The Free Library updated its hours of operation on Monday, October 16, 2023.
The Free Library is excited to announce an update to our hours of operation in many neighborhood libraries, as well as Parkway Central and its departments! These changes are in effect as of Monday, October 16, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Free Library change hours for some of its libraries and departments?
The Free Library’s decision to change some of the hours of operation for selected Parkway Central departments and neighborhood libraries was not made lightly. While we understand these changes will not be ideal for some, these changes will allow us to make better use of staffing and other resources during times when more patrons are in our buildings. This will result in improved service and assist in our goal of reestablishing stable six-day service for the Free Library.
When are Saturday hours returning?
We were excited and proud to be able to offer Saturday hours this summer in some of our libraries. Now, planning is underway to restore Saturday hours across our entire system. We hope to share more information with you in the coming weeks.
Why weren't Saturday hours added the same time as evenings?
We are in the process of hiring additional staff to support Saturday hours.
How will LEAP be impacted by the change in hours?
Our LEAP hours will reflect those of the library. LEAP will still be offered five days a week (Monday–Friday). LEAP staff will be available to support students after school and provide informal learning activities and programs.
The following branches and departments have new hours:
Parkway Central Library
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
The following Central departments are also operating on these extended hours:
- Art Department
- Education, Philosophy & Religion Department
- General Information Department
- Government Publications
- Literature Department
- Music Department
- Philbrick Hall
- Science and Wellness Department
- Social Science and History Department
Business Resource and Innovation Center
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Central Children's Department
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Central Senior Services
Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Field Teen Center
Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Heim Center for Cultural and Civic Engagement
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday: 9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Newspapers and Microfilm Center
Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Special Collections Division
Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(Research services by appointment only)
This includes:
- Children's Literature Research Collection
- Map Collection
- Fleisher Collection
- Print and Picture Collection
- Rare Book Department
- Theatre Collection
Neighborhood Libraries
Monday & Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
These include:
- Andorra Library
- Bushrod Library
- Bustleton Library
- Charles Santore Library
- Chestnut Hill Library
- David Cohen Ogontz Library
- Eastwick Library
- Falls of Schuylkill Library
- Fishtown Community Library
- Fox Chase Library
- Fumo Family Library
- Greater Olney Library
- Haverford Library
- Holmesburg Library
- Independence Library
- Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library
- Katherine Drexel Library
- Logan Library
- Lovett Memorial Library
- Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library
- Northeast Regional Library
- Oak Lane Library
- Philadelphia City Institute
- Queen Memorial Library
- Richmond Library
- Roxborough Library
- South Philadelphia Library
- Tacony Library
- Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr. Library
- Torresdale Library
- Wadsworth Library
- Walnut Street West Library
- Welsh Road Library
- West Oak Lane Library
- Whitman Library
- Wynnefield Library
The following neighborhood branches are operating on a modified schedule:
Monday & Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
- Cecil B Moore Library
- Charles L. Durham Library
- Haddington Library
- Kensington Library
- Lillian Marrero Library
- McPherson Square Library
- Nicetown-Tioga Library
- Overbook Park Library
- Ramonita G. de Rodriguez Library
- Widener Library
- Wyoming Library
The following libraries are currently closed for renovations:
- Kingsessing Library
- Paschalville Library
- Frankford Library
- Lawncrest Library
- Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library
Have a question for Free Library staff? Please submit it to our Ask a Librarian page and receive a response within two business days.
Why are the libraries that were previously opened on Saturdays now closed? Philadelphia is the only major city that hasn't gone back to regular pre-pandemic hours. Other cities, larger than Philly have had regular hours since 2021. It's a disgrace because these hours are even MORE INCONVENIENT for many people that work and also students. I'm very disappointed but I know it isn't your fault. The city has been shortchanging the libraries for years.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Since the libraries aren't open on weekends, can Philadelphia residents just go hang out at Free Library Board of Trustees' houses? Can Pam Dembe host a children's storytime? Maybe Kelly Richards could allow residents to use his Wi-Fi?
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
A lot of additional money was put into the Free Library budget this year. This a reduction in public service when the library's budget was increased significantly. Management of the library under the new administration hasn't gotten better. It's gotten worse.
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
I think it is shameful that there is not a single library open on weekends. If you were "excited and proud" to reopen (extremely limited) Saturday hours this summer, why take such a major step backwards?
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
When I worked for the FLP in the 1990's, we managed to open 1 branch in each area of the city of Saturdays without any additional staff. We drew up a schedule so that staff from other branches in the region were assigned to the Saturday branch on Saturdays. Staff were asked to work 1 Saturday or so a month. Not as convenient as having every branch open on Saturdays, but at least an acceptable solution.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Seems like this isn't a public service institution any more! The hours do not support what most library users want or need. Give staff off a day during the week and have them work on Saturday or else have one library in each area/cluster opened on Saturdays. I remember when many libraries were opened until 9 PM two nights a week!
Thursday, September 28, 2023
The hours are fine. I actually like being able to take my elderly mother to the library in the morning instead of having to wait until lunch time. But some Saturdays at some locations would be nice.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
What about this announcement excites the people at the Free Library of Philadelphia?
Friday, September 29, 2023
Children get out of school various hours, this will affect the time they spend in the library. Adults use the library after work which will affect them adversely.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
No Saturday or weekend hours anywhere in Philadelphia is an abomination. My heart is breaking for all of the children across this city who will never know the joy of a Saturday spent searching the stacks for that perfect book or seeing friends across the table as you complete your first research papers in middle or high school.
Libraries are a public utility as much as water and streets. The lack of weekend hours is a disgrace and will undoubtedly cause hardship on many students in this next generation as well as their parents and caregivers. For the first time, I'm sad to live in this city where reading, sharing the ability and opportunities to read, are so limited.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Why is my branch having less public service hours now than before? You took away Saturdays. Now, closing at 5 pm steals two hours per week away from my neighborhood. What about these kids that need a safe place to be? This new administration does not care about Philadelphia residents.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
The libraries are essentially non functioning for our kids with these new hours. No weekend hours and closes at 5pm Wednesday - Friday?!
This makes it impossible for our kids to come and engage in library services.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
This is another decline in library services. Minimally, one library, preferably a regional, should have later hours one night a week and Saturday hours, even if the Saturday has half day hours. FLP used to be a first class library system. It has lost that status in rapid decline and deterioration. The flight to Bucks and Montgomery County libraries by Northeast residents no longer surprises me. I might be joining them soon. Very sad.
Sunday, October 1, 2023
I am a new resident to Philadelphia and I am shocked to see that there are no libraries open on Saturday. I have never lived in a city or even a small town that did not make sure that there was at least one neighboring library that was open on Saturday. Some closed Mondays or Wednesdays to make this adjustment, but it was a favorable adjustment. Closing at 5pm most weekdays while offering no weekend hours of operation means the majority of citizens and students will not be able to access public libraries. What an absolute shame for any community, especially one as large and bustling as Philadelphia.
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Like many others, I would love to see Saturday hours at Parkway Central, especially as a parent to young children. The weekdays are too full of work and then chores to ever manage a substantial visit. There are many weekends where I wished the library was open for exploration.
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
My kid has been a LEAP kid for years. We love LEAP, and we love our local library staff. I could trust that my child was safe until I could pick them up at 5:30. At the end of the summer, my librarian told me to find alternative after school care for my child, as she heard a rumor of hours changing. I am shocked that she was right, and I am so glad she gave me and many other parents the information. But what about all the other parents who haven't been told and rely on the library? How will they find care for their child this late in the school year? Administration should be ashamed of themselves abandoning so many children across the city.
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
An absolute failure of leadership. FLP dying by a thousand cuts.
Thursday, October 5, 2023
The hour changes are great for me! We were given surveys at our location (Holmesburg) and the librarians were quite diligent about handing them out. We got the changes we asked for! Would looooove Saturday hours too and I hope that's something we can get in the future!
Friday, October 6, 2023
i go to the library after school the guard told me that they be closing at 5 soon. i dont get here til 4 cause school dont let out until after 330. where can i go for wifi
Friday, October 6, 2023
It's honestly so sad and embarrassing that we basically don't have a single library that is open on weekends. Why aren't you hiring enough people to meet your staffing needs? What's the problem?
Friday, October 6, 2023
I asked my library workers why there was an hours change. They cited that due to surveys given across the city, patrons wanted these hours. I laughed, because I remember these surveys, and many of my neighbors did not ask for late hours. We don't leave the house after dark. I want my workers being safe when they leave the building at night. If I'm not out late, why should the workers be? There is no parking lot, so I know they are forced to walk a few blocks. Did no one consider that during the winter, everyone stays in once it is dark out? Why would I want a building open but no one in it? Open it earlier, and people will be more likely to come.
A worker getting harmed is going to close that building more than a 6 pm closure.
Saturday, October 7, 2023
Despite the Haverford Branch listing "book drop" on the website, the receptacle is rotted out at the bottom and there is a padlock at the top. Since you are not going to be open on Saturday, and close early on Friday, The very least you can do is replace the book drop to afford neighborhood people the ability to expeditiously return books. It's an equity issue.
Saturday, October 7, 2023
I commented on this month's ago. This is a joke. The main central library is still closed on the weekends.
Saturday, October 7, 2023
I am very disappointed that there are no Saturday hours, not even once or twice a month. I don't understand the logic behind this, there should have been some time or money sacrificed from else where to have some Saturday hours. Did the Board bother doing a community assessment and ask stakeholders what would be best for the communities that they live in? Did you involve the community at all? Providing services without asking the need or input of those receiving services can be fruitless, and unfortunately those services could be allocated in such a way that is not beneficial to the community at all, which leads to the government providing services just to be providing services but not being effective. I hope we see better changes, as someone that has and plans to continue to donate to the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Sunday, October 8, 2023
This new schedule actually cuts hours at the Walnut Street library from 39 to 37 per week. Now it will only be open until 7 on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of 8 on Mondays and Wednesdays. And I prefer 'late' hours on alternate, not consecutive days. Five PM is just too early to close. The PCI will be open the same hours. Ridiculous! Especially since they shut down the computers a half hour before close and turn off the lights fifteen minutes before close.
Additionally, the libraries are closed for too many holidays. Closing at 2PM last Friday and all day today for Columbus Day is a joke.
Monday, October 9, 2023
We recently moved to Philadelphia and I was so excited about the Library but have only been able to make it inside the closest to me (Roxborough) one time as an adult who has to work a bit over 40hrs. I haven't been able to even pick up holds because my pick up location (Rox) was unexpectedly closed the only day I could rush over straight after work. What can we do to help? I'm sure many residents like myself would be happy to volunteer if that meant there would be hours we could actually access the library.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
I love the library and read library books almost everyday. However, my biggest challenge is the hours. It is so sad when I will have holds I have been waiting for weeks disappear because I am not able to take off work to pick them up. The best times for me are: 7-9am weekdays, 8-10pm weekdays (after putting children to bed), weekends all day. The library hours are literally the opposite of this. Now that the library is only open until 7pm on the latest days, it will make it even harder to access the library. I look forward to hearing about Saturday hours and hope they will return soon to my branch. Thank you for hearing my feedback.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
I love my local library. The staff are so sweet and kind. One of my librarians told me that the hours are changing as of next week! I visit in the mornings with my daycare class on Tuesdays. Now we cannot visit because the time is changing. Tuesdays have been our library visit day since before the pandemic, since Mondays and Wednesdays were later evenings! Administration made a blanket decision without considering how people actually use their local library.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Thank you to the person who commented about going outside the city for library services. I visited Bensalem branch over the weekend. They were so kind and helpful when signing up for a library card. All I needed was my Philadelphia card and photo ID. The library was well-stocked, and I can have up to 15 holds on my account! I am very excited to have access to a library again.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
I actually like these hours. The earlier hours work for me. I know a lot of people like late hours but that doesn't work for people who start work in the afternoon. I like having the option to go to the library at 10 or 11 multiple days a week. Saturdays would be nice I guess, but I work Saturdays so I prefer the weekday mornings. Plus it provides more quiet time since the afternoons and evenings are noisy.
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Really wish SOME libraries were open on the weekend. I would prefer one weekday closed for one weekend day open. My mom's suburban library (I understand they may get more tax revenue) is at least open for 4 hours on Sunday. Now NO libraries are open on the weekend in Philly?
Thursday, October 12, 2023
Tried to go pick up a library book today only to find out the library now closes at 5!! How inconvenient. I moved here 5 years ago and think it's an absolute disgrace that my hometown library in the middle of Ohio had better operating hours. Open until 8 or 9 every night and open Saturdays. I am a huge proponent and believer in public libraries but they only work if they are open for public access. Philly please do better. People want to read but you are making it impossible. Bring Saturday back. And stay open until at the very least 5:30.
Sincerely,
A concerned library lover.
Friday, October 13, 2023
While I like that most branches will be open 37 hours a week now (some were open as little as 20 hours/week fairly recently), I'm boggled about the Free Library administration's decision to make them all open the *same* 37 hours a week, with no weekend availability and very limited evening availability.
The weekday-only, mostly-daytime-only hours may work well for some people's schedules, but not work nearly so well for others'. Most Philadelphians, even without cars, can get to more than one Free Library branch, and I suspect most can vary where they go more easily than they can vary their work or school schedule. So why not vary branch schedules so that some libraries are open at times when others aren't, so Philadelphians have more hours to use a library they can get to, even if total branch hours stay the same?
Saturday, October 14, 2023
I went to my favorite library this morning, and their hours were different. Opening at 11 am, after being open at 10 am since the pandemic is a huge inconvenience. Then, to go on here, and see that all libraries are really opening at 11 am is so ridiculous. Before the pandemic, libraries staggered their hours. I know staffing is not an issue since there are so many new faces in my library. It's actually quite off putting with all these new people. It is overwhelming coming in with multiple workers in the building. I knew everyone before and during the pandemic. Although it is still my favorite library, it no longer feels like "home."
Monday, October 16, 2023
I am annoyed at the hours change. Whoever decided to change these hours are so out of touch with what people need. I do want to take the time commend the 2 workers at Olney today. They be dealing with the hours change, listening to people be complainiing about the hours (myself included) and then they had a customer who caused an emergency. I didn't even know something was serioously going down until the medics walked in. They did not seem to even break a sweat with the stressful situation and really be listening to one another. Despite ya'll messing with these hours to inconvenience the neighborhood, this is why I come to this library. These people be the real deal. Thank you.
Monday, October 16, 2023
No weekend hours at the library, how can this be? Would expect expanded hours, not reduced hours.
Monday, October 16, 2023
Foxchase hours state 10 am to 5 pm ,after taking bus to library a note on door stated 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Please update your location website.
Thursday, October 19, 2023
It's super cool that we keep giving the PPD a nearly 10-figure budget to sit in their cruisers and collect disability all day when we can't even open libraries on Saturdays
Friday, October 20, 2023
WHEN DO EXPECT SATURDAY HOURS START!
Thursday, November 2, 2023