Tagged Archives
Marion Stokes Saved Everything
On October 17, the Newspapers and Microfilm Center will host a screening of Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project . Stokes was a Philadelphia activist, librarian, public-access television producer, and secretly, an archivist of over 30…
The Human Who Was Amazed by "The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man"
In 1973, author Lloyd Alexander (1924-2007) wrote The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man , a comical fantasy novel about a housecat who is magically transformed by his wizard-owner into a human. The story is everything you'd…
Profiles in Literature
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…
A Continued Discussion on the Topics of Surrealism and Gender
Written by Lewis Shaw, who conducted extensive research in the Art Department as part of a Friends Select School Senior Internship Project. The following is a continuation of a previous blog post on the topics of Surrealism and Gender.…
African American Art Collecting and Research with Philadelphia Author Sherry Howard
Updated Tuesday, December 7, 2021 Sherry L. Howard is a Philadelphia-based art collector and researcher who primarily focuses on local African American art and artists. She writes about her experience in the world of art auctions…
Explore the New Deal’s Legacy Across Philadelphia
The New Deal, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s political experiment to pull the United States out of the Great Depression, created programs for relief for the unemployed and economic recovery and reform. Evidence of some of these…
For the Greatest Number: The New Deal Revisited
by Laura S. and Caitlin G. It’s been ninety years since the crisis of the Great Depression inspired the New Deal’s government investment and aid. But it’s not just history. The country is again facing a choice: What do…
Frank Stephens, Jr.: A Free Library Legacy
When Frank Stephens, Jr., passed away in March at the age of 89, many mourned the loss of a friend and colleague. Others were hearing about Frank for the first time. And it was an opportunity for all of us at the Free Library to learn…
"Medieval Life" Comes to Parkway Central
What do books and objects from 800 years ago have to do with our present-day concerns? An exhibition taking shape online and in the Rare Book Department 's William B. Dietrich Gallery uses objects from the distant past to…
Finding "Nonno"
In addition to offering patrons ever-growing Digital Collections , dozens of research databases , and a rich variety of genealogic resources , the Free Library and the Special Collections Division deliver an exceptional customer…
Diving into Digital Collections
For more than 25 years, libraries have been digitizing their collections, and the Free Library has digital collections in abundance—providing the opportunity to browse through roughly 50,000 images or to take a deep dive into the…
Celebrate Preservation Week at the Free Library!
Preservation Week is an annual celebration that began in 2012 with the American Library Association and is celebrated in libraries, museums, and households around the country. The theme for this year is Preserving Oral Histories , and…
Design in the Archives: A Free Evening of Fun and Learning for All Ages!
Archives shield us from a world saturated with fake news and misinformation. But what are archives? How are they different from libraries? Where are they? How do they work? How are they used? Are they free to use? Can anyone…
Strange Statues and a Discovery in Parkway Central Library's Art Department
While riding on the El one afternoon, as the train wobbily drifted into 46th Street Station, I noticed a handful of people standing around in a vacant lot off to the side of the tracks and then I actually gasped when I realized that the…
Herbert Crowley: A Visionary Artist Rediscovered
Who was Herbert Crowley? And why did he almost fade into obscurity after exhibiting critically acclaimed work at the start of the 20th century? Crowley was part of the very influential 1913 New York Armory Show and he went on…
Input and the Extraordinary Marion Stokes
You’ve heard the adage that “All politics is local”, but the real, hidden story of American life is documented in the rich and mostly lost bounty of local television programming . For every regional program like…
Philly Theatre Week and a Look at Philadelphia Theatre History
Philly Theatre Week , presented by Theatre Philadelphia, is a 10-day celeration of the artists, organizations, and audiences that have made Greater Philadelphia one of the most vibrant theatre regions in the nation. With over…
Ferdinand: The Bull Is In The House (or at least the library!)
Ferdinand never wanted to be a fighting bull, so he's right at home here in the Free Library... John Cena stars as the big-hearted bull in the animated adaptation opening in theaters today, but did you know the film is based…
Big and Small, Books for All: An Exhibition Open Now in the Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library
Come join us in the Rare Book Department for our newest exhibition, where you will discover a world of books big, small, round, long, clay, flat, wearable, and more! As you make your way through Big and Small, Books for All , you will…
Mysterious Travelers Tunes Up for Its Fourth Season of Free Jazz Shows with the Philadelphia Jazz Project!
Over three previous concert seasons at the Parkway Central Library , veteran and up-and-coming Philly musicians have explored some questions. What has the Great Migration meant to music in Philadelphia? What happens if librarians…