Edible Alphabet is a free English Language Learning (ELL) program offered by the Free Library's Culinary Literacy Center . The mission is to teach English language and literacy skills through hands-on cooking projects. While Free Library locations remain closed to the public in the interest of public health and safety, we will be sharing… continue reading Edible Alphabet Recipe of the Week: Chinese Scallion Pancakes

By written by Lindsay S.    June 30, 2020   

• Culinary Literacy
• Recipes
• Cooking
• History of Philadelphia
• Edible Alphabet
• Immigrant Heritage

Right now, it seems like everyone is reading books about race. The New York Times  bestsellers list is currently made up almost entirely of books about race and racism, with the "big three" taking the top spots: How to Be an Antiracist , So You Want to Talk About Race , and White Fragility . At the Free Library, we’re… continue reading There's More to #BlackLivesMatter Than Booklists

By written by Jamie B.    June 30, 2020    5  

• Recommendations
• Black Lives Matter

Pride Month is set to wrap up this week, and we’ve had so much fun celebrating with virtual events, book lists, and history lessons all throughout June (see what we’ve been up to here on the  blog !). But we’ve got one more celebration planned, and we hope you’ll participate!  The Parkway Central Library… continue reading Close Out Pride Month with a Dress-Up Day!

By written by Kate C.    June 29, 2020   

• Community
• Free Library of Pride

For nearly three decades, America’s birthplace (Philly, of course!) has celebrated Independence Day with Wawa Welcome America – a free, multi-day festival encompassing multicultural and multigenerational programming, highlighting our city’s diverse voices. Of course, this year’s event has had to pivot to a… continue reading Celebrate Wawa Welcome America Virtually with the Free Library!

By written by Kate C.    June 29, 2020   

• Holidays
• Special Collections
• History of Philadelphia

Celebrate Pride Month by attending your very own film fest of curated LGBTQIA+ cinema, streaming through our Digital Media portal ! Kanopy There are hundreds of LGBTQAI+ featured films and videos currently streaming , with categories like Modern Love , Journey Out of the Closet , Fight for Equality , Quintessential Queer Filmmakers , Notes on… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight: Pride Month Streaming Film Fest!

By written by Peter SM    June 26, 2020   

• LGBTQ
• Film
• Digital Media
• Free Library of Pride

Celebrate Pride Month , Independence Day, and your own creativity as the Summer of Wonder continues this week! Beat the summer heat and learn to keep cool without AC ! For a special treat, make DIY ice cream with LEAP ! Join us Daily Challenges on Facebook for Week 5 of Wonder, June 29 – July 5! Monday: Imagination Station Get into the… continue reading Summer of Wonder - Week 5: Pride Dress Up Day, Adventure Journals, Independence Day, and DIY Ice Cream!

By written by Emily S.    June 26, 2020   

• Childrens Programs
• Family Programs
• Teens
• Summer Reading
• Summer
• Adult Learning
• Virtual Programs

Families come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. These wonderful ebooks can help you celebrate the richness and diversity of families today:   Baby’s First Words written by Stella Blackstone ; illustrated by Christiane Engel Spend the day with a busy baby and her two dads, and learn the words for things you do and see along the way!… continue reading Celebrating Families During Pride Month

By written by Monica C.    June 25, 2020   

• Ebooks
• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Free Library of Pride

The Business Resource and Innovation Center’s (BRIC) free business resources are accessible anywhere! That means you can conduct business research at your leisure from the comfort of your home. So grab your cat, a hot beverage, and your business plan template . It’s time to get your research on! Whether you’re currently… continue reading At Home with BRIC: Conducting Market Research

By written by Gillian R.    June 25, 2020   

• Databases
• Business Resource and Innovation Center
• Business
• Library Resources
• Virtual Programs

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these." — George Washington Carver George Washington Carver lived an extraordinary life. Born a slave on a… continue reading George Washington Carver: Inventor, Environmentalist, Mentor, and Role Model

By written by Sharyl O.    June 24, 2020    2  

• African American
• History
• Patent and Trademark
• Black Lives Matter

Really want to get the most out of your veggies? Then don’t let them go to waste! Check out these six tips from the Culinary Literacy Center for keeping your produce fresher longer.   6. Frozen is just as good as fresh! Did you know that the nutrient content in frozen or canned produce can be equal to and sometimes even greater than… continue reading 6 Tips for Keeping Your Produce Fresher and Longer

By written by Naquawna L.    June 24, 2020    1  

• How To
• Culinary Literacy

If you recall being in middle school, or are currently in middle school, you know it is a tough time. Am I wearing the right clothes? Do I have the right friends? Do I like the right stuff? Middle school is a time of change: your look, your brain, your feelings. Around this time is also when a lot of children start to feel more… continue reading Middle-Grade Pride Book Recommendations!

By written by Mary W.    June 23, 2020   

• Teens
• Recommendations
• Free Library of Pride

Edible Alphabet is a free English Language Learning (ELL) program offered by the Free Library's Culinary Literacy Center . The mission is to teach English language and literacy skills through hands-on cooking projects. While Free Library locations remain closed to the public in the interest of public health and safety, we will be sharing… continue reading Edible Alphabet Recipe of the Week: Black Bean Empanadas

By written by Lindsay S.    June 23, 2020   

• Languages
• Recipes
• Cooking
• Digital Learning
• English Language Learners
• Languages and Learning

That’s all anybody can do right now. Live. Hold out. Survive. I don’t know whether good times are coming back again. But I know that won’t matter if we don’t survive these times. ― Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower Octavia Butler’s breathtaking body of work deals broadly with racism, as well as with other… continue reading In Appreciation of Octavia Butler

By written by Joel N.    June 22, 2020    5  

• African American
• Literature

Summer might look a bit different this year, but the Library’s resources are here to stay. Between the 100th anniversary of   Summer of Wonder , virtual Pride programming , and digital Author Events , there is so much to do online at the Free Library this summer! In the spirit of celebrating all things digital at the Library, the… continue reading Ravens on the Laptop: A Virtual Summer Celebration with the Raven Society!

By written by Laura K.    June 22, 2020   

• Raven Society

The Summer of Wonder continues as next week we are highlighting all of our great Pride month virtual programming! Also, we've updated our Summer Camp Challenge page with a video playlist for training resources and information to add literacy-rich activities into your camp and group programs this summer! Join us on Facebook for Week Three,… continue reading Summer of Wonder – Week Four: Healthy Sexuality Workshops, Queer Authors and Playwrights, Drag Queen Storytimes, and Virtual Museum Tours!

By written by Emily S.    June 18, 2020   

• Childrens Programs
• Family Programs
• Teens
• Summer Reading
• Summer
• Free Library of Pride
• Adult Learning
• Virtual Programs

On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, and he had an announcement to make. More than two years before, President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The Civil War had ended, and freedom from slavery, though not yet signed into law with the 13th Amendment , was the de… continue reading Juneteenth Matters

By written by Kalela W.    June 18, 2020    1  

• Holidays
• African American
• Black Lives Matter

Philadelphia's Mayor Kenney has declared Friday, June 19, 2020 a City holiday in recognition of Juneteenth! Juneteenth is the most popular annual celebration of Emancipation, and commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to ensure that slaves were freed in accordance with the Emancipation… continue reading Picture ebook Highlights | Celebrating Juneteenth!

By written by Monica C.    June 18, 2020   

• Holidays
• African American
• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Black Lives Matter

What are your plans for Father’s Day this year? Even if you’re not able to be out and about, there is something you can do right at home – cozy up and share a good book together! Celebrate as a family with these fun picture ebooks:         Hike by Pete Oswald Take to the trails for a… continue reading Stories to Share for Father's Day

By written by Monica C.    June 17, 2020   

• Ebooks
• Holidays
• Reading
• Childrens Books
• Recommendations

In addition to offering patrons ever-growing Digital Collections , dozens of research databases , and a rich variety of genealogic resources , the Free Library and the Special Collections Division deliver an exceptional customer experience by digging a little deeper into our archives for special requests. Late in 2019, we received the following… continue reading Finding "Nonno"

By written by Fleisher Collection    June 17, 2020   

• Archives
• Fleisher Collection
• Genealogy
• Special Collections
• Teachers
• History of Philadelphia

Edible Alphabet is a free English Language Learning (ELL) program offered by the Free Library's Culinary Literacy Center . The mission is to teach English language and literacy skills through hands-on cooking projects. While Free Library locations remain closed to the public in the interest of public health and safety , we will be sharing… continue reading Edible Alphabet Recipe of the Week: Korean Noodle Salad (Japchae)

By written by Lindsay S.    June 16, 2020    1  

• Digital Collections
• Languages
• Digital Media
• Culinary Literacy
• Recipes
• Digital Learning
• English Language Learners
• Languages and Learning