Five Libraries that Go Beyond Books
Huffington Post
Most libraries have hosted authors for book discussions, but the Free Library of Philadelphia takes it one step furthur. They record the author events and share them as free podcasts, so anyone can listen to them. Called the Free Library Podcast, the library has over 1200 events recorded, ranging from former head of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan to bestselling author David Baldacci to humorist Amy Sedaris.

Fleisher music collection curator selected
Philly.com
The Free Library of Philadelphia has filled the long-vacant job of curator of the Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music. Musicologist Gary Galván succeeds Kile Smith, who retired in September 2011 to compose full time.

National accolade for head of Free Library of Philadelphia
Newsworks.org
Siobhan Reardon took over as president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia amid a turbulent economic time: the recession of 2008. Now, on much more secure footing, she's been cited as the 2015 Librarian of the Year by Library Journal.

Cat’s Pajamas at Free Library of Philadelphia
Frugalphillymom.com
The Cats put on more than a concert – they plunge the audience into a wild, wonderful world of stories, puppets and props, backed by a bond guaranteed to delight all ages. (event listing)

Fraktur: Four Exhibitions, a Catalog, and a Conference
Maineantiquedigest.com
The Free Library of Philadelphia will host two exhibitions: Quill & Brush: Pennsylvania German Fraktur and Material Culture, from March 2 to July 17, and Word & Image: Contemporary Artists Connect to Fraktur, from March 2 to June 14. Quill & Brush focuses on hand-drawn and printed fraktur along with important manuscripts, ephemera, and printed books that highlight the breadth and depth of the Free Library’s renowned Pennsylvania German collection. Word & Image takes a unique approach to the study of traditional fraktur by connecting it to the work of contemporary artists who similarly combine images with texts.

What’s Cooking on 1060: Coffee with Movies, Pizza with Kindness, and Literacy with Cooking
CBS Philly
The Culinary Literacy Center at the Free Library of Philadelphia may be going strong, but coordinator Liz Fitzgerald (below) says it seems that not a lot of people know about their programming and free culinary classes.“This whole program is really based on incorporating literacy skill-building in with nutrition education, and with cooking,” she says, “so we work with organizations and with chefs to come up with ideas and then throw them on the calendar.” (Features a complete audio interview with Liz)

Meet the Black Architect Who Designed Duke University 37 Years Before He Could Have Attended It
Curbed.com
Either way, the fact that by the 1980s most people had never even heard of the history-making architect [Julian F. Abele], who designed an estimated 250 buildings while working at the well-known Trumbauer firm, including Harvard University's Widener Memorial library and Philadelphia's Free Library, was even more shocking.

Tomi Ungerer: In from the cold
The Economist
The crowd inside the Drawing Center, a small museum in lower Manhattan, spilled onto Wooster Street. They had come for the first New York exhibition of works by Tomi Ungerer, a renowned illustrator and author of children’s books, since two failed shows in 1970. (Photo credit to the Free Library of Philadelphia. Materials on view borrowed from FLP’s collection).

Tomi Ungerer Retrospective at NYC’s Drawing Center
Finebooksmagazine.com
On view now at New York City's Drawing Center is Tomi Ungerer: All in One, the first career retrospective in the United States dedicated to the artist. The exhibit shows the many faces of Ungerer--and in doing so, rounds out our constricted knowledge of him. (photo credit from FLP’s Children’s Literature Research Collection)

Art: This Week (blurb on Tomi Ungerer’s retrospective at the Drawing Center in NYC)
The New Yorker
“All in One,” a retrospective of Ungerer’s work—with a room devoted to his erotica—opens this week at the Drawing Center, where the artist appears in conversation on Jan. 17.

City of Eternal Spring
Creative Boom
Tom Griggs is a photographer, writer, editor and educator currently based in Medellín, Colombia… His photographs are included in the Permanent Print and Picture Collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia as well as private collections. He has also been a Critical Mass Finalist as well as a PDN 30 nominee.

New Jenks program to make students active learners
Chestnut Hill Local
To assist the Ignite program, Jenks has partnered with the Chestnut Hill Library, which will provide most of the educational resources to be made available through Jenks’ portal via the Free Library of Philadelphia’s education database. In addition to students having access to the Free Library of Philadelphia’s portal for educational purposes, the Chestnut Hill Library will make sure that every Jenks student has a library card and the ability to access all of the reading materials being offered.

In Your Community: Free Library Used Book Sale
The Philadelphia Tribune
The Friends of the Elkins Park Free Library will hold its next used book sale Friday from 2-5:30 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-3:30 p.m. at 563 E. Church Road in Elkins Park.

Julian Abele mentioned as designer of Free Library of Philadelphia
FOX
(Audio) Abele’s work is featured in current exhibition at the Art Museum)

Radio Times Review: Remembering Al Capone, Atheist Sam Harris, Jazz Composer Danilo Perez
WHYY
We’ll revisit Marty’s interview with atheist SAM HARRIS, who joined Marty in studio last fall following his controversial appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher. We’ll listen to the portions of Marty’s interview that focused on his book Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion, which was overshadowed at the time by Harris’ provocative remarks about Islam. (appeared 10/14)

‘Gateway to Freedom’ uncovers Underground Railroad
The Philadelphia Tribune
For Foner, this document was the missing puzzle piece in the broader history of the underground railroad. It enabled him to assemble a complete picture of the network of antislavery activists, Black and white, prominent and humble, who worked at great personal risk, to bring fugitive slaves to freedom along the northeast together. “William Still kept a set of records here in Philadelphia, which were similar to what Gay kept in New York,” explained Foner during an appearance at The Free Library. (appeared 1/20)

Book review: ‘Gateway to Freedom’ tells story of Underground Railroad
Philly.com
Eric Foner, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian from Columbia University, tells the secret system's story in Gateway to Freedom, bringing to bear the insights of a long and distinguished career writing about the Civil War and Reconstruction eras and a sharp sense of the ironies that involuntary servitude posed for a nation that proclaimed itself to be built on principles of liberty.

One Book, One Philadelphia coverage

The 13^th Annual One Book, One Philadelphia Program Kicks Off Tonight, January 22 With a Party at the Free Library of Philadelphia
Uwishunu
Now in its 13th year, One Book, One Philadelphia promotes literacy and community, encouraging people all over the city to read the same book and come together for related special events and discussions.

“One Book, One Philadelphia” 2015 in Review
Global Philadelphia
“One Book, One Philadelphia” is an initiative from the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Mayor’s Office. This year’s book, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, marks the 13th year of the project, which promotes literacy and unifies Philadelphia through reading and discussions. The book chosen by the selection committee for 2015 sheds light on the international past of this country and offers a personal account of the oftentimes miserable beginnings of early American immigrant life.

One Book, One Philadelphia Kickoff Event
CBS Philly
Philadelphia kicks off its annual “One Book, One Philadelphia” initiative with a visit from the author of this year’s selection. (Video)

Philadelphia Program Targeting Readers Both Young and Old Now Underway
CBS Philly
This year, the program is encouraging reading through the book Orphan Train. “It’s a wonderful story about a part of American history that many of us didn’t know anything about, which was when immigrant children came primarily through Ellis Island and into New York,” says Horrocks.

Calendar: January 21-28
Philadelphia Weekly
Event calendar lists One Book kickoff event  with Christina Baker Kline and Ben Yagoda’s Author Event (will appear 1/27)

One Book kickoff ad
WHYY
(Audio)

Rosenbach in the News

Kathy Haas, Assistant Curator at the Rosenbach, is on Jeopardy!
ABC
Alex Trebek interviews Kathy Haas during her appearance on Jeopardy! (Audio)

Weekly Entertainment Guide—Wilde, Wyeth,& Wolman
Newsworks
Wilde, an iconic figure in the struggle for gay and universal human rights, is celebrated with related programs and events including A Taste of Opera: Wilde and Whitman in Song, Monday, January 26, excerpts from Oscar with rare musical settings of works by the two artists, at the Free Library of Philadelphia (free). Also, the exhibit Everything is Going on Brilliantly: Oscar Wilde and Philadelphia, on display January 23 through April 26 at the Rosenbach Museum and Library.