Art: Fraktur: The colorful legacy of Pennsylvania Germans
Philly.com
Right now, fraktur is getting major exposure, with shows at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Winterthur Museum, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It is joyous, sometimes whimsical, sometimes visionary, frequently funny. Though it was named more than a century ago for the "broken" style of lettering it uses (Fraktur, in German), its imagery and overall visual design are the reasons to look at it, especially if you don't read German and aren't interested in Pennsylvania genealogy.

Poetry takes center stage in April
Burlingtoncountytimes.com
Features Author Event of Judith Miller (will appear 4/15)

#PhillyFive Things to Do: March 30, 2015
Philly.com
For a talk: Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Paul Offit comes to the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Central Branch (1901 Vine St.) to discuss his new book “Bad Faith: When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine” at 7:30 p.m.

Germantown’s Coleman Library looks forward to leaky roof repairs
Newsworks.org
After two weeks, the roof leaks that forced the Northwest Regional Library's prized wooden dragon to be covered head-to-tail in plastic will be patched this week, possibly as soon as today. Staffers at the Germantown-based branch couldn't be happier. "It's a local tradition and something people expect to see," said Antoinette Hoagland, Northwest Area Administrator for the Free Library of Philadelphia. "The staff has told the children that Ricky is wearing a raincoat."

Spring Guide: West Philly professor Asali Solomon discusses her new novel, ‘Disgruntled’
Citypaper.net
Interview with this Philly native professor/writer who appeared at Oak Lane Library on 4/1

Building Bridges with Books initiative
ABC
Video clip

Honors & Other Things
Upenn.edu/almanac
Frances Aulston is the founder and executive director of the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (WPCA). A seasoned community leader and activist and former research librarian for the Free Library of Philadelphia, Ms. Aulston founded WPCA in 1984 with the assistance of several local artists. The mission of WPCA is to stimulate public interest, understanding and support for the arts in the Greater Philadelphia area. Under her leadership, WPCA is a respected cultural and community organization in Philadelphia.

District receives $1.5 million grant for innovations in early literacy
Thenotebook.org
The Philadelphia School District and the Free Library have received a $1.5 million federal grant for a program called "Building Bridges with Books" that will benefit students from 10 elementary schools. The program is designed to "build bridges" between families and schools through early literacy activities, including monthly parent training sessions on the importance of reading and talking to children and regular visits to the library.

Calendar: April 1-8
Philadelphiaweekly.com
Features Author Events with Frank Bruni (4/1), T.C. Boyle (4/2), and Philip Glass (4/7).

Frank Bruni’s “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania”
WHYY’s RadioTimes
New York Times columnist FRANK BRUNI frequently tackles higher education issues in his pieces, including the fraught and stressful college application process. In this hour of Radio Times, Bruni joins us to discuss his new book Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania. (appeared 4/1)

A Conversation with novelist Francine Prose
WHYY’s RadioTimes
FRANCINE PROSE’s new novel, Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, is set in Paris and Berlin in the years leading up to WWII. (appeared 5/2014)

Pasta perfection: A chat with Marc Vetri
Philly.com
Marc Vetri, chef owner of Vetri, Osteria, Amis, Alla Spina, Pizzeria Vetri, and Lo Spiedo, recently was nominated for a James Beard award for best chef in the country. He recently discussed his new book Mastering Pasta (Ten Speed Press) at the Free Library of Philadelphia.

7Days: Regional arts and entertainment
Philly.com
The American way One of our most inventive writers, T.C. Boyle is known for his explorations of history in novels such as World's End. His new book, The Harder They Come, looks at contemporary gun culture and paranoid politics in the conflict between a California father and son. (appeared 4/2)

Council considers conditions of Phila.’s police, fire stations
Philly.com
The hearings will continue Tuesday, when Council will consider budgets for the mayor's office, the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Department of Parks and Recreation, among others. Mayor Nutter has proposed a $3.95 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.