Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain , which was his debut novel, received critical acclaim when it was published in 1997, ultimately receiving the National Book Award and topping the New York Times bestseller list for an incredible 61 weeks. It is often characterized as an American “epic.” Today, we think of something epic as… continue reading #OneBookWednesday: Cold Mountain Reimagines The Odyssey
By written by Julie B. December 9, 2015 1
Edible Alphabet is an English-as-a-Second-Language program offered by the Free Library's Culinary Literacy Center. The mission is twofold: to teach participants how to cook nutritious meals and to teach English language skills through hands-on education. Food is universal—it cuts across cultural differences, uniting people in all… continue reading Edible Alphabet: Learning English and Connecting to Culture Through Cooking
By written by Liz A. December 9, 2015 20
The Free Library continually seeks ways to provide the best health information and resources for our users. One of our exciting ventures is the newly established Health Corners in three neighborhood libraries in West Philadelphia. These dedicated areas at Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional , Kingsessing , and Paschalville… continue reading Check Out Our New Health Corners!
By written by Autumn M. December 8, 2015
“Alice and Wonderland” at 150 CBS news "She demanded that he write it down for her," said Judith Guston, a curator at Philadelphia's Rosenbach Library, home to another Alice-themed exhibit. "And this is what created the story that we know today." Mayoral Award at Free Library ABC Video clip … continue reading Free Library in the News: November 30-December 4, 2015
By written by Samantha M. December 4, 2015
As the holiday season is upon us, I have started looking forward to one of my favorite holiday rituals: revisiting Little Women . This may not be on most people’s lists of traditional holiday movies or books, but for me it has become a personal way of celebrating the holidays. It all started with one of my favorite gifts I received when I… continue reading Little Women: A Holiday Tradition
By written by Ann P. December 4, 2015
Hanukkah , Winter Solstice , Christmas , Kwanzaa , and New Years are all up on the horizon, with many chances to spend quality time with family and friends. What better way to engage with the children in your life than with these fun seasonal suggestions for early literacy activities from the Free Library of Philadelphia's children's… continue reading December 2015 Early Literacy Calendar
By written by Sarah S. December 3, 2015
It is hard to talk about the Civil War without talking about race and slavery. Whether or not one believes it was the primary driver of the war, or only a side issue to the matter of states’ rights—an idea advanced in some states, to the chagrin of many historians—we cannot deny that slavery was a core part of life in the… continue reading #OneBookWednesday: Race in Our Selections
By written by Julie B. December 2, 2015
The HOUR OF CODE is coming! The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. There is no experience needed and tutorials are available in over 40 languages. This year, there are 148,323 separate Hour of Code events scheduled around the world. To… continue reading The Library Wants YOU to Learn How to Code—for FREE!
By written by Jenn D. December 2, 2015 4
