The Free Library is excited to announce the addition of video games to its vast catalog of borrowable materials! Why video games at the library, you ask? Well, stories aren't confined to books alone! Video games present immersive worlds where players become the protagonists of their own adventures. From unraveling intricate narratives to… continue reading New Achievement Unlocked: Video Game Circulation!

By written by Administrator    May 20, 2024    6  

• Digital Media
• Catalog
• Video Games
• Games and Gaming
• Free Library Announcements

Recognized with 132 Pulitzer Prizes and appreciated by over nine million subscribers globally, we are happy to announce that the Free Library's daily New York Time s subscription has been added to our PressReader database  — with a backfile of its issues to 2010! This access is in addition to our New York Times at the… continue reading Our PressReader Database Now Includes The New York Times

By written by Sharyl O.    January 29, 2024   

• Databases
• Digital Media
• Newspapers
• Library Resources

We were pleased to offer our community so many new Electronic Resources/Databases this year! Here are all of the new resources introduced since January 1, 2023:   Films to Stream : Kanopy → Over 4,000 movies for adults and kids with no monthly viewing limits Access Video on Demand: Master Collection → Over… continue reading Celebrating Our New Electronic Resources of 2023

By written by Sharyl O.    December 18, 2023   

• Databases
• Digital Media
• Library Resources

Looking for learning resources to help you and your family prepare for kindergarten, conquer the back-to-school routine, or explore a new adult learning path? The Free Library has plenty to offer, and we’re excited to share them with you. Tip: Some of these require a library card to log in. Sign up for your Free Library card today!… continue reading Online Resources for Learners of All Ages

By written by Emily S.    September 8, 2023    2  

• Digital Media
• Back To School
• Digital Learning
• Library Resources
• Adult Learning

We are very proud of our electronic resources, also known as databases, and want to update you on some changes. As of August 1, 2023,  POWER Library Pennsylvania's Electronic Library will no longer subscribe to some databases, so they are no longer available on our Free Library of Philadelphia  databases page : Academic OneFile… continue reading Free Library of Philadelphia Database Updates

By written by Sharyl O.    August 7, 2023    1  

• Databases
• Digital Media
• Culinary Literacy
• Digital Learning

Hey book lovers! Did you know you can read, read, read, with just a tap of your finger — and without ever having to go to the library? Try digital books, also known as e-books! You can read e-books on your computer, phone, tablet, or e-reader (like Kindle, Kobo, or Nook) anywhere, anytime, even while you’re waiting in line at… continue reading Everything You Need To Know About Free Library E-Books

By written by Sharyl O.    August 4, 2023    10  

• Databases
• Ebooks
• Digital Media

We are happy to announce that more than 1,000 new videos have been added to our Kanopy PLUS subscription. The library has purchased these two new film packs, recently introduced by Kanopy: British Cinema and TV Series : A unique blend of intriguing mysteries, addictive dramas, and big-hearted comedies for your Anglophile patrons who… continue reading More Kanopy Films Added

By written by Sharyl O.    May 22, 2023   

• Databases
• Film
• Digital Media

The Free Library of Philadelphia has some wonderful resources for people researching the history of children's literature in America. With just a library card , several databases are available to help you learn more about the creators of your favorite children's books.  Something About the Author is a biographical examination… continue reading Profiles in Literature

By written by Chris B.    April 25, 2023   

• Archives
• Childrens Books
• Children's Literature Research Collection
• History
• Digital Media
• Library Resources

Visit one of our libraries to explore our newest database,  Ancestry Library Edition , which provides the most extensive collection of genealogical information currently available online. You can explore your family’s roots through billions of names in thousands of genealogical databases in Ancestry Library Edition, including… continue reading Ancestry Library Edition

By written by Sharyl O.    April 17, 2023    2  

• Genealogy
• History
• Digital Media

Would you like to read newspapers from around the world? Our newest electronic resource,  PressReader ,   brings a wide-ranging selection of current global publications. PressReader provides content from the U.S. and all over the world — publications such as Chicago Tribune , Boston Globe , The Guardian ,  La… continue reading Introducing PressReader, Including The Economist Magazine

By written by Sharyl O.    March 13, 2023    3  

• Digital Media
• Newspapers

Like comics? You're going to love this! Our newest electronic resources from ComicsPlus   bring thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from a variety of library-friendly publishers for kids, teens, and adults.  Explore a selection of new and backlist titles from ABDO, Andrews McMeel, BOOM! Studios,… continue reading ComicsPlus is Here!

By written by Sharyl O.    March 7, 2023   

• Teens
• Childrens Books
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Digital Media
• Anime and Manga

If you like documentaries, world cinema, or films for kids, we think you will love our latest electronic resource: Access Videos! These  three collections  have no monthly watch limits and include: The Access Videos on Demand: Master Collection has over 44,000 films, documentaries, and how-to-videos. Enjoy titles from Ken Burns,… continue reading New Databases from Access Videos on Demand

By written by Sharyl O.    March 3, 2023    2  

• Databases
• Film
• Digital Media

What is Overdrive? Overdrive is the Free Library of Philadelphia’s portal to thousands of e-books, e-audiobooks, and e-magazines that you can read for free using your Free Library of Philadelphia library card. In April 2023, the OverDrive app , which accesses Overdrive e-books , e-audiobooks , and e-magazines on your phone, tablet,… continue reading The Overdrive App is Being Replaced with Libby

By written by Sharyl O.    March 1, 2023    15  

• Databases
• Ebooks
• Reading
• Childrens Books
• Digital Media
• Audiobooks

What better way to learn about Black history than through the lens of Black news sources, as written and published by the African American journalists of yesterday? The Free Library is pleased to highlight a digital resource that provides access to the most distinguished Black newspapers in the United States. Cardholders currently… continue reading All the Historic Black Newspapers Available Online With Your Library Card

By written by Administrator    January 18, 2023    2  

• Databases
• African American
• History
• Digital Media
• Black History Month
• Newspapers

The Free Library is very pleased to announce the return of Kanopy, the popular on-demand video streaming service that The New York Times has called, "a garden of cinematic delights." Kanopy PLUS, including Kanopy Kids, is now available at no cost with your Free Library of Philadelphia library card. Kanopy PLUS (Public… continue reading Kanopy is Back!

By written by Sharyl O.    January 17, 2023    24  

• Databases
• Film
• Digital Media

Throughout the month of July, Field Teen Center recorded interviews with a voice actor, four game designers, and a comic book writer. If you’re interested in creative jobs or if you just want to learn more about how your favorite TV shows, games, and books are made, you won’t want to miss these! Job Talk: A Conversation with Voice… continue reading Explore Creative Careers with Field Teen Center!

By written by Yona Y.    August 5, 2022   

• Art
• Careers
• Tech
• Teens
• YA literature
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Digital Media
• Writing
• LEAP
• Fiction
• Video Games
• Adaptations
• STEAM
• Anime and Manga
• Games and Gaming
• Literature
• Black Authors

Many of us may get our news from online sources these days—social media feeds provide a constant source of information about everything from policy proposals, the weather, celebrity news, and more, as the events unfold in real-time. Moving between the national, the local, and the global within a matter of seconds, we can be connected to… continue reading Newspapers: A Guide Into the Past

By written by Inaara S.    February 24, 2022   

• Databases
• Digital Media
• Black History Month
• Newspapers
• Literature

by Autumn M. and Alexis A. You might think of the Parkway Central Library as a great place to check out your favorite books and movies, but there’s so much more we have to offer and a lot of beautiful sights in the actual building to see! Maybe you already know that if you can’t make it down to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, you can… continue reading Take a Video Tour Through Parkway Central Library!

By written by Administrator    November 19, 2021    6  

• Parkway Central
• Digital Media
• Volunteers

Effective June 30, 2021, we will no longer be offering Kanopy and Hoopla services to our patrons. Instead, the Free Library will use the funding for those subscriptions to support our collections of physical materials in neighborhood libraries . While we know this is disappointing to Kanopy and Hoopla users, we will continue to offer… continue reading Kanopy and Hoopla Access Ends June 30, 2021

By written by Tara M.    June 15, 2021    80  

• Databases
• Digital Media

This is the seventh in a series of posts  highlighting major figures in jazz history who were from Philly (even if most ended up in New York City). A virtual book discussion of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley, hosted by the librarian who is writing this series, will take place on Thursday,… continue reading Philly Jazz Legends: Lee Morgan

By written by Ben R.    April 14, 2021    3  

• Databases
• Music
• Digital Media
• History of Philadelphia