If ever a Broadway musical seemed destined to fail, it was Oklahoma . Contrary to the standard practice at the time, the producers insisted on casting singers who could act, rather than actors who could sing. As a result, the show opened on Broadway without a single star in the cast. Almost everyone had reservations about the show’s… continue reading Oklahoma: The Show That Changed American Musicals Forever

By written by Richard L.    September 16, 2021   

• Central Senior Services
• Music
• Seniors

The Free Library Board of Trustees will be holding its first meeting of FY22 on Friday, September 17, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. View the upcoming meeting agenda » The meeting will take place through the online meeting platform Zoom, due to continued COVID-19 precautions.  To access the meeting: Join via Zoom with the… continue reading Free Library Board of Trustees Public Meeting on Friday, September 17 at 8:00 a.m.

By written by Administrator    September 15, 2021    17  

• Board of Trustees

Like many libraries across the nation, the Free Library of Philadelphia is undergoing a paradigm shift . Increasingly, our focus is not only on extensive collections but on how we are engaging with our communities. To address this shift, the Free Library created the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries curriculum. The Skills for… continue reading Skills for Community Centered Libraries Curriculum Release

By written by Lynn W.    September 15, 2021    1  

• Free Library Staff
• IMLS

While—for now—the realities of the ongoing pandemic keep us from gathering in the Parkway Central Library’s Montgomery Auditorium for a new season of Author Events , this month we’re bringing you a host of virtual talks that you can experience and participate in wherever you are. Join us Tuesday, September 14 at 12:00… continue reading Author Events Fall 2021 Schedule

By written by Author Events    September 14, 2021    3  

• Podcasts
• Author Events

September is  Library Card Sign-Up Month , and while we all know that a library card grants you instant access to a treasure trove of books, CDs, DVDs, graphic novels, and audiobooks from our  catalog , we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the more unconventional but equally wonderful items you can borrow and… continue reading Do More With Your Free Library Card!

By written by Kate C.    September 14, 2021    1  

• Library Card
• Neighborhood Libraries

The bond between grandchildren and grandparents is strong. This unique connection, across time and generations, can stretch across countries as well. It’s no surprise that National Grandparents Day is celebrated around the world every September 12! Here’s a selection of picture books that explore the experience and connection… continue reading Picture Books Highlights | Grandparents Day

By written by Monica C.    September 10, 2021   

• Holidays
• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Picture Book Highlights

In order to boldly move forward our mission to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity the Free Library must hold with great fidelity a space for dialogue, a space for nuance, and a space free of hate. The Free Library recently received concerns over a blog post on freelibrary.org alongside three storytime videos on one of our… continue reading A Space for Civic Dialogue

By written by Administrator    September 3, 2021    45  

• Community
• Diversity Equity and Inclusion

September 4 is #BeyDay , the birthday celebration of our favorite Queen of the music industry— Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter . This inspiring, outspoken, and sometimes shy Virgo is celebrating her 39th birthday this year. In that time, she has released fifteen musical albums, starred in more than ten films, directed her own music… continue reading Celebrate #BeyDay the Beyoncé Way

By written by Emily S.    September 3, 2021   

• Music
• Pop Culture

This fall, adults working on their English skills in Philadelphia will have several opportunities to learn and practice English with the Free Library's Languages and Learning Center and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education . From September through December of 2021, we will be offering free online… continue reading Learn English with the Free Library and University of Pennsylvania GSE!

By written by Lindsay S.    September 3, 2021    2  

• Languages
• English Language Learners
• Languages and Learning
• Virtual Programs

As summer comes to an end and another autumn is on the horizon, your friends at the Free Library have some fun new titles to share with you! Young Children (up to 2nd Grade) Isabel and Her Colores Go to School written by Alexandra Alessandri; illustrated by Courtney Dawson English just feels wrong to Isabel; she prefers to speak her native… continue reading New Titles Coming to the Free Library in September!

By written by Rachel F.    September 2, 2021    1  

• Recommendations
• Monthly New Titles

Whether it is eating ice cream, swimming, or visiting your neighborhood library, there are so many great summer pastimes. One of the most exciting parts of summer is listening to all the incredible music! As we approach the end of summer, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best summer albums through the decades, beginning in the 1950s to… continue reading Best Summer Albums Through the Decades

By written by Inaara S.    September 2, 2021    1  

• Art
• Music
• History
• Summer
• Pop Culture

September is  Library Card Sign-Up Month —do you have your  Free Library card ?! Anyone who lives, works, pays taxes, or attends school in the city of Philadelphia is eligible, so share the news! Your Free Library card connects you to thousands of books, DVDs, CDs, and other materials from our  catalog , and grants you… continue reading It's Library Card Sign-Up Month!

By written by Kate C.    September 1, 2021    10  

• Library Card
• Library Resources

by Tyler Williams, Logan Library Work-Study Student Since the beginning of time, people have loved to hear the narratives and experiences of others. Memoirs make it possible for many to share in these stories. As writer Abigail McCarthy says, "Every memoir reminds us of the faraway and long ago, of loss and change, of persons and places… continue reading Happy National Memoir Day

By written by Administrator    August 31, 2021   

• Writing

by Laura S. and Caitlin G. It’s been ninety years since the crisis of the Great Depression inspired the New Deal’s government investment and aid. But it’s not just history. The country is again facing a choice: What do we owe our neighbors? What does our country owe us? The Great Depression was a national crisis that affected… continue reading For the Greatest Number: The New Deal Revisited

By written by Administrator    August 31, 2021    4  

• Exhibitions
• Archives
• Art
• Digital Collections
• Parkway Central
• Printmaking
• Rare Book Department
• Children's Literature Research Collection
• History
• Government Publications
• Print and Picture Collection
• Special Collections

This week, we're taking a little stroll down memory lane with #summerthrowback to highlight how food can be holistic, radical, and more than anything—should be a right, not a privilege. We learn from community members by way of Good Food for All about their take on nutrition, food, and the ways it can bring communities together.… continue reading #SummerThrowback: Building Community Through Food Sovereignty

By written by Valentín S.    August 30, 2021   

• Culinary Literacy
• Accessibility

A new school year is upon us and so many new experiences on the horizon! Starting something new can include a mix of excitement and butterflies-in-your-tummy. What better way to get ready than by reading a book that reflects those feelings right back at you?. Here’s a selection of some brand new and all-time favorite books on going back… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | Back to School

By written by Monica C.    August 30, 2021   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Back To School
• Picture Book Highlights

Two months ago was the first official celebration of Juneteenth as a national holiday. On Thursday, June 17, 2021, Congress passed and presented the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act to President Joe Biden, who signed the bill into law. The U.S. government updated Title 5, Section 6103 (a) of the United States Code to include Juneteenth… continue reading We Have a New Federal Holiday — Juneteenth!

By written by Inaara S.    August 27, 2021   

• Holidays
• African American
• History
• Black Lives Matter

I’m a dog person (but hey, I love cats too!). I love all animals, really, but I do have a soft spot for dogs: big or small, young or old, even the cranky ones. Dogs never fail to make me feel better. Whenever I’m on a walk, I ask passing humans if it’s okay for me to greet their dogs. I’ve blogged about dogs in the past… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | National Dog Day

By written by Monica C.    August 26, 2021   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Picture Book Highlights

As Philadelphia students gear up to return to school at the end of the month, we hope you’ll join the Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library on Friday, August 27 from 12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. for a Community Fair . The Community Fair will include giveaways of books, backpacks, and school supplies while they last, as well as kits for job… continue reading Join the Cobbs Creek Library for a Community Fair!

By written by Kate C.    August 25, 2021   

• Community Events
• Free Library Staff
• Back To School
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries

by Steven Doncaster myPlace locations across Philadelphia help adults earn high school diplomas and get ready for the workplace. As the summer comes to an end and the school year starts, are you thinking about going back to school? If you are looking to take classes to earn your high school diploma, GED, or an equivalent, brush up on your math… continue reading myPLACE Is Your Place for Adult Education!

By written by Administrator    August 24, 2021    2  

• Job Seekers
• Languages and Learning