelphia to reach caregivers of all ages, providing resources that support early literacy skills, language development, and purposeful play. In… continue reading Read, Baby, Read Presents Early Literacy Ideas: Music!

By written by Sarah J.    February 22, 2022   

• Childrens Programs
• Family Programs
• Childrens Books
• Early Literacy
• Read Baby Read

In the Path of Islam is a community-driven project amplifying the diverse voices of Philadelphia’s indigenous Muslim community, born and raised in the city, while engaging all Philadelphians who feel a connection with Islam. The project is inspired by the books and paintings made in Muslim lands that are housed at the Free Library of… continue reading In the Path of Islam: An Exhibition and Experience

By written by Joe S.    February 18, 2022    11  

• Exhibitions
• Muslim World

Did you know that there are important dates in February beyond Groundhog Day (Sorry, Punxsutawney Phil!), Presidents' Day, and Valentine’s Day, where specific foods are celebrated? Here's just a few to mark on your calendar to celebrate this month!   Drink Wine Day – February 18 Wine was an important drink of the… continue reading Celebrating February's Food Days

By written by Linda Y.    February 17, 2022   

• Culinary Literacy
• Nonfiction

History is found in the pages of a textbook—or so I thought! This February, celebrate Black History Month by learning more about the history of Black quilt makers! Do you know about the (Quilt) Pieces of Black History series happening this month at Nicetown-Tioga and Philadelphia City Institute libraries? During this series, you’ll… continue reading The Quilts of Gee's Bend

By written by Inaara S.    February 16, 2022    1  

• Art
• History
• Black History Month

This February as we celebrate Black History Month, we want to recommend some pictures books published in 2021 that were written and/or illustrated by Black creators. In the following list, you’ll find books about history, love of self and love of family, joy and resilience, bedtime stories, biographies, and so much more.   Soul Food… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | Black History Month

By written by Monica C.    February 15, 2022   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Black History Month
• Picture Book Highlights
• Black Authors
• Black Women Authors

It might be ridichio' lous but puns can be a way to use brain mussels . In the Culinary Literacy Center , food is our muse when we put pen' salt to pepper  (pencil to paper!) . Do you think that you could create a poem, short story, or other egg 'spression using food words in unique ways? As we already know, Sunshine… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Fun Pun Kitchen: Cooking Up Creativity!

By written by Shayna M.    February 14, 2022    1  

• Culinary Literacy

Was there a saint of love? Despite myths surrounding the "real" Saint Valentine , this holiday likely owes its origins to Medieval English poet Chaucer . At a time of growing romance around ideas of forbidden courtly love, he penned a poem that referenced the yet-to-be-consecrated holiday with the following line: "For this was on… continue reading Who Was the Saint of Valentine's Day?

By written by Emily S.    February 14, 2022   

• Holidays
• History

by Nathalie Marquez, Language and Learning Center Intern The Languages and Learning Center has launched the Leamos! ( Let’s Read! ) literacy program, with both virtual and in-person classes , to teach Spanish-speaking adults how to read and write in Spanish. The program is completely free and consists of 43 self-paced instructional… continue reading Leamos! (Let’s Read!) Literacy Program

By written by Administrator    February 11, 2022    1  

• Languages and Learning
• Virtual Programs

Are you a fan of comic book characters such as Marvel Comics' Black Panther or DC Comics' Black Lighting ? These Black superhero comics gained renewed popularity in recent years as a result of blockbuster movies and TV series. Did you know before 1957, Black writers, illustrators, and cartoonists could not work for White comic book… continue reading Early Black Comic Book Writers, Illustrators, and Newspaper Cartoonists

By written by Sandy M.    February 10, 2022    1  

• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Black History Month

Can you guess what one of the world’s favorite foods is? It’s pizza! Whether you bake it your own, eat it in a restaurant by the slice (or the whole pie!), or buy it frozen from a supermarket—pizza is a popular choice worldwide. There are all kinds of pizzas, and that’s one of its charms: thin or thick crust, with all… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | National Pizza Day

By written by Monica C.    February 9, 2022   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Culinary Literacy
• Picture Book Highlights

by Germaine Ingram On Sunday, February 13, at 6:00 p.m., live on YouTube , I’ll be in conversation with the tap/jazz aficionado and irrepressible raconteur Hank Smith on his every-so-often show Hangin’ with Hank . We’ll kick back and chat about the research I’ve been doing, for the past three decades, on Louise Madison… continue reading Hangin’ with Hank: Imagining Louise

By written by Administrator    February 8, 2022   

• Black History Month
• Virtual Programs
• Chronicling Resistance