If you have been to the Lovett Memorial Library recently, you have likely seen the Black Lives Matter book walk prominently displayed in its park. The idea came from Lisa Browne of Colorful Stories . Following the racial justice movements last summer, Browne wrote a short story that developed into her idea to create a book walk that children… continue reading Lovett Library's Book Walk Continues the Conversation on Race

By written by Dana G.    June 23, 2021    2  

• Childrens Programs
• Storytime
• Social Justice
• Black Lives Matter
• Neighborhood Libraries
• Diversity Equity and Inclusion

Want to help the City of Philadelphia close the digital divide and assist residents with affordable internet access? All you have to do is pick up your phone! The Philadelphia Household Internet Assessment is a one-month-long survey that will collect information on how people view available internet options and barriers to internet… continue reading Support Digital Equity by Taking the Philadelphia Household Internet Assessment Survey

By written by Administrator    June 22, 2021    1  

• Tech
• Digital Literacy
• Community

Are you passionate about serving diverse populations in an urban public library setting? Are you ready for all that Philadelphia has to offer? If so, then please consider this community-focused Librarian position housed within a large, municipal library system—the Free Library of Philadelphia! We expect to hire 12 librarians in this… continue reading We're Hiring Librarians!

By written by Jenn D.    June 22, 2021    6  

• Job Seekers
• Free Library Careers

by Erin H . and Kayla H. What does it feel like to be a child living through war and displacement? How can young people in the United States learn to develop empathy for young people around the world? How do we explain to our children what they see or hear on the news? Reading literature is a powerful way for parents and other caring adults to… continue reading Palestinian Stories in Literature for Young People

By written by Administrator    June 21, 2021    9  

• Teens
• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Poetry
• Black Lives Matter

African American Independence Day, widely referred to as Juneteenth, originated in Galveston, Texas in 1865. Though the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863, freed millions of slaves in confederate states, African Americans in Texas were not informed until June 19, 1865. Upon hearing the news, former slaves celebrated with prayer,… continue reading Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom and Cuisine

By written by Naquawna L.    June 18, 2021    1  

• Holidays
• African American
• Culinary Literacy

This blog post was written by Jeanette Coppinger, Digital Resource Specialist for Lovett Memorial Library. Jeanette was a member of Cohort 10 of the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries training program. The timing of my cohort for the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries training could not have been more unusual. In March 2020, I was a… continue reading Exploring the Neighborhood: Virtual Adventures in Community Asset Mapping

By written by Community-Centered Libraries    June 17, 2021   

• Community
• IMLS

June is Pride Month and the Free Library’s Author Events series has an extensive archive of podcasts and videos to help you celebrate a diverse range of writers working in politics, fiction, health and fitness, literary fiction, poetry, religion, and much more. Before we look back at some of our previous authors, check out these upcoming… continue reading Author Events Celebrates Pride Month

By written by Author Events    June 16, 2021   

• Podcasts
• Author Events
• Free Library of Pride

Here are five ebook and audiobook titles about identity, acceptance, love, and loss to consider this month as we celebrate those journeys with our friends, families, and ourselves.   King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callander (Ages 8-12) An intense tale of love, loss, and friendship as a young man struggles to realize his dreams and find… continue reading LGBTQ+ Middle Grade and YA ebooks and Audiobooks

By written by Jeff B.    June 16, 2021   

• Ebooks
• LGBTQ
• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Free Library of Pride
• Audiobooks

Effective June 30, 2021, we will no longer be offering Kanopy and Hoopla services to our patrons. Instead, the Free Library will use the funding for those subscriptions to support our collections of physical materials in neighborhood libraries . While we know this is disappointing to Kanopy and Hoopla users, we will continue to offer… continue reading Kanopy and Hoopla Access Ends June 30, 2021

By written by Tara M.    June 15, 2021    82  

• Databases
• Digital Media

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: Food!

By written by Sarah J.    June 15, 2021    1  

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

The oldest known celebration of the end of enslavement in U.S. history, Juneteenth is a day that recognizes freedom and liberation. Juneteenth, a combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth, centers Black lived experiences, identity, and history in the United States. Juneteenth remembers the date of June 19, 1865 , when… continue reading The Commemoration of Juneteenth

By written by Inaara S.    June 14, 2021    1  

• Holidays
• African American
• History
• Black Lives Matter

The comic strip  Heart of the City , set in Philadelphia, dates back to when everyone read the daily funnies on newsprint. A year ago, then 29-year-old Christina “Steenz” Stewart assumed Heart's authorship, giving its cast of Philly families new looks and 'tudes. Steenz, with characters imaginative enough to… continue reading Christina “Steenz” Stewart Draws the Heart of the City

By written by Bruce J.    June 11, 2021   

• Childrens Books
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Newspapers
• History of Philadelphia

How does it feel to be an immigrant? Imagine yourself leaving your home, your family and your country to settle in a completely different one.  How would you feel? What would you miss? And how would you define home? Whether you’re an immigrant yourself or not, these stories will soothe and illuminate what it’s like to live in… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | Immigrant Heritage Month

By written by Monica C.    June 10, 2021   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Picture Book Highlights
• Immigrant Heritage

For Pride Month this year, we’re highlighting one of the most entertaining programs that we offer— Drag Queen Storytime ! I interviewed Ian Morrison (a.k.a. Brittany Lynn) and Amy Ignatow, a local author and parent. Together, they discuss the importance of these storytimes and what makes them so fabulous. Kamilah: Thank you both for… continue reading Spotlight on Drag Queen Storytime

By written by Kamilah C.    June 9, 2021   

• Storytime
• Neighborhood Libraries
• Free Library of Pride

Many of us queer people never stop coming out. When we list our emergency contact, when we rent a car, when we take our kids to the playground—we remain surrounded by hetero- and cisnormative people, places, and things. While coming out usually gets easier over time, I think most LGBTQIA people might agree the first couple of times are… continue reading Coming Out at Work

By written by Joel N.    June 8, 2021    4  

• Free Library Staff
• Free Library of Pride

Eight weeks of programs diving into The Tradition , Jericho Brown’s collection of poetry and the One Book, One Philadelphia 2021 title , have gone by in the blink of an eye. We read, we wrote, we danced, we made music and art, and we discussed. We joined workshops, panels, and lectures led by Philly's incredibly talented and dedicated… continue reading Re-Creating Our World: Join Us for the One Book, One Philadelphia Finale

By written by Brittanie S.    June 7, 2021   

• LGBTQ
• One Book, One Philadelphia
• African American
• Black Lives Matter
• Free Library of Pride
• Virtual Programs

The Free Library Board of Trustees will be holding its annual meeting of FY21 on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in-person at Parkway Central Library (1901 Vine Street) in the Business Resource and Innovation Center on the ground floor. Please enter the Library by using the Wood Street entrance which… continue reading Free Library Board of Trustees Upcoming Public Meeting on Wednesday, June 9 at 4:00 p.m.

By written by Administrator    June 4, 2021    2  

• Board of Trustees

Looking for books to celebrate Pride month? Look no further than these titles bursting with love and pride! These picture books have it all, with families finding homes, love, and adventures along the way, and are sure to find a place on your to-read shelf.   Over the Shop written by JonArno Lawson ; illustrated by Qin Leng A lonely little… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | Celebrate Pride Month!

By written by Monica C.    June 4, 2021   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Picture Book Highlights
• Free Library of Pride

Would you like to work for one of the largest urban library systems in America? The Free Library of Philadelphia circulates more than eight million items to almost 500,000 patrons, and conducts thousands of programs for people of all ages every year. We recognize that only a dedicated staff could make these achievements possible.  We are… continue reading We’re Hiring: Library Facility Guards!

By written by Jenn D.    June 4, 2021    2  

• Free Library Staff
• Job Seekers
• Free Library Careers

This June we are commemorating Immigrant Heritage Month to celebrate the incredible diversity, beauty, and strength of immigrant communities in Philadelphia! Throughout the month, the City of Philadelphia's Office of Immigrant Affairs is promoting community events that celebrate the resilience of Philly’s immigrant communities.… continue reading Celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month this June!

By written by Inaara S.    June 3, 2021   

• New Americans
• Community
• Immigrant Heritage