Posts by Peter SM (299)
Blog Articles
The Rare Book Department has some true treasures within its collections, but perhaps one of its most special collections is the First Folio of William Shakespeare . What is the “First… continue reading Who Said It: Shakespeare, Milton, or Shake Milton?
By written by Peter SM April 28, 2021
Dracula vs. Frankenstein Alien vs. Predator T-800 vs. T-1000 These are just a few of the most over-the-top sci-fi b-movie fight scenes ever filmed, but the main event will finally take place when… continue reading March Monster Madness: Godzilla vs. Kong
By written by Peter SM March 31, 2021 2
Ursula K. Le Guin 's award-winning writing often depicted futuristic alternative worlds steeped in the themes of politics, the natural environment, gender, religion, sexuality, and… continue reading Women's History Month | Ursula K. Le Guin Honored with Commemorative Stamp
By written by Peter SM March 29, 2021
Today, on March 10—or Mar10 , if you will—we celebrate everything about the red-and-blue-suspendered plumber with extraordinary jumping abilities and a knack for exciting… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight | MAR10 Day and the World of Video Games
By written by Peter SM March 10, 2021
2021 marks 45 years since The Muppet Show debuted on television and today Disney+ is bringing back all 120 episodes streaming on-demand! As Kermit the Frog would say—arms flailing—… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight | The Muppets
By written by Peter SM February 19, 2021
Celebrate Lunar New Year 2021 and the Year of the Ox ! In Chinese culture, the Ox is a valued animal. Because of its role in agriculture, positive characteristics, such as being hardworking and… continue reading Celebrate the Year of the Ox!
By written by Peter SM February 12, 2021
During Black History Month, the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement (OBME) is hosting a series on Black Generational Wealth , in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Commerce… continue reading Black History Month | Black Generational Wealth Series
By written by Peter SM February 8, 2021
Seen any good movies lately? If you've exhausted watching everything on your streaming media platforms of choice, take a look at the National Film Registry 's yearly recommendations and… continue reading Newest Additions to the National Film Registry
By written by Peter SM January 11, 2021 3
As we wind down 2020, I have a few choice words that I can think of to describe the year... but none that would be appropriate to print here. Luckily for us, Merriam-Webster added plenty of new… continue reading 2020's Newest Word Additions and Definitions to the Dictionary
By written by Peter SM December 29, 2020
If ever there was a time to lose oneself in the extraordinary stories and colorful illustrations of comic books—2020 was that year! While not necessarily a "Top 10" (especially… continue reading 20 Great Graphic Novels and Comics from 2020
By written by Peter SM December 28, 2020
Space western adventures! Out of this world creatures! And one cute green baby (Yoda)! We're talking about The Mandalorian , the latest installment in the ever-expanding Star Wars universe of… continue reading This Is The Way... to Mandalorian and Star Wars Reads
By written by Peter SM December 18, 2020
As part of our ongoing series of blog posts highlighting our awesome staff throughout the Free Library of Philadelphia, today we take some time to speak with Sunita Balija, who is a… continue reading Meet Your Library Staff: Sunita Balija, Children's Librarian and South Indian Classical Vocalist
By written by Peter SM December 4, 2020
Howllo Boils and Ghouls!, Welcome back to the Free Library of Phrightadelphia's boo-log, on this most haunted of holidays— Halloween ! Usually, during this time of year, we'd be… continue reading Halloween 2020: I Want Candy!
By written by Peter SM October 30, 2020 1
It's that time of year again, where we sound the alarm on censorship in all its forms during Banned Books Week —and today, more specifically, raise awareness of the overly restrictive… continue reading Banned Books Week | Banned Websites Awareness Day
By written by Peter SM September 30, 2020
On the third Saturday in September, comic book, superhero, and pop culture fans alike celebrate all things Batman ! And sure, it's a made-up "holiday" , but if Batman Day is at the… continue reading Capes Out, Cowls On for Batman Day!
By written by Peter SM September 18, 2020 3
If I had to sum up 2020 so far in one word, it would be... bogus . Or, maybe we're just stuck in one of the darkest timelines ? Either way, we could all use some pure escapism right now, and… continue reading Bill and Ted Face the Music \m/
By written by Peter SM August 28, 2020
It's that time of year again... where you'll never know what to expect from... Shark Week ! For the past 32 years, Shark Week has grown from a small, PBS-styled series of documentary… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight | Shark Week 2020
By written by Peter SM August 10, 2020 1
The 2020 Olympic Games were supposed to be starting today in Tokyo, Japan, but the Olympic flame will not be lit this summer . This year's Olympics were postponed back in March due to the… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight: Olympic Memories of the Past
By written by Peter SM July 23, 2020
For the past 50 years(!), fans, writers, illustrators, creators, and sellers of anything and everything comic book-related have convened in sunny San Diego, CA for the foremost pop culture event… continue reading Comic-Con 2020: At-Home and Online!
By written by Peter SM July 20, 2020 2
Readers are no strangers to having their favorite books and characters adapted for the screen, and Netflix, in particular, is one of the biggest purveyors of bringing those pages to life via… continue reading New Book to Screen Adaptations from Netflix This July!
By written by Peter SM July 10, 2020