Philadelphia City Institute
| 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 |
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
Services By Appointment
Services
- Book Drop
- Browse Shelves
- Computer Use
- Materials / Holds Pick Up
- Printing Services
- Reference Services
- Wi-Fi
Facilities
- Bicycle rack
- Book drop box
- Computers for public use
- Printing (black/white)
- Public restrooms
- Scanner
- Street parking
- Wireless internet access (wi/fi)
Upcoming Events
Penn’s Village Presents
Mon, June 9, 2025
2:00 P.M.
Join us for Penn’s Village Presents, a free film series at the Philadelphia City Institute Library. Registration is not required and these films are free and open to the public. Presentation and discussion with Danièle Thomas Easton. Please contact the library for movie titles…
PA CareerLink® Job Search Assistance
Mon, June 9, 2025
2:00 P.M.
Meet with a Community Workforce Connector from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for one-on-one job search assistance. Get individualized support with résumé development, career counseling, and professional development workshops. Call 1-833-750-5627 to learn more! PA CareerLink®…
Kid's Cooking Club
Mon, June 9, 2025
5:00 P.M.
Experience the art and science of cooking while you make a delicious snack with your very own hands! 6/9 Doughnut Decorating 7/14 Butterfly Blue Lemonade 8/14 Ice Cream!
Toddler Storytime- Outside!
Tue, June 10, 2025
11:15 A.M.
Meet us at the Goat Statue in Rittenhouse Square! Join Library Staff on Tuesdays for toddler storytime, now outside when weather permits! We will enjoy songs, stories, rhymes, and follow up with a special toddler playtime!
About
Located on the first floor and lower level of a high-rise apartment building on the west side of Rittenhouse Square, PCI serves the communities of Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square, and people who live and work in Center City west of Broad Street.
History
The Philadelphia City Institute Board of Managers is a non-profit organization that has supported a free library in Center City, Philadelphia since 1855. The Philadelphia City Institute Library (PCI) has had three locations first, in 1855, on the northeast corner of 18th and Chestnut Streets. It moved to 218 S 19th St in 1923. In 1956 it moved to the current location at 1905 Locust Street, facing Rittenhouse Square. This independent library joined the city wide Free Library of Philadelphia system in 1944. Today, the PCI Library continues to function as a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The PCI Managers maintain ownership of the premises and the assets; with endowment income, they also provide operational support and funding for augmented staff, new materials, and equipment.
The PCI Board of Managers’ object was “the promotion of the moral and intellectual improvement of young persons by means of a Library and Reading Room, Lectures and class instruction, and such other measures as the Board of Managers may adopt.” Weekly lectures by prominent Philadelphians and free night schools were important activities of PCI in its early years. Initially these were reserved for young men, but PCI soon decided to “extend the advantages of the Institute to females.”