Summer Hours and Cool Activities at the Free Library!

By Christina P. RSS Wed, June 6, 2018

It's almost officially summer here in Philadelphia, as the sun finally breaks through all the recent rain clouds and schools will be letting out early next week. No matter what your plans are this summer, the Free Library is here to keep you cool, connected, and book-bound!

Our summer hours begin on Monday, June 11. Many of our libraries will operate on a Monday through Friday schedule. Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library, Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library, and Parkway Central Library will continue with Saturday and Sunday service hours. In addition, South Philadelphia Library will now also be open on Sundays. For more information on openings, closings, and hours, please visit our Library Locations page.

And here's just some of the of cool activities and amenities for children, teens, and adults to enjoy at a neighborhood library this summer...

Free WiFi and air conditioning!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Summer of Wonder summer reading program kicks off next week at your local neighborhood library on Monday, June 11! Earn badges by tracking minutes read and completing fun Discovery Path activities themed around STEAM, literacy, and exploration. Can't wait until Monday? You can sign up online right now!

 

 

 

Looking for something different than the same old summer blockbusters? Check out afamily-friendly film screening at your local library!

 

 

 

Kids can learn a fresh approach to cooking, collaboration, and cost by making pasta, pizza, and other yumtastic dishes from scratch during our Summer Thyme Cooks series at the Culinary Literacy Center. Space is limited and the deadline to apply is June 19, so sign up today (Kids entering grades 5-7 and Teens entering grades 8-12)!

 

 

 

 

 

There are still limited spots available for our Science in the Summer series of free and fun science workshops for children in grades 2–6. This summer’s theme is the Science of Space!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep kids hands busy and minds artsy with cool creative crafts!

 

 

 

 

 


Get your game on with any number of video game, board game, or tabletop gaming events!

 

 

 

 


 

Check out a Sundays on Stage perfromance with the whole family! This series of cultural programs and live performances celebrates diversity through music, dance, and storytelling!

 

 

 



 

Visit a furry friend and read them a story at one of our PAWS for Reading events, where children 6 - 12 can open up and feel comfortable about reading aloud to lovable therapy dogs!

 

 

 


 



 

Toddlers to tweens can design and build imaginative structures using LEGO, Mega Bloks, and Magna Tiles. Let your imagination be your blueprint!

 

 


 

 

Yoga for kids helps build flexibility and teach mindfulness in a relaxed and quiet setting—the library!

 

 

 


 

 

There are also plenty of activities for teens encompassing everything from book clubs and cooking classes to gaming and college and job readiness workshops!


 

 

Can't make it into one of our libraries? Be on the lookout for our Book Bike and one of our pop-up libraries in your neighborhood!

 

 

 

These are just a sampling of the activities and events the Free Library has to offer this summer!

Browse our catalog for the newest titles, stream and download digital media to your favorite device, check out our calendar for exciting events, and stop in at your local neighborhood library today!

Happy (almost) Summer!


Have a question for Free Library staff? Please submit it to our Ask a Librarian page and receive a response within two business days.

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Do you have prinatable flyers for library locations and/or summer events?
Angela - Philadelphia
Wednesday, June 13, 2018

What I need is the hours of operation for the Independence Branch --which is missing from this site along with the acutally hours of operation of any other library. There seems to be an assumption that everyone knows exactly what your summer hours are for any and all libraries. An egregious assumption at best
R. S. Feinstein - Philadelphia, PA
Friday, June 22, 2018

Thank you both for your replies. Each location has printed flyers of events happening in the library and across the system. Please click on the Locations tab at the top of the page and select a library to see the summer hours. Each library also has business cards with their hours of operation.
Christina P
Friday, June 22, 2018

I agree with the other commenter- it's way too hard to find hours of operation. This is basic info.
G - Philadelphia
Saturday, June 29, 2019

Hi G, All Neighborhood Library hours can be found under our Locations section, by clicking on the Locations link at the top of our website. Thanks!
Web Admin - Philadelphia
Saturday, June 29, 2019