The 1960 presidential campaign was close, hard-fought, and left both sides feeling embittered. Kennedy’s final margin of victory was less than 115,000 votes out of nearly 70 million cast.  Nixon was convinced that the Kennedy campaign had stolen Illinois and Texas from him. He wanted to challenge the election results, but senior… continue reading Frenemies: The Strange Friendship of JFK and Richard Nixon

By written by Richard L.    November 3, 2021    1  

• Central Senior Services
• History
• Politics
• Virtual Programs

Updated Tuesday, December 7, 2021 Sherry L. Howard is a Philadelphia-based art collector and researcher who primarily focuses on local African American art and artists. She writes about her experience in the world of art auctions on her blog, Auction Finds , and in her new book,  Art with Heart: How I Built a Sweet Collection by… continue reading African American Art Collecting and Research with Philadelphia Author Sherry Howard

By written by Alina J.    November 3, 2021   

• Archives
• Art
• African American
• Author Events
• History of Philadelphia
• Black Authors

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Jacqueline Woodson grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and Brooklyn, New York, graduating from college with a B.A. in English. She is the author of dozens of award-winning books for young adults, middle graders, and children. Among her many accolades, she is a four-time Newbery Honor winner, a four-time National… continue reading Celebrating Jacqueline Woodson

By written by Jeff B.    November 2, 2021   

• Recommendations
• Literature
• Black Women Authors

We are grateful for these new titles arriving on our shelves and catalog this fall! Young Children (up to 2nd Grade) Nibi's Water Song  written by Sunshine Tenasco; illustrated by Chief Lady Bird When Nibi, an Indigenous girl, turns the handle on the sink in her house, only mucky brown water comes out. That starts her on a search… continue reading New Titles Coming to the Free Library in November!

By written by Rachel F.    November 1, 2021   

• Recommendations
• Monthly New Titles
• New Titles

Annnnnnnd we’re back! On Monday, November 1, the Free Library’s Author Events series will host its first in-person event in more than 19 months. For now, there are only a handful of in-person author talks on our schedule, leaving the majority of our 2021 events remaining virtual . Nevertheless, we’re still excited to see… continue reading Author Events Return Live and In-Person to Montgomery Auditorium This November!

By written by Author Events    October 29, 2021    2  

• Author Events

Howllo Boils and Ghouls... welcome back to the Free Library of Phrightadelphia's boo-log, as we draw near to the most haunted of holidays— Halloween ! This year is a monstrously momentous occasion for celebration, as two of the most popular film icons of all time are marking their 90th anniversaries— Dracula and Frankenstein !… continue reading Famous Monsters of the Silver Scream: Dracula and Frankenstein

By written by Peter SM    October 29, 2021   

• Film
• Halloween
• Pop Culture

All October we'll be talking about LGBTQ History on the Free Library's blog! So far we've discussed LGBTQ Historical Young Adult Fiction and  LGBTQ History Told Through Comics and Graphic Novels . This week, we turn our attention to Historical Nonfiction! Learning our own history doesn't come easily. We have lost entire… continue reading More Than Stonewall: LGBTQ Historical Nonfiction

By written by Shelley R.    October 28, 2021   

• LGBTQ
• Teens
• History
• YA Literature
• Nonfiction
• History of Philadelphia

November is almost upon us, and it already has us thinking about Thanksgiving and the spirit of giving as the holiday season approaches! Here at the Free Library, we're thankful for  you . No matter how you use and support the Library, you make a difference in our community all year long, and we are so appreciative. In the spirit… continue reading Give Thanks with the Free Library this November!

By written by Administrator    October 27, 2021   

• Holidays
• Support
• Nonprofit

Teens recently joined the Field Teen Center and Nourishing Literacy teams for a SWEET Make and Take project! Candy buttons are small dots of colorful sugar candy attached to a strip of paper. It was surprising and cool how simple they were to make from scratch! Materials Parchment or wax paper Writing paper Permanant marker Small bowls… continue reading Nourishing Literacy | Create Your Own Candy Buttons!

By written by Shayna M.    October 26, 2021   

• Teens
• Culinary Literacy
• Recipes
• Halloween

Greeting fiends! The brisk winds of autumn are finally here, bringing colder nights for spooky reading... So much great horror fiction has been hitting our stacks, here are some of my current favorites.  My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones Are you a fan of the “slasher” sub-genre of scary movies ( Halloween , Friday… continue reading Scary Reads for Autumn Chills | Horror Fiction Recommendations

By written by Ned W.    October 25, 2021   

• Recommendations
• Halloween
• Fiction

General Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, 2021 and many of our  neighborhood libraries  will again serve as designated voting locations. These locations will be closed for library services and will only be open for voting. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.; anyone in line by 8:00 p.m. will be able to… continue reading 35 Free Library Locations Will Serve as Polling Places for November 2, 2021 General Election

By written by Jenn D.    October 25, 2021    1  

• Voting and Elections

Jack-o'-lanterns are grinning from the stoops, and a chill wind rustles through the leaves. An orange October moon slips from behind swift-moving clouds, and children are possessed by an unquenchable thirst for pocket-sized portions of candy. The spooky season is upon us once again! Last year, Halloween was a little different due to… continue reading Trick or Treat! A COVID-Safe Halloween

By written by Emily S.    October 22, 2021    1  

• Family Programs
• Holidays

We were very saddened to hear about Jerry Pinkney’s sudden passing yesterday at the age of 81. He was a Philadelphian by birth and spoke at the Free Library numerous times to share his beautiful books and art. So much so that on July 19, 2016, Mayor Jim Kenney declared it to be Jerry Pinkney Day ! As a storyteller… continue reading Remembering Jerry Pinkney

By written by Administrator    October 21, 2021    3  

• Childrens Books
• Remembrances

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: Nature!

By written by Sarah J.    October 20, 2021   

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

PA CareerLink® has partnered with the Free Library since 2019 to provide in-person job seeker services at neighborhood libraries around Philadelphia. Although the pandemic disrupted those services, we are pleased to announce that PA CareerLink®  community support is back at a library near you! If you are looking for help with your… continue reading PA CareerLink® is Back at the Free Library!

By written by Margaret T.    October 19, 2021    2  

• Careers
• Adult Learning
• Job Seekers

I’ll admit it—I am a child of the 1980s. I mean, the stereotypical mallrat/latchkey kid who watched a lot of sitcoms, devoured the Sweet Valley High series , and ate large (think mixing bowl-sized) quantities of sugary cereal while watching Saturday cartoons, as well as after-school specials on network television. During the 1980s… continue reading Spooky Season Books and Films from Gen X to Gen Z

By written by Aimee TH    October 18, 2021   

• Recommendations
• YA Literature
• Halloween

40 years ago on this day, October 15, 1981, a film debuted that not only scared audiences but would send shivers through Hollywood for years to come, serving as not only an artistic influence on future filmmakers but also a D.I.Y. guide to filmmaking . Let's reopen the Book of the Dead and look back on the cult classic horror film The Evil… continue reading Reopening the Book of the Dead: The Evil Dead 40th Anniversary

By written by Peter SM    October 15, 2021   

• Film
• History
• Halloween
• Pop Culture

Since October 14 is National Dessert Day , I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane, all the way back to the spring of 2020 when I started stress-baking... Coronavirus was still a new term and staying in the house was a foreign notion for many of us to grasp. The news cycle was driving me insane and I needed to find a way to put… continue reading National Dessert Day

By written by Kamilah C.    October 14, 2021   

• Holidays
• Recipes

A panel from Hazel Newlevant's exposé of queer uprisings found within Be Gay, Do Comics!. All October we'll be talking about LGBTQ History on the Free Library's blog! Last week we discussed LGBTQ Historical Young Adult Fiction . This week, we turn our attention to comics and graphic novels! I think comics are really great… continue reading LGBTQ History Told Through Comics and Graphic Novels

By written by Shelley R.    October 13, 2021   

• LGBTQ
• Teens
• History
• YA Literature
• Comics and Graphic Novels

Start your journey to college at the Free Library! This school year, the Field Teen Center will be hosting a series of virtual SAT and College Prep workshops for teens . College Financial Aid Workshop Saturday, October 16 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. The 2021–22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) became available to high school… continue reading SAT and College Prep Workshops

By written by Kris L.    October 12, 2021   

• College Prep
• Teens