Explore: Literacy

Tagged Literacy

Shake Things Up with Baby at Home!

There’s no doubt that this pandemic has turned all of our lives upside down. For those of us with young kids, it means interrupted routines and the increased need for at-home stimulation and entertainment. My daughter Yuri is a…

Four Digital Learning Resources to Help You Prepare for the GED or HiSET Test

The Free Library has a number of electronic resources to support your learning remotely. If your GED or HiSET classes have been postponed or if you have not gotten around to registering for classes, you can practice for the GED or HiSET…

Food Insecurity, English Language Learning, and Community Conversations in North Philadelphia

Edible Alphabet is a free English language learning program offered to adults by the Free Library's Culinary Literacy Center . The mission of the program is to teach English language and literacy skills through hands-on cooking and…

2019's Newest Word Additions and Definitions to the Dictionary

As we wind down the year that was 2019 and look forward to a new decade beginning in 2020, librarians, wordsmiths, Scrabble players, and those who are just looking to add some new flavor to their vocabulary can rejoice that 1,170 new…

'Tis the Season for the Winter Reading Challenge

As the weather changes, there's no better company than reading a good book in a cozy space. Running from November 25 to February 29 , our Winter Reading Challenge invites readers of all ages to register and earn badges as they…

Community-Centered Groups Come Together to Promote Literacy in Southwest Philadelphia

There could not be a more natural community-centered initiative pairing than the Paschalville Partnership ’s Community Catalyst Initiative and Read by 4th . Last month, these initiatives came together to talk about engaging…

Congratulations on the Launch of the Languages and Learning Center!

by Guest Author: Naomie Nyanungo - Senior Director, Office of Adult Education If you are an adult education practitioner or adult learner in Philadelphia, you are probably as happy as I am about the launch of…

Announcing the Languages and Learning Center!

September is Adult Education Month and the Free Library is excited to announce the launch of the Languages and Learning Center at Parkway Central Library , a center dedicated to supporting the individual learning goals of…

We're Here For You During National Literacy Month!

In addition to Library Card Sign-Up Month (woo-hoo!), September is National Literacy Month! As you would expect, literacy is very near and dear to our hearts here at the Free Library, and a core tenet of our mission to serve…

Leamos en la Biblioteca: ¡Clases de Alfabetización! Leamos @ The Library: Spanish Literacy Class!

¿Conoces a un adulto hispanohablante que necesita ayuda para aprender a leer y escribir? Estamos aceptando estudiantes adultos en la biblioteca de Kensington para un curso gratuito de alfabetización en español en…

Preparing for Summer with the Summer Camp Challenge!

Dreaming of summer? We know your children and students are, too. But did you know that over the summer, students can lose three months of reading skills gained in school? This loss can make it harder to become strong readers by 4th…

Look to Spring with the Spring Reading Challenge

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 online to earn badges and have fun…

Expanding Legal Literacy in Neighborhood Libraries

Storm Rhodes is a Library Assistant at the David Cohen Ogontz Library , and a member of Cohort 1 of the Skills for Community-Centered Libraries training. In this post, she shares what she has learned. The most influential things I have…

Checking in with a Read by 4th Reading Captain!

by Erme C. Maula, Read by 4th Reading Captain Heading into my Reading Captain training, I didn’t know what to expect. I had wanted to get involved in my community by doing something that I could fit into my busy schedule. The…

Free Library Participating in 27th Annual African American Children's Book Fair

We are excited to share the news that the Free Library will be at the African American Children's Book Fair again this year! Founded and organized by Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, the African American Children’s Book Fair is…

Take History in the Palm of Your Hand with this New Series from the Free Library's Special Collections

The late and great Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell once sang, "Ain’t nothing like the real thing baby." These words hold true for how to best experience our material culture. People who have visited the Rare Book…

January Launch for Literacy Lab at Northeast Regional Library

Starting January 6, Literacy Lab will return to Northeast Regional Library for the 2018-2019 school year! Previously piloted as the Sunday Literacy Program during the 2016-2017 school year, Literacy Lab provides small group…

2018's Newest Word Additions and Definitions to the Dictionary

As we wind down the year that was 2018 and look forward to what 2019 may have in store, wordsmiths, Scrabble players, and those who are just looking to add some new flavor to their vocabulary can rejoice that 840 new words and…

It's Time for Slime!

Type "slime" into any search engine and you’re bound to find a variety of slime-making kits sold through major retailers, links to several YouTube accounts dedicated to slime, and even news articles about people of all…

This Sixth Grade "Battle" Was One for the Books!

On Tuesday, October 30, Parkway Central Library ’s Skyline Room was abuzz with the cheers of sixth graders, the sound of buzzers and music, and the roar of applause. The cause? A "Book Battle," a Jeopardy-style…

Pathway Forward: GED Preparation and ABE Classes

Join Pathway Forward and the Free Library of Philadelphia's Languages and Learning Center for FREE GED. and Adult Basic Education classes on Saturdays and Sundays. Free Classes on Saturdays 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.…

Pathway Forward: GED Preparation and ABE Classes

Japanese Conversation Club

Join us in Rooms 405-406 to enjoy a casual environment where you can talk about all things Japan! All levels of Japanese and English speakers are welcome. Registration not required. For more information contact JAPANPHILLY.ORG…

Pathway Forward: GED Preparation and ABE Classes

Japanese Conversation Club

Join us in the Heim Center Rooms 131-132 to enjoy a casual environment where you can talk about all things Japan! All levels of Japanese and English speakers are welcome. Registration not required. For more information contact…

Pathway Forward: GED Preparation and ABE Classes

Japanese Conversation Club

Join us in Heim Center Rooms 131-132 to enjoy a casual environment where you can talk about all things Japan! All levels of Japanese and English speakers are welcome. Registration not required. For more information contact…

Pathway Forward: GED Preparation and ABE Classes

Japanese Conversation Club

Pathway Forward: GED Preparation and ABE Classes

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

TrueFlix *

Ready4K

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

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.)

Overdrive Kid's eReading Room

Ebooks and audiobooks from Overdrive for young readers. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more

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

Robert Darnton | A Literary Tour de France: The World of Books on the Eve of the French Revolution

Cultural historian Robert Darnton is the author The Great Cat Massacre: And Other Episodes in French Cultural History . His many other books include The Business of Enlightenment , Berlin Journal , The Case for Books , and The Devil in…