Posts by Joe S. (22)
Blog Articles
What are the most popular Googled questions about Ramadan? Here's what we found: When does Ramadan begin and end in 2021? What is allowed and not allowed during Ramadan? What does Ramadan… continue reading Happy Ramadan: Manuscripts of the Muslim World and Beyond!
By written by Joe S. April 6, 2021
Vanguard and the Free Library of Philadelphia will present a lively panel discussion in celebration of Women's History Month on Monday, March 22, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Sharon Hill, Ph.D.,… continue reading Women and Investing: A Panel Discussion in Celebration of Women’s History Month
By written by Joe S. March 16, 2021 1
Hannah Cho is a University of Pennsylvania Work-Study student from Davis, CA. During the Fall semester, she studied, recorded, and edited the Story Search podcasts remotely from South Korea.… continue reading Story Search from Special Collections: An Interview by Hannah Cho
By written by Joe S. January 6, 2021
On Thursday, April 8, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced the unprecedented closure of K-12 schools for the remainder of the year due to the outbreak of COVID-19 . In lieu of… continue reading Going the Distance: Remote Learning and Online Resources for Educators
By written by Joe S. April 24, 2020
What do Charles Dickens, cuneiform tablets, and James Bond have in common? The answer is Hands-on History at the Free Library, which wraps up its inaugural year with a holiday program on… continue reading Hands-On History Wraps Up 2019 With Charles Dickens... and Introduces a New Line-Up For 2020
By written by Joe S. December 12, 2019
Prints were popular in American colonial homes. Among the decorative luxuries available, they were the most affordable. They would be hung in hallways, entrance halls, stairwells, and kitchens.… continue reading Spotlight on Special Collections: Five Unstudied Prints from the American Revolutionary War
By written by Joe S. November 7, 2019
Archives shield us from a world saturated with fake news and misinformation. But what are archives? How are they different from libraries? Where are they? How do they work? How are they… continue reading Design in the Archives: A Free Evening of Fun and Learning for All Ages!
By written by Joe S. October 21, 2019
The Free Library of Philadelphia at Parkway Central Library has eight special collections for visitors of all ages to enjoy, either in person through engaging exhibitions and… continue reading A Spotlight on Special Collections: The Artwork of Pennsylvania Germans-Fraktur
By written by Joe S. October 3, 2019
Take a free tour of Our 5 Senses , a fully-interactive exhibition that connects the science of the senses with the mind and the literary experience. Tours begin at 3:00 p.m.and finish at… continue reading Take a Free Family Tour of Our Five Senses, a Fully-Interactive Exhibition
By written by Joe S. May 30, 2019 3
In a recent CNN article titled, "Why touching art is so tempting — and exciting," Fiona Candlin, a professor of museology at Birkbeck College in London and author… continue reading Learning Through Touch: Connecting with Objects in Our Special Collections
By written by Joe S. May 28, 2019
Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens! The celebrated author was born February 7, 1812 in Landport near the city of Portsmouth, England. Dickens professional writing career began in the early… continue reading Happy Birthday to You, Charles Dickens!
By written by Joe S. February 7, 2019
The late and great Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell once sang, "Ain’t nothing like the real thing baby." These words hold true for how to best experience our material culture. People… continue reading Take History in the Palm of Your Hand with this New Series from the Free Library's Special Collections
By written by Joe S. January 7, 2019 1
One of the most popular items in the Rare Book Department that resonates with visitors the world over is not what you would expect. It is not a rare manuscript or a printed book from one of our… continue reading Grip, Philadelphia's Pet Raven
By written by Joe S. December 3, 2018 6
![L.A.W. Local Cycling Map, 1897, Map [recto]](https://libwww.freelibrary.org/images/blog/FLPBlog/orig/changingcity-cycling.jpg)
Come and learn about Philadelphia's exciting, dynamic, and often forgotten history with a free guided tour of the Philadelphia: The Changing City exhibition. The tour will be led by… continue reading Free Tours of Philadelphia: The Changing City Exhibition
By written by Joe S. November 5, 2018
Hypnosis, using its power to heal or influence others, has captured our public imagination long ago. It is a popular and often misunderstood technique that has been used for a variety of things,… continue reading Hypnosis & Your Health
By written by Joe S. September 21, 2018
In a world of "fake news" and "alternate truths", the importance of critical thinking is more important than ever. Educators and librarians have replaced old-school teaching… continue reading Back to School, but Not Old School: Information and Primary Source Literacy
By written by Joe S. September 12, 2018
Philadelphians and people worldwide will eventually be able to view and download entire Islamic manuscripts, consisting of both images and texts, from the Free Library of Philadelphia’s… continue reading Updates From the Manuscripts of the Muslim World Project
By written by Joe S. September 5, 2018
Much has been written in academic journals about the need to increase access to special collections in public libraries, museums, and universities. This topic is particularly relevant to the … continue reading Traveling Treasures: A Special Collection Worth Touching
By written by Joe S. May 5, 2017
Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. It is a day of feasting and rejoicing, commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to annihilate… continue reading Purim and a Medieval Cutting in the Free Library of Philadelphia
By written by Joe S. March 4, 2015
The doorbell rings. I walk through the hallway to answer it. Although I’ve done this walk repeatedly over the years, this time something is different. This one book catches the corner of my… continue reading A Book Rediscovered
By written by Joe S. October 3, 2013 2