The Literature Department ’s Monday Poets series is one of the longest-running programs for adults at the Free Library. This past season’s theme was Sankofa (SAHN-koh-fah), a Twi word from the Akan Tribe of Ghana loosely implying that to move forward, one must "go back and get it." In that spirit, we celebrated a… continue reading New Monday Poets Chapbook: The Sankofa Season
By written by Andrea L. June 6, 2025
As the Philadelphia Eagles advance in the playoffs (GO BIRDS!), football fans everywhere are looking for a copy of A.J. Brown's viral sideline read , Inner Excellence . While the Free Library does carry digital audiobook copies of the self-help title on Libby , our main catalog doesn't typically carry physical copies of… continue reading Inner Excellence: Read-Alikes for Championship-Level Inspiration
By written by Bridget G. January 22, 2025
It's the 13th annual list of my favorite books — the 2024 edition! This year I leaned quite heavily into my three favorite genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Romance. I also seemed to zero in on joyful books. But don’t worry — there are still some dark fantasy/horror books as well as a smattering of historical fiction… continue reading Dena's Favorite Books of 2024
By written by Dena December 31, 2024 1
We are pleased to reintroduce NoveList Plus , a longtime favorite electronic resource among book lovers. NoveList Plus is a database designed to help readers (or listeners) find their next books or audiobooks based on the titles, authors, genres, or themes they already enjoy. It provides recommendations for all ages: 0–8, 9–12,… continue reading Find Your Next Great Book with NoveList Plus!
By written by Tyler S. December 18, 2024 3
Introducing a new book club at the Parkway Central Library — on the second Monday of each month, the Short Story Book Club will meet from 6:00–7:30 p.m. in Philbrick Hall to discuss collections of short-form fiction. The first meeting will be August 12, when we’ll be discussing Gorilla, My… continue reading Short Story Book Club Coming to Parkway Central Library
By written by Francis B. July 10, 2024 1
Happy Children’s Book Week, Philadelphia! Founded in 1919 — thus marking its 105th anniversary this year — Children’s Book Week is the nation’s longest-running national literacy initiative. This year, it falls between May 6–12 . It has at its core the belief that children’s books and literacy… continue reading No Rules, Just Read: Children's Book Week
By written by Jennifer E. May 3, 2024
Languages and Learning is the Free Library of Philadelphia's department for adult education support, connecting patrons seeking Adult Basic Education, English Language Learner , and World Language support to the appropriate resources. There are many reasons that adults continue learning! Whether you want to sharpen your algebra skills or… continue reading New Adult Learning Titles in the Free Library's Catalog
By written by Betsy M. April 24, 2024
Every April, people all over the world celebrate Autism Acceptance Month ! You might’ve heard of this annual event called Autistic Awareness Month before. Thanks to the work of Autistic advocates, the focus has shifted from general awareness and understanding to one of more active acceptance, towards a forward-thinking mindset about… continue reading Neurodiverse Reads for Autism Acceptance Month
By written by Meredith M. April 17, 2024
National Library Week is April 7–13, 2024, and we encourage everyone to visit the Free Library of Philadelphia to celebrate this year’s theme: Ready, Set, Library! But first, let’s take a look at some local literacy statistics. The Pennsylvania Department of Education reports that 13% of adults in our state lack… continue reading Promoting Literacy with the Free Library of Philadelphia
By written by Free Library Foundation April 4, 2024
Want to read popular new titles without paying for expensive copies? You’re in luck! The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Lucky Loans program makes award-winning books like Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song and Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry available to patrons at no cost! Visit your local Free Library branch, look for the… continue reading You're in Luck! The Free Library has Popular Titles Ready to Loan!
By written by Anthony T. March 15, 2024 1
March is designated as National Reading Month to not only celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss — prolific author of beloved children’s books such as The Cat in the Hat , Green Eggs and Ham , and Horton Hears A Who — but also to inspire a love of reading at an early age. Today, there are so many… continue reading Helping Philly Youth "March" into Reading
By written by Free Library Foundation March 15, 2024
One Book, One Philadelphia is a signature project of the Free Library of Philadelphia that promotes literacy, library usage, and civic dialogue by encouraging the entire greater Philadelphia area to come together through reading and discussing a single book. From April 8–May 22 , dozens of free-to-the-public events, discussions, and… continue reading Announcing the 2024 One Book, One Philadelphia Selections
By written by Terence W. February 15, 2024 1
It’s the 50 Anniversary of the blaxploitation film Foxy Brown starring Pam Grier . The film is credited for revolutionizing the way women were portrayed in cinema. To celebrate this milestone, the legendary actress did a special interview for the Free Library and shared a list of some of her favorite books . "It is… continue reading Pam's Picks: Favorite Books of Legendary Actress Pam Grier
By written by Administrator February 9, 2024 6
You may have heard of our citywide Summer of Wonder program full of activities, programs, and prizes for all ages, but did you know that the Free Library offers an Online Reading Challenge that runs all year long? And if you’ve participated in the Summer of Wonder online, you already have an account! The Free… continue reading Enjoy Online Reading Challenges Year-Round!
By written by Emily S. January 26, 2024
For the last year, the shared offices of the Children's Literature Research Collection and the Map Collection have had a consistent litmus test for visitors. When a new visitor enters (either a researcher or a staff member), almost everyone has said one of two things: 1. What are those? 2. You have The Letter People! I share a kinship… continue reading Spotlight: The Letter People
By written by Chris B. January 8, 2024
In our Manga 101 series , we’ve covered a lot of manga-related topics. We looked at some commonly asked questions , explored demographic categories , reviewed several popular manga genres, and discussed related types of media . In our final Manga 101 post, we'll look at other manga-related materials the Free Library has to… continue reading Manga 101: Manga and Beyond at the Free Library
By written by Meg B. December 18, 2023 1
In our Manga 101 series, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions , defined some common manga terms , and looked at some of the most popular manga genres found at the Free Library. This time, we’ll take a look at other forms of media that are related to manga. Anime While manga refers to comics, anime refers to animation. Lots… continue reading Manga 101: Related Concepts
By written by Meg B. November 20, 2023
Pregnancy is an amazing journey filled with excitement, wonder, and the anticipation of meeting your little one for the first time. Even before birth, it’s a time when parents typically start thinking about how they can provide the best possible environment for their baby’s overall well-being and development. Did you know you can… continue reading Nurturing Your Baby in the Womb: The Benefits of Prenatal Education
By written by Kimberly G. November 6, 2023
In our last Manga 101 installments, we touched on romance and LGBTQIA+ themes in manga. This time, we’ll take a look at a new genre: horror . Though the roots of manga can be traced back through centuries of Japanese art, one of the most pivotal moments in contemporary manga arose in the wake of World War II, when works by… continue reading Manga 101: Horror
By written by Meg B. October 16, 2023 1
In our previous Manga 101 installment, we covered romance manga. This time, we’ll take a look at two subgenres of romance manga (BL and GL), as well as some non-romantic LGBTQ+ manga. BL BL is an abbreviation for Boys’ Love ; the terms shonen ai and yaoi are also used to refer to this genre of manga. BL focuses on stories… continue reading Manga 101: BL, GL, and Beyond
By written by Meg B. September 15, 2023 3
