by Ned Scharff A little boy gazes into a Free Library video screen when suddenly a familiar face appears—that of the boy's father, an inmate in a Philadelphia prison. "Dad,"… continue reading Focus On: Free Library Prison Services

By written by Administrator    November 21, 2016    1

• Family Programs
• Literacy
• Social Justice
• Prison Services

You know that pile of books on your nightstand—the ones you keep meaning to start but just haven’t gotten around to yet? Or the book that everyone was talking about last year but when… continue reading #FLPNoShameNovember: The Books I Haven’t Read

By written by Sara D.    November 21, 2016    1

• No Shame November

Movie goers will be whisked back into the wizarding world of the Harry Potter -verse this weekend when J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them magically appears across theater… continue reading Fantastic Fantasy and Where to Find It

By written by Peter SM    November 18, 2016   

• Childrens Books
• Recommendations
• Film
• Fiction

Reading self-help books usually throws me into a pit of despair where I refuse to follow any advice, feel deeply inadequate and then ashamed for even reading the book to begin with. (Examples one… continue reading #FLPNoShameNovember: Self-Help and Shonda Rhimes

By written by Link R.    November 18, 2016   

• No Shame November

Love it or hate it, we’ve all heard of the great sporting event that is Black Friday. If you’re up for the chaos, Black Friday is a great opportunity to score deals on discounted… continue reading #ShopSmall on Small Business Saturday, November 26!

By written by CaitlinT    November 17, 2016    1

• Business Resource and Innovation Center

On Monday at 7:00 p.m. on November 21, join the Free Library and the Philadelphia Jazz Project for the next show in our acclaimed series of jazz concerts, Mysterious Travelers . Last year we… continue reading Mysterious Travelers 3 | Up Next!: Kunu Bi/Ed Stokes and Tom Lowery | Recapping Brent White

By written by Perry G.    November 17, 2016   

• Music

"I don’t read books written for readers above fourteen," is a constant phrase I use in conversations when discussing books. It’s a truthful statement; as the curator for the… continue reading #FLPNoShameNovember: A Tale of Children's Books and Drag Queens.

By written by Chris B.    November 17, 2016    2

• No Shame November

The One Book, One Philadelphia 2017 featured selection, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time , is often described as a book about a unique teen on a quest. When trying to describe… continue reading #OneBookWednesday: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder

By written by Julie B.    November 16, 2016    1

• One Book, One Philadelphia

Historical nonfiction is all the rage. Erik Larson seems to have a spot reserved for him on the New York Times bestseller list; David McCullough is so much a household name, he’s verging on… continue reading #FLPNoShameNovember: Historical Nonfiction – The Nerdy Kind

By written by Kalela W.    November 16, 2016    1

• No Shame November

We are back with a new Picture Book Highlights , the series where we put the spotlight on a brand-new book that has been ordered for all of our libraries . This time it’s Owl Sees Owl ,… continue reading Picture Book Highlights | Owl Sees Owl

By written by Monica C.    November 15, 2016   

• Childrens Books
• Pre K
• Recommendations
• Early Literacy
• Picture Book Highlights

Amid swirls of concern over the death of the independent book shop, Ann Patchett  has been bringing "independent" back for the past five years at her Parnassus Books , a thriving… continue reading The Final Word with Ann Patchett

By written by Samantha M.    November 14, 2016   

• Recommendations
• Author Events
• Fiction

I don’t know why I’m so fascinated by the British Royal Family (remember my excitement about the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton back in 2011?). Perhaps it’s… continue reading Grab a Cup of Tea and Learn About the Queen

By written by Camille T.    November 14, 2016   

• Recommendations
• Television
• History

One of my primary designations as a person is "reader." Fiction, nonfiction, high literary, lady comics—my personal library is broad. And nerdy—as a former English teacher, I… continue reading #FLPNoShameNovember: Oh, Baby—BUMPing My Usual Reading List

By written by Julie B.    November 14, 2016   

• No Shame November

Thanksgiving will soon be upon us and is always a good time to remind ourselves to be grateful. Expressing appreciation for what we have, noticing the small and big things in our lives that are… continue reading Giving Thanks!

By written by Monica C.    November 10, 2016   

• Holidays
• Childrens Books
• Pre K
• Recommendations
• Early Literacy

Some days are just "one of those days", am I right? I feel like this fall has been full of "those days", so instead of hurling myself off the nearest building, I like to… continue reading #FLPNoShameNovember: When I’m Feeling Blue

By written by Rachel F.    November 10, 2016    2

• No Shame November

The Free Library of Philadelphia is a wonderful resource for literacy and knowledge. But did you know Philadelphia has multiple organizations dedicated to supporting children’s literacy?… continue reading Where to Find Free Books to Help Build Up Your Home Library

By written by Darrian H.    November 9, 2016    6

• Read by 4th

This year's One Book, One Philadelphia selection has a bright cover you just can't miss. It's hard to even think of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time  without the… continue reading #OneBookWednesday: A Curious Cover Design

By written by Samantha M.    November 9, 2016   

• One Book, One Philadelphia

I was about 12 years old when the original groundbreaking PBS 13-part documentary series Cosmos: A Personal Journey debuted. My next older brother was deep into comic books, sci-fi, Star Wars ,… continue reading #FLPNoShameNovember: Falling Asleep to Carl Sagan’s Cosmos

By written by Ken M.    November 9, 2016    6

• No Shame November

It’s National Native American Heritage Month and the Free Library of Philadelphia is celebrating by reading books by authors who write about their Native heritage. We’re especially… continue reading How Well Do You Know Native American Authors Sherman Alexie and Louise Erdrich?

By written by Becky F.    November 8, 2016    1

• Teens
• Childrens Books
• Poetry
• History
• YA literature
• Native American

by Ned Scharff As the United States begins restoring its historic ties to Cuba, the Free Library of Philadelphia is reaching out as well—by sharing its unique collection of some of the… continue reading Resurrecting Cuba’s Forgotten Musical Treasures

By written by Administrator    November 7, 2016    1

• Music