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

Every year, the Free Library of Philadelphia hosts a Family Fest —a celebration just for children and their families in the historic Parkway Central Library . Open to the public, this very special fundraiser features activities for the whole family to enjoy. In celebration of the recent launch of our new Knee-Hi Society membership , this… continue reading Celebrate the Free Library at This Year’s Family Fest!

By written by Alexa L.    March 25, 2019   

• Events at the Library
• Childrens Programs
• Community Events
• Family Programs
• Parkway Central
• Childrens Books
• Pre K
• Early Literacy

This Saturday, March 23 marks the 25th anniversary of Hellboy and has been designated Hellboy Day across libraries, comic book shops, and bookstores around the world! What's a "Hellboy", you ask? Why he's just your extra-ordinary, lovable, big, red guy with a short-temper, a tail, (filed-down) horns, and the Right Hand of… continue reading Throw Those Horns In the Air in Celebration of Hellboy's 25th Anniversary!

By written by Peter SM    March 22, 2019   

• Film
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Pop Culture
• Adaptations

Joe Shemtov is a Special Collections Coordinator and Primary Source Specialist, and a participant in Cohort 1 of the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries trainings.  In October. I had the pleasure to complete Skills for Community-Centered Libraries, a series of four half-day workshops centered on helping library staff develop and… continue reading Connecting Special Collections with the Cultural and Educational Needs of Philadelphia’s Islamic Populations: Starting the Dialogue

By written by Community-Centered Libraries    March 18, 2019    6  

• CLIR Grant
• Rare Book Department
• Community
• Special Collections
• IMLS
• Muslim World

¡Hola! My name is Mary and I will be your host on this extraordinary adventure. We will be flying for eight hours from the United States to one of the most historic countries in South America : Peru . With our imagination, we will be departing from the Philadelphia International Airport —of course, we will need to follow all… continue reading The World Traveling Trunk viaja a Sudamérica: ¡Bienvenido a Perú!

By written by Mary Marques    March 15, 2019   

• Family Programs
• Languages
• Storytime
• Neighborhood Libraries

Tuesday Chalmers is an Adult/Teen Librarian at McPherson Square Library , and a member of Cohort 1 of the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries training. In this post, she explains the project she worked on after attending the workshops.  I was part of a group of Free Library of Philadelphia staff who attended workshops to enhance our… continue reading McPherson Square Library Photography Exhibit Spotlights Neighborhood Strengths

By written by Community-Centered Libraries    March 7, 2019   

• Exhibitions
• Community Events
• Free Library Staff
• Teens
• Photography
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries
• IMLS

It’s almost Captain Marvel movie time and I’m so excited! I’ve been mildly obsessed with the Captain Marvel comics recently and in anticipation of the movie release I thought I might share my excitement with all of you! There are a couple of different Captain Marvel series that we have available here at the Free Library,… continue reading Catching Up with Captain Marvel!

By written by Rachel F.    March 6, 2019   

• Recommendations
• Film
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Adaptations

Through This Lens , an exhibit of library materials that illustrates and discusses the camera work of African American photographers can be viewed on the 2nd floor landing of Parkway Central Library until mid-March. Some of the earliest and most well-documented African American photographers, active closely after the 1839 introduction of… continue reading Through This Lens: African American Photographers

By written by Alina J.    March 5, 2019    1  

• Exhibitions
• Art
• African American
• Photography
• Library Resources

by Kile Smith The National Museum of Women in the Arts asked, "Can you name five women artists?" March is Women’s History Month , and Fleisher Discoveries is answering that question with five women composers – not just historical, but current as well. Lili Boulanger , Elinor Remick Warren , Joelle Wallach , Gloria… continue reading Fleisher Discoveries | #5WomenArtists (+1)

By written by Fleisher Collection    March 4, 2019    1  

• Fleisher Collection
• Music
• Podcasts

The last decade has produced a number of amazing, award-winning, and celebratory graphic novels featuring figures from African American history. Here are a few of my favorites that I would love to suggest would make for great reads during Black History Month, or really any time! March Trilogy by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and… continue reading Graphic Novels about Black History

By written by Rachel F.    February 20, 2019   

• Recommendations
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Black History Month

We've said it before and we'll say it again, we owe it all to Billy Penn! Err, wait, that was a lyric my music teacher wrote for our elementary school choir. But...Ms. Moore was on to something. (And that was such a great original tune she composed that I remember it 40 years later!) The Free Library has said it before, and we'll… continue reading Spotlight on Unique Lending | Bus Busy Bags!

By written by Jenn D.    February 7, 2019    1  

• Family Programs

by Erme C. Maula, Read by 4th Reading Captain Heading into my Reading Captain training, I didn’t know what to expect. I had wanted to get involved in my community by doing something that I could fit into my busy schedule. The Reading Captain training introduced me to information, resources, and messages that could be easily shared with… continue reading Checking in with a Read by 4th Reading Captain!

By written by Administrator    January 30, 2019    1  

• Literacy
• Read by 4th
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries

The newest batch of must-read titles for children and young adults has been chosen once again to receive the Youth Media Awards ! The American Library Association's yearly event , held this year in Seattle, WA, is often called "The Oscars for Children's Literature." We at the Free Library of Philadelphia are especially excited… continue reading And the 2019 Youth Media Award Winners Are...

By written by Peter SM    January 29, 2019   

• Awards
• Childrens Books
• Recommendations

The Free Library’s Musical Instrument Collection (MIC) celebrated its second birthday back in September 2018 and our collection keeps rolling on! It’s been a big 2 years for the MIC, culminating in a Philadelphia Magazine's Best of Philly Award for "Best Reason to Go to the Library" , coverage from WHYY's … continue reading The Free Library’s Music Department Celebrates Two Years of Instrument Lending!

By written by Perry G.    January 24, 2019    7  

• Music

What is a concept book?  Concept books are a type of picture book that introduces basic ideas, or concepts, to young children. They are sometimes described as informational picture books for preschoolers. These books present single, concrete concepts such as alphabet, colors, numbers and counting, shapes and opposites. Concept books play… continue reading Concept Books | Learning about the Alphabet

By written by Monica C.    January 3, 2019   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Early Literacy

Update: The Free Library’s At These Crossroads exhibition was honored as an Adobe Government Creativity Awards finalist in the ‘Multichannel Campaign – Museum of Park Exhibit’ category! Come see this exhibition at the Parkway Central Library before it closes this fall! Born in 1868, just shortly after the Union’s… continue reading At These Crossroads: The Legacies of Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Du Bois Exhibition

By written by Administrator    December 20, 2018    3  

• Exhibitions
• African American
• History
• Rosenbach

We’re about a month away from kicking off the One Book, One Philadelphia 2019 season. After the official Kickoff Event , eight weeks of discussions, films, performances, and more take place across the city! Even if you haven’t read the book, that still gives you a bit of time to catch up! And, if you don’t tackle it before the… continue reading #OneBookWednesday: It's Time to Discuss!

By written by Lo I.    December 19, 2018   

• One Book, One Philadelphia

Do you need help finding healthcare or signing up for federal benefits? Do you have questions about resources for free or low-cost food? Are you worried about the mental health of a family member? Find support and get your questions answered at Parkway Central Library on Wednesday, December 19 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Community… continue reading Health Support at the Free Library

By written by Autumn M.    December 13, 2018   

• Healthcare
• Health

On a recent Monday morning,  Paul L. Dunbar School’s kindergarten storytime got a special guest—librarian Kayla H. from the Cecil B. Moore neighborhood library . Dunbar Elementary’s Community Partnerships Coordinator wanted a special treat for two kindergarten classes, so she invited Ms. Kayla and her bag of books to come… continue reading Spotlight on School Storytimes: A Visit to Dunbar Elementary

By written by Jess P.    December 13, 2018   

• Childrens Programs
• Childrens Books
• School
• Storytime
• Read by 4th
• Teachers
• Students

One of the most popular items in the Rare Book Department that resonates with visitors the world over is not what you would expect. It is not a rare manuscript or a printed book from one of our spectacular literary or historical collections , but a dead bird stuffed over 175 years ago. It was once the legendary pet raven of Charles Dickens… continue reading Grip, Philadelphia's Pet Raven

By written by Joe S.    December 3, 2018    7  

• Exhibitions
• Rare Book Department
• Charles Dickens
• Health
• Special Collections