The Free Library system will close at 1 p.m. on Friday, August 29, in observance of Labor Day. Many libraries are open on Saturday. All libraries will be closed on Monday, September 1, on Labor Day.
This mythical bird moves forward while reaching back to grab its egg – representing the theme of sankofa.
The Literature Department's Monday Poets program exists to inspire and connect poets and community members across the city of Philadelphia.
This year's theme is Sankofa (SAHN-koh-fah), a Twi word from the Akan Tribe of Ghana which loosely implies that to move forward, one must "go back and get it."
In the spirit of Sankofa, we will be celebrating at each event a past Monday Poet and introducing a new one. Each month from September 2024 to April 2025 a new Sankofa pair will read at a Free Library location.
Sankofa Season Chapbook
Reflect back upon the collected poems from the 30th season of Monday Poets with the Sankofa Season Chapbook.
The Literature Department has commissioned musicians to respond to poetry and other holdings of our collection. To listen to or see past performances visit our Literature Department Channel on Archive.org