Fishtown Community Library
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Upcoming Closures
- Thu., Jun. 19 : Closed Juneteenth
- Fri., Jul. 4 : Closed Independence Day
- Mon., Sep. 1 : Closed Labor Day
- Thu., Sep. 4 : Opening at 1:00 PM due to staff development
Services By Appointment
Services
- Book Drop
- Browse Shelves
- Computer Use
- Materials / Holds Pick Up
- Printing Services
- Reference Services
- Wi-Fi
Facilities
- Baby changing station
- Bicycle rack
- Book drop box
- Computers for public use
- Electrical outlets available
- Meeting space (reservation required)
- Photocopier (black/white)
- Printing (black/white)
- Public restrooms
- Scanner
- Screen-reading software (JAWS)
- Street parking (free)
- Street parking
- Water fountain
- Wireless internet access (wi/fi)
Upcoming Events
Read, Baby, Read Storytime!
Mon, June 9, 2025
11:30 A.M.
Join Miss Liz for Read, Baby, Read storytime on Monday mornings at 11:30am. Stay after storytime for playtime! Intended for babies and toddlers ages 0-2, but all are welcome. In the colder months this event will be held indoors on the library's 3rd floor, accessible…
Summer of Wonder Kickoff!
Mon, June 9, 2025
4:30 P.M.
It's a Summer of Wonder kickoff party from 4:30-6:30pm, and you're invited! Enjoy balloon twisting, magic, and other fun with Taffy the Entertainer! Have your tarot read by Gina Tomaine, author of the Philly Tarot Deck Guide Book! Groove to a bubble dance party! Draw with rainbow…
English Conversation Group
Tue, June 10, 2025
5:45 P.M.
Build your confidence in speaking English while meeting other adults in a casual learning environment. No registration is required. This group is for intermediate/advanced English speakers and is led by Free Library volunteer Gleb. Questions? Email adultlearning@freelibrary.org or call…
LEGO Party! for K-12
Wed, June 11, 2025
2:00 P.M.
Join us for creative building with the library's sizable LEGO collection each Wednesday from 2:00-4:30pm on the library's 3rd floor! This event happens during LEAP (Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program), the library's FREE Daily Drop-In After…
About
Welcome, friends!
The Fishtown Community Library serves Fishtown, East Kensington and Olde Richmond, as well as visitors from throughout the city of Philadelphia and surrounding region.
Fishtown staff provide free programming for all ages, including storytimes, English conversation groups, book clubs, afterschool activities and homework help as part of LEAP, and so much more! In the warmer months many programs are held outdoors in favorable weather.
Have questions? Call us as 215-685-9990, or email fishtown@freelibrary.org
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see what we're up to!
Prefer an email newsletter? Sign up for our News from the Neighborhood monthly update.
Do you want to support our programs and services? Make a donation to the Fishtown Community Library!
History
The history of Fishtown begins with the Native Lenni-Lenape people, who called the area Shackamaxon. In the early 1600's, Swedes, German, Dutch and English settled on scattered plots of land, and on April 23, 1683, William Penn negotiated a land exchange to acquire Shackamaxon.
In the early 1700s, English businessman Anthony Palmer purchased a large tract of land that he named Kensington after a suburb of London. This was combined with Shackamaxon. The Consolidation Act of 1854 brought the area into the present city limits. Legend has it that Charles Dickens named the area Fishtown after seeing the fish sold in the open air farmer's market on Girard Avenue.
Open for business in 1947, the original Community Branch Library was located at 615 Girard Avenue. However, the building was soon torn down so that a police station could be built.
The library opened at its current location at East Montgomery Avenue and Flora Street on March 31, 1950. This building was built in 1895 as a stable, and was later used as a fire station for horse-drawn wagons. It was donated to the library by the city through the efforts of the Men's Organization of the Community League of Kensington, hence the initial name, Community Branch.
Reflecting neighborhood pride, the name was changed to Fishtown Community Branch in 1982. The library was renovated extensively in 1989, with the addition of a balcony, meeting room and elevator. Further renovations were completed in 1997 as part of the "Changing Lives" campaign, which refurbished branches and brought Internet access to every library.