Throughout 2019, the Free Library’s School Partnerships team is continuing to think big about strenghtening and sustaining partnerships between schools and libraries across the city. We want to ensure that every educator has access to all of the fantastic resources and support that can add value to their work with… continue reading Are you planning for Black History Month in Your Classroom? Join the Free Library for a Teacher Café!

By written by Molly B.    January 15, 2019   

• Parkway Central
• School
• Black History Month
• Teachers

Are you looking for fun and engaging weekend activities to help your child see the world in new ways? Sundays on Stage is here for you!   Sundays on Stage is series of engaging cultural programs featuring live performances by a variety of artists and entertainers. These family programs celebrate diversity through music, dance,… continue reading Sundays on Stage: Dance, Drum, and Sing into the Week

By written by Molly B.    January 11, 2019    1  

• Childrens Programs
• Family Programs
• Parkway Central
• Sundays on Stage

The late and great Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell once sang, "Ain’t nothing like the real thing baby." These words hold true for how to best experience our material culture. People who have visited the Rare Book Department will often describe the exhilaration they feel when seeing the writing of authors in the library’s… continue reading Take History in the Palm of Your Hand with this New Series from the Free Library's Special Collections

By written by Joe S.    January 7, 2019    1  

• Exhibitions
• Events at the Library
• Family Programs
• Parkway Central
• Rare Book Department
• Children's Literature Research Collection
• Literacy
• History
• Rosenbach
• Black History Month
• Special Collections
• Literary History

Looking for a fun and fabulous time while supporting Philadelphia’s beloved Free Library and the countless ways it serves Philadelphians? Listen up , because one of our favorite ways you can support the Library is happening on Saturday, December 8— Feast Your Imagination: A Free Library Fête ! Buy a ticket, make a donation, or… continue reading Join us for Feast Your Imagination: A Free Library Fête!

By written by Alexa L.    November 30, 2018   

• Parkway Central
• Support
• Nonprofit

On Tuesday, October 30, Parkway Central Library ’s Skyline Room was abuzz with the cheers of sixth graders, the sound of buzzers and music, and the roar of applause. The cause? A "Book Battle," a Jeopardy-style literature trivia competition that tested students’ knowledge and understanding of a book that they’d all… continue reading This Sixth Grade "Battle" Was One for the Books!

By written by Jess P.    November 28, 2018   

• Events at the Library
• Childrens Programs
• Parkway Central
• Childrens Books
• Literacy
• School
• YA literature
• Teachers

Our first cohort of staff members participating in the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries training recently learned about and explored team roles and dynamics. Staff reflected on their own strengths and what attributes they bring to a team. Are they great at keeping everything running smoothly? Do they enjoy providing in-depth… continue reading Skills Training for Community-Centered Libraries: Building Your Library Team

By written by Community-Centered Libraries    November 6, 2018    1  

• Childrens Programs
• Free Library Staff
• Parkway Central
• Volunteers
• New Americans
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries
• Adult Learning
• IMLS
• Games and Gaming

Come and learn about Philadelphia's exciting, dynamic, and often forgotten history with a free guided tour of the  Philadelphia: The Changing City exhibition. The tour will be led by an exhibition curator in the Dietrich Gallery in the Rare Book Department  at the Free Library of Philadelphia.   Tours begin at 3:00 PM… continue reading Free Tours of Philadelphia: The Changing City Exhibition

By written by Joe S.    November 5, 2018   

• Exhibitions
• Art
• Digital Collections
• Maps
• Parkway Central
• History
• Special Collections
• Architecture

Philadelphia’s miracle-mile of beauty, learning, inspiration, uplift, pleasure, and play is now 101 years young! The Parkway 100 celebration of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway drew to its official close with the Parkway Soirée this past Friday night, October 26—100 years to-the-day after the full length of the Parkway opened to… continue reading Loving the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at the Start of its 101st Year

By written by Matt S.    October 30, 2018   

• Parkway Central
• History

Now more than ever , students and teachers at our schools need the information and skills that librarians and libraries can provide. This year, the Free Library is working to spread the word about the information, ideas, and resources that we already have to support our city’s students and educators, and to think through new and… continue reading Better Together: The Free Library Partners with Schools

By written by Jess P.    October 26, 2018   

• Childrens Programs
• Free Library Staff
• Parkway Central
• Rare Book Department
• School
• Back To School
• Rosenbach
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries
• Library Resources

The Free Library was founded with the goal of helping Philadelphians achieve personal enlightenment, and has continuously evolved to reach this goal in an ever-changing city and world. To further this bedrock goal, we have created the Division of Cultural and Civic Engagement , a new office that aims to enrich the public life of Philadelphia… continue reading Introducing the Division of Cultural and Civic Engagement!

By written by Kate C.    October 22, 2018    1  

• Community Events
• Parkway Central
• Author Events
• Rosenbach
• Neighborhood Libraries

by Suzanna U. and Alina J. Building off of the successes of Food from the Archives in 2016, the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Special Collections, Research Departments, and Culinary Literacy Center are joining forces with the Delaware Valley Archivists Group to present Drinks in the Archives on Wednesday, October 10 beginning at 6:00… continue reading Drinks in the Archives

By written by Suzanna U.    October 4, 2018   

• Parkway Central
• Culinary Literacy
• Special Collections

It’s been said that "everybody has a past." Would you like to delve into yours? If so, we can help you find links to the unknowns in your life and the life of your family with our newest program "Who’s your granddaddy?" "Who’s your granddaddy?" is a genealogy club for hobbyists, amateurs, and… continue reading Who's Your Granddaddy?

By written by Lisa-Jane E.    October 4, 2018    3  

• Events at the Library
• Central Senior Services
• Digital Collections
• Genealogy
• Parkway Central
• Seniors

Today, it seems that more Americans than ever before are writing poetry, participating in poetry slams, and entering poetry contests. But as we dive (back?) into poetry and draw inspiration from the great poets of yesteryear, it seems that some are being left out of the revival! Who knew it was possible to be both immortal and largely forgotten… continue reading Poetry Is Hot – Again!

By written by Richard L.    October 2, 2018   

• Events at the Library
• Central Senior Services
• Parkway Central
• Seniors
• Poetry

John Kerry Author Event Livestream Video by Michael Smerconish When Andy Kahan, the Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams, Jr., Director of Author Events at the Free Library of Philadelphia invited me to interview Secretary John Kerry about his new memoir, Every Day is Extra , I readily accepted. Few living Americans have had a front row seat, and… continue reading John Kerry | Every Day Is Extra

By written by Author Events    October 2, 2018   

• Events at the Library
• Parkway Central
• Author Events

The Free Library’s popular rooftop beer garden series, Brews & Views , held in conjunction with Brûlée Catering , is headed back to the Parkway Central Library for a four-day run in October. On October 23, 24, and 25 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and October 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., join us on the Skyline Terrace… continue reading The Free Library’s Rooftop Beer Gardens Are Back!

By written by Kate C.    September 28, 2018   

• Parkway Central
• Rare Book Department

What better way to celebrate Classical Music Month this September than to perform some of your own music? The Free Library’s Chamber Music Collection can provide you with the materials to perform some, well, classics! What is the Chamber Music Collection? It is the largest public library circulating collection of chamber music performance… continue reading Chamber Music Collection | Celebrate Classical Music Month!

By written by Leanne F.    September 27, 2018   

• Music
• Parkway Central
• Departments
• Library Resources

Are you curious about Judaism? Are Judaism and Jews a people, a nation, a religion, a culture, a way of life, or something else? What does it mean to be a Jew or Jewish? On October 11 , Rabbi Joel Kessler will attempt to demystify one of the world's oldest and most misunderstood religions. Please join us as Rabbi Kessler discusses the laws… continue reading Judaism 101: History, Religion, and Culture

By written by Laurie A.    September 19, 2018   

• Parkway Central
• Religion
• Spirituality

In a previous post, we shared some stories about how meetings between libraries and other community organizations can lead to what the American Library Association calls the “domino effect of positive results.” One potential outcome of conversations between library staff and community residents and stakeholders is ideas for new… continue reading Conversations Between Libraries and Communities Spark Program Ideas

By written by Community-Centered Libraries    September 7, 2018   

• Events at the Library
• Community Events
• Free Library Staff
• Parkway Central
• Teens
• School
• New Americans
• Business
• Community
• Neighborhood Libraries
• Nature
• IMLS

For the past 25 years, America’s birthplace (Philly, of course!) has celebrated America’s birthday (July 4, of course!) with Wawa Welcome America – a multi-day festival of FREE multicultural and multigenerational events across the city. Never ones to miss out on a party, the Free Library is again happy to participate in the… continue reading Join the Free Library for Wawa Welcome America Festivities!

By written by Kate C.    June 19, 2018   

• Parkway Central
• Rare Book Department
• Rosenbach

Temperatures are getting warmer, days are getting longer, schools are out for break, and that can only mean one thing: summer!  The season will officially begin in the northern hemisphere on June 21 with the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.  People have celebrated the solstice for centuries, incorporating folklore,… continue reading Celebrate the Summer Solstice with the Ravens on Our Rooftop!

By written by Alexa L.    June 15, 2018   

• Events at the Library
• Parkway Central
• Nonprofit