History is endlessly fascinating to me; twentieth-century history in particular is full of triumphs and dark chapters. Sometimes it takes some distance to get perspective on events of… continue reading
By Rachel F. July 23, 2019
Claire L. Hand is an Adult/Teen Librarian at Wynnefield Library and a participant in Cohort 2 of the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries trainings. During library staff’s initial… continue reading
By Community-Centered Libraries July 22, 2019 1
(note: play these songs in the background while reading this blog post : ) In honor of this week’s very special Lunar Landing anniversary , I’ve been thinking a lot about how our… continue reading
By Joel N. July 19, 2019 1
The City of Philadelphia has declared a Heat Health Emergency through Monday evening, July 22 . These Free Library locations will serve as cooling centers where residents can get out of the heat… continue reading
By Administrator July 19, 2019 5
I’ve always loved this expression – probably because it includes two of my favorite things: the summer season and dogs! As an idiom, the dog days are the hottest, most humid days of… continue reading
By Monica C. July 18, 2019
Updated July, 18, 2019 1:14 PM The City of Philadelphia has declared a Heat Health Emergency through Sunday evening, July 21 . Free Library locations will serve as cooling centers where residents… continue reading
By Administrator July 17, 2019 7
The City of Philadelphia has declared a Heat Health Emergency for Wednesday, July 17 . These Free Library locations will serve as cooling centers where residents can get out of the heat and into… continue reading
By Jenn D. July 16, 2019 3
We’re having a really exciting Author Event on the evening of Thursday, July 25 where the topics of discussion will be Trans Writers, Kids, and Books ! Lambda and Stonewall Award-winning… continue reading
By Naomi S. July 16, 2019
Fifty years ago today, Neil Armstrong , Buzz Aldrin , and Michael Collins first set off into space to explore the surface of the Moon. Their mission, Apollo 11 , was the culmination of decades of… continue reading
By Clare F. July 16, 2019
Do you enjoy providing excellent customer service? Are you available to work at least two Saturdays each month? If so, consider applying for one of our seasonal positions! The Free Library of… continue reading
By Jenn D. July 15, 2019 17
Coming down from your Fourth of July celebrations, but not quite ready to put away your red, white, and blue clothes (or fireworks)? You’re in luck! July 14 is Bastille Day —the… continue reading
By Clare F. July 12, 2019
Happy birthday to the beloved children’s writer—and the voice in the ears of editors everywhere— E.B. White ! A regular essayist for the New Yorker for half a century, White is… continue reading
By Clare F. July 11, 2019
Independence Day isn’t the only famous birthday this week: on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, which is now part of Mexico City, the revolutionary spirit Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon was… continue reading
By Brittanie S. July 5, 2019 1
In celebration of Independence Day, let’s take a look at one of America’s greatest national monuments: The Statue of Liberty . Recognized internationally as a symbol of freedom, it is… continue reading
By Monica C. July 3, 2019
The Free Library is delighted that WURD Radio (96.1FM | 900AM) is returning with LIVE broadcasts as part of their Summer of Freedom Tour. This marks the ninth year that WURD will broadcast from… continue reading
By Jenn D. July 2, 2019
The mystery of romantic love has puzzled people for centuries. In 1862, Lewis Douglass wrote his future wife, Amelia Loguen, as follows: "Men and women talk of love, can anyone describe it?… continue reading
By Richard L. July 1, 2019
What do you like to read in the summer? Do you prefer fiction that takes you out of yourself and your surroundings? Or do you like to read about a real person or event to learn something new about… continue reading
By Paul A. July 1, 2019
Earlier this month a deceivingly simple yet absolutely addictive game celebrated it's 35th anniversary . Before Minecraft, before VR, there was... TETRIS ! The game, or one of its many… continue reading
By Peter SM June 28, 2019
This is not a drill friends: Stranger Things is coming back! I repeat, Stranger Things is coming back just in time for the Independence Day weekend! In the meantime while we all wait, let me… continue reading
By Rachel F. June 28, 2019
The summer is heating up, and as we all try our best to deal with the rising temperatures, don't forget that the Free Library of Philadelphia is a great place to cool off! From books and… continue reading
By Kate C. June 27, 2019