We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! If you need a post-Thanksgiving food coma pick-me-up, we've got just the thing: the Free Library Shop ! You can browse through the Free Library Shop from the comfort of your computer keyboard, tablet, or mobile phone for great literary and library-inspired gift ideas like signed books from our… continue reading Free Library Shop: The Perfect Gift for the Holidays

By written by Peter SM    November 29, 2013   

Everyone, OverDrive, the Free Library's primary vendor for ebook and downloadable audiobooks, has emailed us about a security breach of customer data on Adobe servers.  Here is te message they sent: "As widely reported, Adobe confirmed that they suffered a security breach of customer data on their servers. The company posted… continue reading For OverDrive ebook users: An OverDrive update regarding the reported security breach of Adobe data

By written by Anne L.    November 27, 2013    2  

Expounding on recent discussions concerning the Digital Divide , welcome to a new series of blog posts that will discuss the topic of Digital Literacy . Digital literacy can have many layers of meaning, but here are the three major strands: Information Literacy –  Knowing when, how to find, and how to use information. Check out… continue reading Introducing Digital Literacy: Here and Now

By written by Debra E. J.    November 26, 2013   

• Digital Literacy

The Free Library is happy to announce the latest addition to our website: the integration of Google Translate ! As part of the Free Library’s strategic plans, it has been a goal to present our website content in multiple languages to cater to the diverse population of our patrons throughout the City of Philadelphia. The Google Translate… continue reading Google Translate Helps to Break Language Barriers on Free Library Website

By written by Peter SM    November 25, 2013    2  

• Website
• Tech

Let's go "Around the Web" and check out all the excitement over the next film installment in Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire ! First and foremost, watch the epic and awe-inspiring trailer below (which if you are a fan, you have probably already watched dozens of times since it first went online in… continue reading Around the Web: The Hunger Games Edition

By written by Peter SM    November 22, 2013    3  

• Film
• Around the Web
• YA literature

The Maker Movement has been in full swing at the Free Library! Since September we have been offering afterschool maker programming, with an emphasis on introducing youth in North Philadelphia to electronics and computing through a low-barrier entrypoint: appealing to their creativity. STEM education focuses on science, technology, engineering… continue reading Putting the “A” in STEM: Creativity and Making at the Free Library of Philadelphia

By written by K-Fai S.    November 20, 2013   

• Maker Movement

The Free Library’s latest Highlights mix is up on Spotify! If you haven’t given these a listen yet, Highlights are special playlists of, well, highlights , culled from our newest music purchase. Music librarians mix these just for you before the physical albums come to the library for you to check out.  For this month,… continue reading November Highlights from New Albums

By written by Perry G.    November 15, 2013   

“I must do what is right for me,” he muttered under his breath while gathering up his tools and shuttering the shop window.  Jacob Eichholtz was living a double life, and it soon had to stop.  He couldn’t stand it any more.  His parents were second-generation Pennsylvania Dutch, amazingly successful as… continue reading I Must Do What Is Right For Me ~ The Jacob Eichholtz Book of Sketches and Painterly Advice

By written by Del-Louise M.    November 14, 2013    1  

• Art
• Artists Books
• Rare Book Department
• Pennsylvania German Collection
• History

Earlier this year I read the autobiography Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup and was blown away. While reading the book I often thought about what I learned about slavery in school and the various films I've seen on the subject. Most notably, the television mini-series Roots , which I believe was probably most people's first… continue reading 12 Years A Slave and Slave Narratives

By written by Camille T.    November 13, 2013    3  

• African American
• History

Here are the Top 10 ebooks downloaded from the Free Library's OverDrive Digital Library in October 2013. There were more than 46,000 ebooks checked out and downloaded from both our website and mobile site for the month! Mystery and suspense ebooks dominated this past month, taking 6 out of the top 10 spots. The following list comprises… continue reading Top 10 ebooks OverDrive Digital Library October 2013

By written by Peter SM    November 12, 2013   

• Ebooks
• Tech

Autumn is in full swing, full of colorful leaves and brisk air, and with it the November Early Literacy Calendar from the Free Library of Philadelphia's children's librarians! This month's calendar is once again full of fun suggestions for early literacy activities that parents, family, and caregivers can engage in with their… continue reading November 2013 Early Literacy Calendar

By written by Jennifer W.    November 7, 2013   

• Early Literacy

View and listen to the Top 10 Author Event Podcasts Downloaded in October 2013 . There were more than 29,900 podcast downloads from our website for the month of October. View our full Fall schedule and don't miss out on all the great author events we have planned for the rest of 2013! Ross King | The Judgement of Paris: The Revolutionary… continue reading Top 10 Author Event Podcasts Downloaded in October 2013

By written by Peter SM    November 6, 2013   

• Podcasts
• Author Events

The first part of the story of the Browne Hours was posted on Thursday, October 24 th . For the first part, read here . Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was killed by four knights while he prayed at the altar in Canterbury Cathedral on December 29, 1170, supposedly on the king’s orders. For a simple explanation of the… continue reading The Browne Hours, Part II

By written by Katharine C.    November 5, 2013   

• Parkway Central
• Rare Book Department
• Manuscripts

I know there are guidelines that say to limit screentime for your kid, but there are some great apps that let a parent (or caregiver) and toddler interact together.  It is fun to draw together with Paint Sparkles (free as of 11/4/13) and discuss the colors and shapes we are using.  ( Librarians have mixed opinions on this .)  And… continue reading Toddler trick for your iOS devices

By written by Jen W.    November 4, 2013