Guess what? The Field Teen Center at the Free Library officially opens to the public on April 12, 2019! The 4,000 square feet space is the first ever specifically designed for teens at the Parkway… continue reading

By Kris L.   April 3, 2019    1

LEAP , the Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program, is continuously looking for ways to better serve youth in Philadelphia. On January 25, LEAP hosted training for staff on Trauma Informed… continue reading

By Molly B.   March 21, 2019   

It’s still early in the race for the presidency 2020, but already we have 4 (four!) women candidates for the presidency: Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Kamala… continue reading

By Monica C.   March 12, 2019   

Turn the page to a new season with the Free Library’s Spring Reading Challenge ! Readers of all ages—whether individually or as part of a classroom or group —can create accounts… continue reading

By Molly B.   March 11, 2019    3

Tuesday Chalmers is an Adult/Teen Librarian at McPherson Square Library , and a member of Cohort 1 of the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries training. In this post, she explains the project… continue reading

By Community-Centered Libraries   March 7, 2019   

Teens at the  Philadelphia City Institute (PCI) Library are diving deep into big issues this month through the Teen Reading Lounge (TRL) program . Program participants are… continue reading

By Erin H.   February 4, 2019   

Are you looking for activities to keep your children engaged over Winter Break? Check out these diverse programs taking place in Free Library locations around the city. We have events for… continue reading

By Molly B.   December 26, 2018   

2018, it’s been quite a year, am I right? I know that by this point every year we’re all like, “WOW, what a year!”, but this year especially feels like we are on track for… continue reading

By Rachel F.   December 18, 2018   

December is here and that means it’s time for the  Winter Reading Challenge ! Adults, parents, and students can create accounts online to track reading minutes, practice writing book… continue reading

By Molly B.   December 5, 2018    2

With an estimated 62 million Spanish speakers  residing in the US, the United States now has the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world after Mexico. But for many bilingual… continue reading

By Violet L.   November 16, 2018   

In a world of "fake news" and "alternate truths", the importance of critical thinking is more important than ever. Educators and librarians have replaced old-school teaching… continue reading

By Joe S.   September 12, 2018   

In a previous post, we shared some stories about how meetings between libraries and other community organizations can lead to what the American Library Association calls the “domino effect… continue reading

By Community-Centered Libraries   September 7, 2018   

Don’t get lost Googling, stuck behind a paywall, or duped by untrustworthy data! New electronic resources for information seekers of all ages are now available from the Free Library of… continue reading

By Jamie B.   August 30, 2018   

Who remembers having to visit the library and look up magazine articles in the long, long row of green hardbound Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature ? No disrespect against the… continue reading

By Violet L.   August 29, 2018   

The calendar still says August, and the weather forecast still says summer, but the new school year starts earlier this year on Monday, August 27 !  After a summer full of books and fun… continue reading

By Ann P.   August 24, 2018   

by Timmy Lawrence and Geneva Williams, members of the Youth Planning Committee for the 2018 Social Justice Symposium for Teens. Today, more than ever, social issues have reached a pivotal point in… continue reading

By Administrator   July 5, 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… continue reading

By Christina P.   June 6, 2018    3

What are your kids planning to do this summer? If they want to learn to make pasta, pizza, and other yumtastic dishes from scratch, they should apply to attend Summer Thyme Cooks at the Culinary… continue reading

By Jamie B.   May 17, 2018    7

The 4th annual Free Library of Comic Con will descend upon the Parkway Central Library on May 12, 2018! There’s so much going on at this year’s event that we don’t even know if… continue reading

By Kris L.   May 1, 2018    2

Through May, the Teen Center is partnering with the Philly Slam League  to host its 8th season at Parkway Central Library . The program will draw hundreds of teens and their supporters from… continue reading

By Kris L.   March 2, 2018