"The wound that was made when white people came and took all that they took has never healed. An unattended wound gets infected. Becomes a new kind of wound like the history of what actually happened became a new kind of history. All these stories that we haven’t been telling all this time, that we haven’t been listening to,… continue reading #OneBookWednesday | Intergenerational Trauma
By written by Hannah B. December 18, 2019
The Free Library is excited to announce that Trapeta Mayson has been appointed the 2020-2021 Philadelphia Poet Laureate . A committee of poets, educators, and arts-organization professionals selected Trapeta from a wildly impressive group of applicants. Her two-year term begins on January 1, 2020. As Philadelphia’s fifth Poet Laureate,… continue reading A New Poet Laureate for Philadelphia...
By written by Andrew N. December 12, 2019 2
Never having been much of a history buff, and possessing a wholly striking inability to memorize dates, my cultivation of Philadelphia history has been mostly through passive absorption. I have lived in Philadelphia long enough to have passable knowledge of the "founding fathers," the Liberty Bell, Eastern State Penitentiary, and the… continue reading #OneBookWednesday | Regional Lenape History
By written by Hannah B. December 11, 2019
Guess what, Philadelphia? We have great news! Drumroll, please... Today, the Free Library of Philadelphia Board of Trustees voted to approve a measure that will eliminate most overdue fines throughout the Free Library system! The effective date is yet to be determined, but we encourage you to check back here on our blog and social media sites… continue reading We're Going Fine-Free!
By written by Administrator December 11, 2019 9
I’m so thrilled that the One Book, One Philadelphia selection this year is There, There by Tommy Orange. I’m so thrilled that it features Indigenous folks with complicated, modern lives. And I’m so thrilled that it’s an excellent and moving read! Similarly, I could not be more excited about the selection of If I Ever Get… continue reading #OneBookWednesday | Indigenous Voices for Young Adults
By written by Rachel F. December 4, 2019
From the mid-1930s to the early 1940s, artists working for the Federal Art Project’s Poster Division of the Works Progress Administration (WPA, later renamed Work Projects Administration) created thousands of designs for posters in workshops across the United States. You may be familiar with iconic WPA poster images promoting United… continue reading Spotlight on Special Collections: WPA Posters in the Print and Picture Collection
By written by Laura S. December 2, 2019
What is ‘Black Friday,' and why do we do it? I did some digging... "In 1621, colonists invited Massasoit, the chief of the Wampanoags, to a feast after a recent land deal. Massasoit came with ninety of his men. That meal is why we still eat a meal together in November. Celebrate it as a nation. But that one wasn’t a… continue reading Did You Know?: Black Friday was Born in Philly
By written by Brittanie S. November 29, 2019
As the weather changes, there's no better company than reading a good book in a cozy space. Running from November 25 to February 29 , our Winter Reading Challenge invites readers of all ages to register and earn badges as they gather reading minutes, reach reading goals, try out new activities, and write their own book reviews! This year,… continue reading 'Tis the Season for the Winter Reading Challenge
By written by Gennifer R. November 25, 2019 3
" If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday" Pearl S. Buck Putting the contents of libraries and museums on the web makes wonderful, hidden art accessible. The Free Library of Philadelphia has digitized over 51,340 items from our extensive collections and is constantly adding more every day. Here, at the… continue reading The Free Library's New Center for Digitization | Sharing Treasures Through Technology
By written by Iryna G. November 25, 2019
Marisa McClellan is a food writer, canning teacher, and dedicated farmers' market shopper who lives in Center City Philadelphia. She is the author of Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round and Preserving by the Pint: Quick Seasonal Canning for Small Spaces . She has written for the Vegetarian Times , USA Today , the Food… continue reading Serve Up This Apple Cranberry Jam at Your Harvest Feast!
By written by Liz A. November 20, 2019
While reading There There — Tommy Orange ’s award-winning novel and the 2020 One Book, One Philadelphia featured selection—I was repeatedly struck by how many references Orange was able to weave into a single, cohesive story. Wars, movements, treaties, bands, brands, places, people, concepts, books, actors, artists, songs: all… continue reading #OneBookWednesday | Some History and Terms from There There
By written by Clare F. November 13, 2019
Squash is one of those wonderful, hearty foods that last throughout the colder seasons, and comes in many intriguing shapes and sizes. It serves as a point of literary intrigue, a cultural cornerstone, and a hot topic for cookbooks. Check out what the Free Library has in our cookbook collections —all in celebration of squash! The… continue reading The Pumpkin on the Plate
By written by Gennifer R. October 30, 2019
One of my favorite poetry presses recently printed out bookmarks that said: "Who needs poetry?" This question was a little tongue in cheek, but I think, in earnest, a valid question. "Need" is a curious word. If we need poetry, then we need language not just to be functional but also to do something more than communicate or… continue reading Poetry Comes to the Free Library This Fall
By written by Hannah B. October 28, 2019 1
If Blk Girl Soldier by Jamila Woods has been your anthem for the past few years... then you might be ready for the following booklist! Feeling telepathic? Step into this selection of *Black Girl Magic* featuring Black women authors and Black femme characters, who battle the supernatural and engage in their own magical abilities. Black… continue reading Black Girl Magic
By written by Gennifer R. October 23, 2019
by Peter SM and Dena H. Imagine stepping into an alternate universe where not everything is as it seems, animals—known as dæmons —can talk and act like humans, and a mysterious substance called "Dust" is coveted by sinister forces with evil plans. That's the journey readers embarked on when they began reading the… continue reading His Dark Materials Screenings and Scavenger Hunts!
By written by Administrator October 21, 2019 1
There’s a new book in town! This morning, in partnership with the Office of the Mayor, the Free Library announced the title of the 2020 One Book, One Philadelphia featured selection. Are you ready? This year, Philadelphia will be reading… There There by Tommy Orange We are thrilled to share There There by Tommy Orange as the… continue reading Announcing the 2020 One Book, One Philadelphia Selection!
By written by Hannah B. October 17, 2019 1
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month , and while we all know that a library card grants you instant access to a treasure trove of books, DVDs, and audiobooks from our catalog , we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the more unconventional but equally wonderful items you can borrow! These items can be checked out for a… continue reading Library Card Sign-Up Month | You Can Get WHAT at the Library?!
By written by Kate C. September 27, 2019
The Free Library’s Instrument Lending Collection turns 3 today and, like any sociable Libra, it stands out in its ability to attract and entertain. What’s changed? There’s been some growth spurts: music librarians have expanded the collection to nearly 100 instruments in a variety of families to the MIC (musical instrument… continue reading The Free Library Toasts Three Years of Instrument Lending with Free Drum Workshops!
By written by Perry G. September 26, 2019 4
Another year, another Banned Books Week ! Each year the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles a list of the Most Challenged Books in order to "inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. The lists are based on information from media stories and voluntary… continue reading Banned Books Week | LGBTQ+ Tween and Children's Edition
By written by Rachel F. September 26, 2019
Hey, library lovers! Another Banned Books Week is upon us, this year extending from September 22-28, as libraries around the country join forces with the American Library Association (ALA)’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) and the Banned Books Week Coalition in support of our right to read what we want, when we want. This… continue reading Banned Books Week | Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!
By written by Kate C. September 23, 2019
