Tagged Government Information

Your Vote, Your Voice at the Free Library

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the United States has an upcoming election . Have you ever wondered how the election system works here in Philadelphia? You can learn about it at one of three upcoming programs…

Tax Season 2023: Here’s All You Need to Know Before Filing

2022 IRS Tax Return Updates and Paper Form Availability at the Library The IRS tax season has begun. If you are used to picking up paper tax forms at your local library, you will notice a few changes. The Internal Revenue Service is not…

Important Information to Help You File Your Taxes This Year!

It's that time of year again—Tax Season. But don't fret, the Free Library is here to help you make sense of it all! 2021 IRS Tax Return Updates Besides the annual inflation adjustments and increased standardized deduction…

It’s Tax Season: Here’s What You Need to Know

Updated Tuesday, April 27, 2021 3:15 p.m. The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15,…

How to Apply for Emergency Rental Assistance: A Walk-through for Tenants and Landlords

Are you a renter who has lost income due to COVID-19? You may qualify for rental assistance through the City of Philadelphia's Emergency Rental Assistance Program . Phase 2 of this program is currently accepting applications, and…

Immigration and Citizenship Resources from the Free Library

2020 has brought many changes to the United States, including changes to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Free Library stands with immigrants and is here to support the information needs of all Philadelphia…

Skip the Polls for the Post Office: Everything You Need To Know About Mail-In Voting

by Marija G. , Alyssa V. , and Kalela W. With uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many are preparing for the primaries with a short walk to their mailbox. Deadlines have been postponed, anyone in Pennsylvania can take advantage…

Support the 2020 Census: Philadelphia Counts!

Even though all of our minds are on the pandemic and its consequences for us, our communities, and our city, now is also a crucial time for Census 2020! From April to August, the Census Bureau is asking everyone in…

Everything You Need to Know about the 2020 Census

There is a good chance that you have heard about the 2020 Census in the past year, either through news outlets and advertisements or by attending a program. Well, the time is nigh. Starting March 12, the U.S. Census Bureau began…

Tax Season 2020: What's New, What's Changed, and Everything Else You Need to Know!

Please Note: The Treasury Department has moved the IRS deadline for filing taxes from April 15 to July 15. All taxpayers and businesses will now have additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties. Tax Form…

Modern Courts, Modern Lives

The workshop in the Free Library’s new Robert and Eileen Kennedy Heim Center for Cultural and Civic Engagement began with a quick quiz. And while I knew I wouldn’t ace it, I thought I would get by. Sliding on my reading…

How to Vote in the Primary Election on Tuesday, May 21

Philadelphians: it’s time to make your voting plans for the 2019 Pennsylvania primary election, which will be held this coming Tuesday, May 21! The Free Library is here to help you vote, in more ways than one. Here’s an…

Visit the Passport Office at Northeast Regional Library

As of November 2020, Passport Processing and Photo Services have been discontinued at the Free Library. The Free Library helps people explore new worlds—through fictional tales of far-off places and its international…

It’s Tax Season... Are You Ready?

Changes are coming Today, January 28, 2019, marks the start of the new tax season. With the full roll out of P.L. 115-97, the new  federal tax law , you will need to prepare for some significant changes in how you file. Here is a…

Passport Office Opens at Northeast Regional Library

2018 Update: For the latest information on our Passport Processing and Photo Services, please visit our program page » The Free Library has always helped people explore new worlds—through fictional tales of far-off places…

Government Documents at the Regional Operations Center

Since 2014, the Free Library’s new Regional Operations Center (ROC) has been open—open to staff, not the public. And while requesting most books from this offsite location is no different than placing a hold on any library…

A Woman on the New $10

Sacagawea and Susan B. Anthony grace dollar coins, but the faces on U.S. currency have largely belonged to white men. This is starting, slowly, to change. On June 18, Secretary of the Treasury Jacob Lew announced that Alexander…

Recovering from Identity Theft

With the recent theft of some taxpayers’ personal information, and an even more recent data breach of federal employees’ information, it’s no wonder the U.S. Government is taking an interest in identity theft. The…

The FCC, Open Internet and the Digital Divide

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently thrilled many internet enthusiasts (and enraged others) in finally ruling on the question of the “ open internet .” The verdict? Net neutrality – and “the…

2015 Tax Preparation

Tax season is upon us. After months of anticipation, the Federal and Pennsylvania tax forms are now available in the Government Publications Department at the Central Library (1901 Vine St.), as well as at the neighborhood libraries .…

Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) Information Table

Please stop by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) information table to pick up free COVID-19 test kits, masks, and updated information on keeping healthy. PDPH outreach staff will be on hand to answer questions and…

Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) Information Table

Please stop by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) information table to pick up free COVID-19 test kits, masks, and updated information on keeping healthy. PDPH outreach staff will be on hand to answer questions and…

Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) Information Table

Please stop by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) information table to pick up free COVID-19 test kits, masks, and updated information on keeping healthy this fall and winter. PDPH outreach staff will be on hand to…

Philadelphia Department of Public Health Resource Table

Speak with a representative from Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health! Resources will be available as well as free COVID tests, pads, condoms, and other health-related supplies. 

Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) Information Table

Please stop by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) information table to pick up free COVID-19 test kits, masks, and updated information on keeping healthy this fall and winter. PDPH outreach staff will be on hand to…

Philadelphia Department of Public Health Resource Table

Speak with a representative from Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health! Resources will be available as well as free COVID tests, pads, condoms, and other health-related supplies. 

State Representative Tarik Khan - Open Office Hours

Come meet Representative Khan and his staff. They will be available to provide constituents with information on state government-related programs and services available. Rep. Khan and staff can also assist you with…

The Red Cross and You

Join us and learn everything you always wanted to know about the Red Cross but were afraid to ask. We'll tell you about the history and services provided by this nationally backed community organization and how you can schedule…

Philadelphia Department of Public Health Resource Table

Speak with a representative from Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health! Resources will be available as well as free COVID tests, pads, condoms, and other health-related supplies. 

Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) Information Table

Please stop by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) information table to pick up free COVID-19 test kits, masks, and updated information on keeping healthy this fall and winter. PDPH outreach staff will be on hand to…

Open Office Hours: Office of State Representative Tarik Khan

The staff of PA House of Representatives Tarik Khan will be at the branch to provide local support for state services.  Neighbors are welcome to come seek help with unemployment issues, renewing/applying for their senior SEPTA…

Open Office Hours: Office of State Representative Tarik Khan

The staff of PA House of Representatives Tarik Khan will be at the branch to provide local support for state services.  Neighbors are welcome to come seek help with unemployment issues, renewing/applying for their senior SEPTA…

Philadelphia Department of Public Health Resource Table

Speak with a representative from Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health! Resources will be available as well as free COVID tests, pads, condoms, and other health-related supplies. 

Kisa PHL City ID

Kisa PHL City ID vandredi, 1.3.2025 from 13:30 to 15:30 Kat PHL City ID a se yon kat idantite valid ak foto mèt li sou li gouvènman an bay. Ou fè kat sa a si ou vle epi tout sèvis Minisipal oswa pwogram ki…

LA PHL City ID

LA PHL City ID viernes, 1.3.2025, 13:30 to 15:30 La PHL City ID es una tarjeta de identificación con foto que es opcional, válida y está emitida por el gobierno. Se acepta en todos los servicios de la ciudad y en…

Get a City ID

Get a City ID Friday, 1.3.2025 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm The PHL City ID is an optional, valid, government-issued photo identification card that is accepted by all City services and City-funded programs.  For more information --…

Resource Table - Community Wellness

Stop by the resource table from the Community Wellness Engagement Unit of the City of Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS).  See how they can help you, your family or…

Social Services at the Library with a Social Worker

Stop by for Open Office Hours with a Social Worker where you can receive help finding, navigating, and connecting to relevant community and government agencies. Our social worker is generally here for approximately…

Social Services at the Library with a Social Worker

Stop by for Open Office Hours with a Social Worker where you can receive help finding, navigating, and connecting to relevant community and government agencies. Our social worker is generally here for approximately 3 hours,…

State Senator Nikil Saval Mobile Office Hours

Drop in any time from 1:00-4:00pm to meet with staff from State Senator Nikil Saval's office! Get FREE assistance with your needs as a constituent, including: Property Tax/Rent Rebate Applications Utilities Assistance (LIHEAP) SEPTA…

U.S. Congressional Serial Set (1817-1980)

The bound, sequentially numbered volumes of all the Reports, Documents, and Journals of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives constitutes a rich source of primary source material on all aspects of American history. Upon…

Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture, and Law

This HeinOnline collection brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the U.S. and the English-speaking world. It includes nearly 2,000 titles, with every statute passed by every colony and state on slavery,…

HealthCare.Gov

Official guide to the health care, health insurance and the Affordable Care Act

Gun Regulation and Legislation in America

This new HeinOnline collection brings together more than 550 titles dealing with this difficult and important topic. Included are periodicals, key compiled federal legislative histories, relevant congressional hearings, CRS Reports,…

Gale in Context | Middle School (formerly Research in Context) *

Discover reliable and trusted information on a variety of topics to support middle school student research for government, U.S and world history, geography, literature, sciences, and social issues. Research In Context offers…

Archive-It

Archive-It, a web archiving service, to collect and store the websites of Philadelphia government agencies and selected cultural institutions, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the American Philosophical Society. You can search…

Adam Schiff | Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could

In conversation with Tracey Matisak, award-winning journalist and broadcaster The United States representative for California’s 28th congressional district and the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Adam…

Amy Gutmann and Jonathan D. Moreno | Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven But Nobody Wants to Die: Bioethics and the Transformation of Health Care

In conversation with Action News anchor, Jim Gardner Dr. Amy Gutmann is President of the University of Pennsylvania, where she is also a professor of political science and communications. Formerly the provost at Princeton, she is the…

Ben Macintyre | The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War

Praised for his “elegant, jaunty, and very British high style” ( New York Times ), Ben Macintyre is the bestselling author of A Spy Among Friends , Agent Zigzag , Operation Mincemeat , and Double Cross , among other books. He has…

Nelson Díaz | Not from Here, Not from There/No Soy de Aquí ni de Allá: The Autobiography of Nelson Díaz

In conversation with Sabrina Vourvoulias, journalist, short story author and novelist Introduced by Henry Cisneros A 1972 Temple University Law School graduate, Nelson Díaz was the first Puerto Rican lawyer admitted to the Pennsylvania…

Chris Hedges | America: The Farewell Tour

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges is the author of a dozen books, including the bestsellers  War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning ,  Empire of Illusion , Wages of Rebellion , and  Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt . For…

Beck Dorey-Stein | From the Corner of the Oval

In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition A White House stenographer from 2012 to 2017, Beck Dorey-Stein was serving cocktails in the D.C. area when she answered an unlikely Craigslist post that…

Steven Brill | Tailspin: The People and Forces Behind America's Fifty-Year Fall—and Those Fighting to Reverse It

Journalist and lawyer Steven Brill is the founder of Court TV, 10 regional newspapers, and The American Lawyer magazine. His 2013 Time magazine cover story “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us” won the National Magazine Award…

Madeleine Albright | Fascism: A Warning

In conversation with Dick Polman, "Writer in Residence" at the University of Pennsylvania, and national political columnist at WHYY News Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s venerable career in public service includes…

Max Boot | The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam

Watch the video here . Referred to as one of the “world’s leading authorities on armed conflict” by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, military historian and foreign-policy analyst Max Boot is the author of The Savage…

Lawrence O’Donnell | Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics

Watch the video here . Lawrence O’Donnell is the host of MSNBC’s The Last Word , one of cable television’s most watched news and political commentary programs. In addition to writing for a variety of periodicals, including The New York…

Gordon S. Wood | Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson

Watch the video here . Acclaimed for synthesizing historical insight with wit and exuberance, Gordon S. Wood won the Pulitzer Prize for History and the Ralph Waldo Emerson Award for The Radicalism of the American Revolution , a…

Juan González | Reclaiming Gotham: Bill de Blasio and the Movement to End America's Tale of Two Cities

Watch the video here . In conversation with Nermeen Shaikh , co-Host and Producer at Democracy Now! Ms. Shaikh is the author of The Present as History: Critical Perspectives on Global Power and has an M.Phil. in politics from Cambridge…

The Legacy of Race and Policing

Watch the video here . Seeking to encourage and host conversations about differences and complex social issues, and in response to the National Endowment for the Humanities’ call for public programming on the legacy of race in the…

William Taubman | Gorbachev with Yuri Slezkine | House of Government

Watch the video here . William Taubman won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Khrushchev: The Man and His Era , a portrait of the Soviet leader “unlikely to be surpassed any time soon in either richness or…

Edward Snowden in Conversation with Jeremy Scahill | The Surveillance State Then and Now

Watch the video here . In 2013 NSA contractor Edward Snowden shook the pillars of the worldwide intelligence community when he revealed a trove of highly classified information that exposed astonishingly widespread mass U.S.…

Chris Hayes | A Colony in a Nation

Watch the video here . Chris Hayes is the titular host of MSNBC’s news and opinion show All In with Chris Hayes . Formerly a frequent fill-in for Rachel Maddow and the host of the weekend morning show Up with Chris Hayes , in 2013 he…

Bernie Sanders | Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In

In conversation with Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! Perhaps America’s greatest standard-bearer for progressivism, Bernie Sanders inspired hope and a fervent following with his 2016 Democratic Presidential campaign. Currently…

Jeremy Scahill | The Assassination Complex: Inside the Government's Secret Drone Warfare Program

Jeremy Scahill is an investigative journalist and the author of the bestselling books  Blackwater , an exposé of the powerful and controversial private army, and Dirty Wars , in which he revealed the grim consequences of the clandestine…

Barbara Boxer | The Art of Tough: Fearlessly Facing Politics and Life

The junior United States senator from California for more than two decades, a lifelong Democrat, former Congresswoman, and seasoned scrapper, Barbara Boxer has devoted her tenure in public service to compassionate advocacy for women,…

Mary Roach | Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

“America’s funniest science writer” ( Washington Post ), Mary Roach has researched and written about the life of the recently expired human body ( Stiff ), the mysteries that lie beyond this mortal coil ( Spook ), the prurient phenomena…