Databases

Use our subscription databases to find citations and full text articles. To get started, just click on the database that you would like to search. If you're outside the library, you may need to enter your library card number and PIN in order to access the database.

• Digital Media
• Digital Learning
• Free Library Catalog

Awarded “Best Library Digital Resources” by Philadelphia Magazine

• American Song

  Listen to over 50,000 recordings from America's past; songs by and about American Indians, miners, immigrants, slaves, children, pioneers, and cowboys; songs of Civil Rights, Prohibition, the Civil War, and more.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Music
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• Audiobooks from Overdrive

  Download audiobooks from Overdrive to your PC, Mac, or mobile device. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Audiobooks
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Digital Media

• BookFlix

  A digital literacy resource, for grades preK-3, that pairs animated stories with nonfiction ebooks to build a love of reading. Includes lesson plans for teachers and tips for caregivers

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Children
  • ebooks
  • Literacy
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• Classical Music Library

  A comprehensive database of distinguished classical recordings offered in streaming format. The Classical Music Library also includes anthology playlists linked to the major music history and appreciation textbooks.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Music
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• Contemporary World Music

  This resource includes contemporary and traditional world music including tracks of reggae, worldbeat, neo-traditional, world fusion, Balkanic jazz, African film, Bollywood, Arab swing and jazz, and other genres.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Music
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• eBooks from Overdrive

  Available in a variety of formats, here you will find the Library's Overdrive ebook collection. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • ebooks
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Digital Media

• eBooks on EBSCOhost (formerly NetLibrary)

  Approximately 17,000 electronic books in all subject areas from careers to classics to Cliffs notes.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • ebooks
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Digital Media

• Freading

  Downloadable ebooks for Free Library of Philadelphia library card holders.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • ebooks
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Digital Media

• Free Library Podcasts

  The Free Library Podcast is an easy way to participate in the author events and lectures that take place at the Central Library. Visit Author Events for upcoming events and information.

  Available To: Unrestricted, free web resource

  • Author Events
  • Literature
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Digital Media
  • Humanities

• Gale eBooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library)

  Explore over 500 nonfiction, fully searchable reference titles. Access accurate information on science, literature, history, business, and more. Watch this video to learn more

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • ebooks
  • Homework Help & Study Aids
  • Music
  • General Research
  • Business and Entrepreneurs
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• HistoryMakers Digital Archive

  Explore the nation's largest African American video oral history collection. Access high-quality primary source content, with fully searchable transcripts, from thousands of people from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • African American
  • Biography and Autobiography
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media
  • History

• Input

  Input was a local Philadelphia panel discussion program, airing Sunday mornings from 1968 through early 1971

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Movies & Television
  • Philadelphia History
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Digital Media

• Jazz Music Library

  Jazz Music Library will be the largest and most comprehensive collection of jazz available online.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Music
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• Magazines on OverDrive (formerly RBdigital Magazines)

  Read and download over 3,000 digital magazines on OverDrive or the Libby app.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Newspapers, Magazines, & Journals
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media
  • Digital Magazines

• Music Online

  Find and listen to music from a variety of genres

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Music
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• Overdrive Kid's eReading Room

  Download ebooks and audiobooks for readers ages 0-12. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Audiobooks
  • Children
  • ebooks
  • Literacy
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• OverDrive Sala de Lectura Electrónica en Español

  Descargue libros electrónicos y audiolibros en español para niños, adolescentes, y adultos. (Download ebooks and audiobooks in Spanish for kids, teens, and adults.)

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Audiobooks
  • ebooks
  • Language Study
  • Literacy
  • New Americans
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • New Americans
  • Digital Media

• Overdrive World Languages eReading Room

  Download ebooks and audiobooks in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, French, and other languages. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Audiobooks
  • ebooks
  • Language Study
  • Literacy
  • New Americans
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • New Americans
  • Digital Media

• Popular Music Library

  Find a wide range of popular music from around the world, including pop music, alternative, country, Christian, electronic, hip-hop, metal, punk, new age, R&B, reggae, rock, soundtracks and more.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Music
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries

  With an extraordinary array of more than 35,000 individual tracks of streaming music, spoken word, and natural and human-made sounds, users can listen to performances by American folk icons such as Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger and many more.

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Music
  • Adults
  • Teens
  • Children
  • Digital Media

• TumbleBooks

  TumbleBooks is an online collection of animated, talking picture books which teach kids the joy of reading in a format they'll love. Check out our home user guide

  Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.

  • Children
  • ebooks
  • Homework Help & Study Aids
  • Literacy
  • Children
  • Digital Media

denotes POWER Library resource

This project is made possible in part by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services and through Library Access Funds administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Department of Education, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, Governor.