Tacony Library

6742 Torresdale Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19135-2416
Torresdale Ave. & Knorr St.
Open today 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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

  • Tue., Nov. 11 : Closed Veterans Day
  • Thu., Nov. 27 : Closed Thanksgiving Day
  • Fri., Nov. 28 : Closed Thanksgiving Friday
  • Thu., Dec. 25 : Closed Christmas Day
View all holiday closings

Facilities

  • Book drop box
  • Computers for public use
  • Electrical outlets available
  • Handicapped accessible
  • Meeting space (reservation required)
  • Photocopier (black/white)
  • Printing (black/white)
  • Public restrooms
  • Water fountain
  • Wireless internet access (wi/fi)

Upcoming Events

FLoP Bowl Midway Madness

Sat, November 1, 2025 1:00 P.M.

*** Registration is only open until September 15, 2025. Call or ask a librarian in person for signup info.*** Teens 12-18 are invited to participate in the 2025 FLoP (Free Library of Philadelphia) Bowl Midway Madness event at Localhost! Teens will compete live on stage at Localhost esports…

Social Services at the Library with a Social Worker

Tue, November 4, 2025 2:00 P.M.

Stop by for Open Office Hours with a Social Worker where you can receive help finding, navigating, and connecting to relevant community and government agencies. Our social worker is generally here for approximately 3 hours, unless there is an early holiday closure.   If you…

FLoP Bowl Esports Tournament

Tue, November 4, 2025 3:30 P.M.

*** Registration is only open until September 15, 2025. Call or ask a librarian in person for signup info.*** Teens 12-18 are invited to participate in the 2025 FLoP (Free Library of Philadelphia) Bowl! Join one of ten library teams to compete weekly in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Nintendo…

Free Beginner English Classes

Wed, November 5, 2025 10:00 A.M.

Learn how to speak, read, and write English! Taught by IndoChinese American Council. Three hours per week. Every Wednesday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. To inquire or sign up, please Contact Matthew at 215-571-9921 or Kastelberg@iacphila.org.

About


We are part of the transformational Building Inspiration: 21st Century Libraries Initiative. To find out more about this project - http://www.21stcenturylibraries.org/about-the-project

History

Swedish records of 1677 show 51 residents of "Taokanink," an Indian word for "woods" or "small creek." Since the area was along the Delaware river, it became a sparsely settled vacation community. This changed in 1872, when industrialist Henry Disston moved his sawmill from downtown Philadelphia to Tacony, transforming the area into a thriving industrial area. Disston provided housing for his employees and funded many community projects including the Tacony Music Hall on Longshore Avenue - a building that stands today.

The Tacony Library traces its roots back to the Keystone Scientific and Literary Association, founded in 1876 by M. Louise Thomas who envisioned "a library where the people could go and get books suited to all tastes . . . and a room . . . where they could sit with the books ranged round the walls." The Association met in a small frame schoolhouse, and later in the office of the New Era, a local paper. In addition to a small book collection, the Association also offered events such as spelling bees, and provided a forum for important speakers of the day, Susan B. Anthony and P.T. Barnum among them. In 1885, the Keystone Scientific and Literary Association changed its name to the Disston Library and Free Reading Room, and moved to the Music Hall.

In 1906, the Disston family bequeathed a plot of land at Torresdale Avenue and Knorr Street for the construction of a public library. With $43,380 from the Carnegie Foundation, the Tacony Branch opened on the evening of November 27, 1906. The new library reached a circulation of 70,000 in its initial year of operation.

Since its opening, the Tacony Branch has undergone extensive renovation. In 1927, the rear lecture room was remodeled and became the children's reading room. Additional renovations were undertaken in 1939 and 1959. The library was renovated again in 1998 as part of the "Changing Lives" campaign, which brought Internet service to every branch. The Tacony branch celebrated its centenary in 2006.