This is the seventh in a series of posts highlighting major figures in jazz history who were from Philly (even if most ended up in New York City). A virtual book discussion of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley, hosted by the librarian who is writing this series, will take place on Thursday,… continue reading Philly Jazz Legends: Lee Morgan
By written by Ben R. April 14, 2021 3
In August, we announced big changes on the horizon now that OverDrive has acquired the RBdigital platform. If you remember, RBdigital audiobooks moved to our OverDrive platform. Now comes the second and final change: RBdigital magazines have moved to the OverDrive platform. On March 31, 2021, the RBdigital website and application will be… continue reading Introducing OverDrive Magazines!
By written by Jamie B. March 19, 2021 4
I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies and hypotheses Can’t define how I be dropping these mockeries Lyrically perform armed robbery - "Triumph (feat. Cappadonna)" by Wu-Tang Clan, 1997 I am a rap fan. Specifically, I am a fan of the Golden Age of Hip Hop (mid-1980s to the mid/late 1990s). During this era we had iconic… continue reading Memories of the Golden Age of Hip Hop
By written by Camille T. February 26, 2021 1
2021 marks 45 years since The Muppet Show debuted on television and today Disney+ is bringing back all 120 episodes streaming on-demand! As Kermit the Frog would say—arms flailing— "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" The Muppets were created by Jim Henson in 1955, and appeared in various forms on television starting in the mid-1950s… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight | The Muppets
By written by Peter SM February 19, 2021 1
What do Guion Bluford , Angela Davis , Hank Aaron , Maya Angelou , Katherine G. Johnson , Eartha Kitt , Sonny Rollins , Gordon Parks , Ntozake Shange , and E. Lynn Harris all have in common? They are phenomenal Black people who have influenced the course of history and whose stories are preserved as part of The HistoryMakers . Free Library… continue reading Introducing the HistoryMakers Digital Archive!
By written by Jamie B. February 16, 2021
The first Saturday of February is Take Your Child to the Library Day! This holiday , invented by two librarians, encourages families to make a trip to their neighborhood library with their young learners leading the way. As an added bonus this year, The African American Children’s Book Fair also falls on the same day as Take Your Child to… continue reading There’s Always Something New to Discover at the Free Library!
By written by Emily S. February 5, 2021
Seen any good movies lately? If you've exhausted watching everything on your streaming media platforms of choice, take a look at the National Film Registry 's yearly recommendations and selections to be preserved in the Library of Congress ! 25 films have been selected each year—for the past 32 years—showcasing the range and… continue reading Newest Additions to the National Film Registry
By written by Peter SM January 11, 2021 3
Space western adventures! Out of this world creatures! And one cute green baby (Yoda)! We're talking about The Mandalorian , the latest installment in the ever-expanding Star Wars universe of characters and stories. The season 2 finale debuts today and without giving away any spoilers , it's been another epic storytelling experience… continue reading This Is The Way... to Mandalorian and Star Wars Reads
By written by Peter SM December 18, 2020
For many Philadelphians, library access to free ebooks and audiobooks has been a lifesaver during the pandemic. We may not be able to go anywhere we want, but we can travel vicariously through someone else’s adventures or at least get inspired to declutter the spaces in which we’re stuck . eBooks and audiobooks have been so popular… continue reading How to Recommend a Digital Book
By written by Jamie B. December 14, 2020 5
by Stephanie S - Intern, Languages & Learning Center The Languages and Learning Center supports the individual literacy and learning goals of Philadelphia adults, including resources for Adult Basic Education, language learning, and digital literacy. Do you know an Arabic-speaking adult who needs help learning to… continue reading Free Arabic Literacy Program - Available Virtually Now
By written by Lindsay S. November 2, 2020 1
The new school year starts this week throughout Philadelphia and whether students will be attending school in-person and / or virtually, the Free Library is ready to help with resources and programs to help make the school year a success. Here are some of the many ways the Free Library can help students soar into this September and succeed all… continue reading Back to School Resources and Programs for Students
By written by Valerie S. September 1, 2020 1
¡hurra! 万岁 hoan hô! Ура! hourra! hooray! الصيحة! Let’s celebrate! The Free Library now offers access to ebooks and audiobooks in seven world languages: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, French, Haitian Creole, and Arabic. Through our OverDrive platform, we have created two new specialized eReading Rooms of Spanish… continue reading Hurra! Hourra! Hoan Hô! | ebooks in 7 Languages
By written by Jamie B. August 31, 2020 1
If I had to sum up 2020 so far in one word, it would be... bogus . Or, maybe we're just stuck in one of the darkest timelines ? Either way, we could all use some pure escapism right now, and if anything can take you away from all the awfulness in the world and transport you to some place / space positive—if only for a couple… continue reading Bill and Ted Face the Music \m/
By written by Peter SM August 28, 2020
Have you heard the news? OverDrive has acquired the RBdigital platform . For Free Library users, this means that on September 8, 2020, RBdigital content will move to OverDrive. The RBdigital website and application will eventually be retired. For now, this change will only affect RBdigital audiobook content. Digital magazines will still be… continue reading Big Changes are Coming to RBdigital
By written by Jamie B. August 26, 2020 24
You may have heard the recent news that Free Library cardholders now have access to ProQuest’s Historical Black Newspapers , featuring coverage of The Philadelphia Tribune (the oldest continuously-published Black daily!) from 1912-2001. ( More recent Tribune articles are also available.) It’s just one way that the Free Library… continue reading Philadelphia History from Home: Digital Access to Primary Sources
By written by Caitlin G. August 25, 2020
In these times of social distancing and no indoor activities, what better way to spend time than venturing outside and going for a hike in the great outdoors? You don’t have to go far—here in Philly we have both Fairmount Park and Wissahickon Valley Park . Explore nature and breathe in the fresh air. Go ahead, plan an outing with… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | Let's Go Hiking
By written by Monica C. August 13, 2020
As part of our ongoing series of blog posts highlighting our awesome staff throughout the Free Library of Philadelphia, today we take some time to speak with Jamie Bowers, an eResources Librarian. What is your role with the Free Library of Philadelphia? As the eResources librarian, I'm in charge of all the Free Library's digital… continue reading Meet Your Library Staff: Jamie Bowers - eResources Librarian
By written by Administrator August 11, 2020 11
by Khristina Spence - Intern, Languages & Learning Center Bonjour! Salut! Bonsoir! Join the Free Library's Languages and Learning Center ’s newest offering: the French Conversation Circle ! This free online class will build your knowledge and confidence in the French language, all while introducing you to other… continue reading French Conversation Circle
By written by Rachel H. August 11, 2020
It's that time of year again... where you'll never know what to expect from... Shark Week ! For the past 32 years, Shark Week has grown from a small, PBS-styled series of documentary programming to a full-blown pop culture event. Since 2010, it has been the longest-running cable television programming event in history! This… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight | Shark Week 2020
By written by Peter SM August 10, 2020 1
The Free Library is pleased to announce a new digital resource that provides access to the most distinguished African American Newspapers in the United States. Cardholders now have access to 10 historic Black newspapers that help piece together a fuller story of American history, which features stories that were omitted from textbooks and… continue reading Black History. Black News. Black Voices.
By written by Jamie B. July 30, 2020 6
