After a milestone 30th anniversary season, we are thrilled to announce the 2024–2025 Author Events series will kick off on September 11, brought to you by the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation!

Upcoming Fall Author Series events at the Free Library include a long list of diverse, distinguished guests and esteemed authors, including:

• Mary McCormack and Melissa Fitzgerald | Whats Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing → Wednesday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m.
• Carrie Rickey in conversation with Gary Kramer | A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda → Monday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m.
• Francis Collins in conversation with Kathleen Hall Jamieson | The Road to Wisdom on Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust → Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m.
• Paola Mendoza | Solis: A Companion to Sanctuary → Thursday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m.
• Aisha Beliso-De Jesus in conversation with Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. | Excited Delirium: Race, Police Violence, and the Invention of a Disease → Wednesday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m.
• Valarie Kaur | Revolutionary Love → Wednesday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m.
• Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Michelle Williams | Revenge of the Tipping Point → Thursday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m.
• Andre Robert Lee | A Conversation with the Documentary Filmmaker and Author → Wednesday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Lori Ginzburg in conversation with Tamala Edwards | Tangled Journeys → Thursday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m.
• Judge David S. Tatel | Vision : A Memoir of Blindness and Justice → Friday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are available online, and additional Author Series happenings will be added throughout the season. Please check the Free Library website regularly for updates on upcoming events and additional information.

To quote Daniel Blank, Author Series Managing Director of Public Programs, "The Author Series is one of Philadelphia’s cultural treasures, and I could not be more excited about this year’s lineup. Our current season, with some events already announced and more to come, reflects the vitality of the city itself as well as the Free Library, one of its flagship cultural institutions. The Foundation is proud to offer unparalleled access to such a diverse, influential group of writers and thinkers."

Your Support Matters

The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation funds and facilitates many incredible programs available at the Library, including the Author Series. While half of our Author Series is offered to the public free of charge, these events cost as much to produce, staff, and promote as ticketed events. The same is true for recording our Author Series as podcasts and videos, which are made available online for free in the spirit of the Free Library's mission to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity.

Your support for the Author Series matters. That is why we have a “pay what you wish” model for free events, where you can donate in-person or when reserving your ticket online. We hope you will consider making a gift to support this beloved Author Series to assure that the dynamic and inspiring experience you enjoy with a diverse roster of celebrated authors remains strong and accessible to the greater Philadelphia community.

We invite you to learn more about the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and more ways you can help by following us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn!

The Free Library is one of the most important educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia. While the City of Philadelphia provides public funds for the operations of the Free Library, it is through the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and the generosity of private funding from individuals, foundations, and corporations that the Free Library is able to offer many of the Library’s incredible programs and activities that advance literacy, guide learning, inspire curiosity throughout the region, and help deliver on the promise of an equitable future for all of Philadelphia’s children, families, and communities.