Northeast Regional Library

2228 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19149-1297
Cottman Ave. & Oakland St.
Open today 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, 6/8 Closed
Monday, 6/9 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 6/10 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 6/11 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, 6/12 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. *
Friday, 6/13 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 6/14 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • * Thursday has hour changes – due to staff development
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. 12 : Opening at 1:00 PM due to staff development
  • Thu., Jun. 19 : Closed Juneteenth
  • Fri., Jul. 4 : Closed Independence Day
  • Mon., Sep. 1 : Closed Labor Day
View all holiday closings

Facilities

  • Baby changing station
  • Bicycle rack
  • Book drop box
  • Change machine
  • Children's only restroom
  • Computer lab
  • Computers for public use
  • Electrical outlets available
  • Handicapped accessible
  • Meeting space (reservation required)
  • Photocopier (black/white)
  • Printing (black/white)
  • Public restrooms
  • Scanner
  • Screen magnify tools
  • Screen-reading software (JAWS)
  • Street parking (free)
  • Street parking
  • Water fountain
  • Wireless internet access (wi/fi)
  • ZoomText Keyboard & Special Key Features

Upcoming Events

English Conversation Group - Intermediate+

Mon, June 9, 2025 5:00 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 staff member Chloe. 

Beginner-Friendly Yoga for Adults and Teens

Mon, June 9, 2025 5:30 P.M.

  Join Yoga 4 Philly for a beginner-friendly yoga session that welcomes participants of all abilities! This one-hour class will guide you through foundational poses and mindfulness techniques. Please dress comfortably and bring your own mat; we will have additional mats available if…

*FULL* Computer Skills for Beginners

Tue, June 10, 2025 11:00 A.M.

** Class is full and not accepting new students. Please call the number below to be placed on the waitlist or find an alternate class location. ** Need computer help? Take a free digital skills workshop at the Library! Learn how to use a computer, get online, and more. Training provided by…

Teen Tuesdays!

Tue, June 10, 2025 1:00 P.M.

Join us for a Summer of creativity!  Learn Crochet, create your own T-shirt using a heat press machine, sign up for raffle prizes, watch Anime Series and other activities in the Everything Teen Center located on the 2nd Flr.  

About

The Northeast Regional Library is second only to the Central Library in size, available resources and number of staff. Located near the intersection of Cottman and Bustleton Avenues, it serves the greater northeast area as a regional library, and the entire city for research.

History

The area served by Northeast Regional Library encompasses land that was originally Lower Dublin Township and parts of Oxford and Delaware Townships. Settlers from northern Europe first arrived there in the seventeenth century, and established farms. The area remained primarily agricultural until the early twentieth century. In 1854, these townships, along with the boroughs of Frankford and Bridesburg, were consolidated into Philadelphia County.

In 1955, the Free Library of Philadelphia developed the concept of the regional library, which would serve as a branch for its immediate area, and also as a bridge between the comprehensive collections of the Central Library and the more modest resources offered by neighborhood branches. A proposal to build the first regional library was approved for the 1957-1962 capital budgets. On July 11, 1962, ground was broken for the Northeast Regional Library, the first in a proposed series of regional libraries that would be built in each geographical sector of the city.

The city's northeast saw rapid development after World War II. Large tracts of vacant land were soon filled with thousands of row homes and twins. The homes were occupied by returning servicemen, many the sons of immigrants.

Retail development soon followed. In 1952, ground was broken for a $5,000,000 shopping complex that included a department store and supermarket at Cottman and Castor Avenues. The Roosevelt Mall opened in the early sixties, followed by another department store at Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard in 1965. The site selected for Northeast Regional is located in the heart of this shopping complex.

Northeast Regional offers a collection of more than 150,000 books divided into four subject departments, including the children's department. A fifth department offers an extensive collection of periodicals and newspapers. Each department occupies an entire floor of the building; the lowest level is an auditorium meeting room. The circulation desk is located in the ground floor lobby of the building. When you visit, look for the 9x44' three-dimensional wooden mural that adorns the right wall of the lobby.

The children's department of the library opened on Monday, October 28, 1963; the adult departments opened in December, 1963. In 1998, the library was renovated as part of the "Changing Lives" campaign, which brought Internet service to every branch.