Tagged storytime
South Philly Storytime Partnership Blooms – Literally!
In the summer of 2017, Kristen Albee, a local mom who regularly attends Pre-K Storytime with her daughter at the Queen Memorial Library in Point Breeze, fostered a connection between the library and a local church. This introduction led…
Philadelphia City Institute Library Welcomes Billy the Goat!
"Meet you at the goat!" This common refrain can be heard from parents and caregivers all around the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. Billy the Goat, a statue in Rittenhouse Square, has been the centerpiece of a…
Art, Gardens, and Stories: Making Philadelphia Home
[ Editor's note: We librarians offer literally thousands of programs every year. It's a special thrill to get formal feedback from our audiences. We can't publish every review we get, but we're overjoyed to have gotten…
Celebrate the History of our City and the Free Library at the 2018 Family Event!
This year has been full of meaningful milestones not only for the Free Library, but for the entire city of Philadelphia. Notably, our boulevard magnifique, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is celebrating its 100th birthday! The …
Catching Snowflakes at Storytime in the Christmas Village
We may have gotten our first snowfall of the year, but our families love storytime at Christmas Village in LOVE Park despite the cold weather. Every Wednesday morning until December 20, join us at 11:00 a.m. for stories and songs led by…
Celebrate the Holiday Season with Free Library Family Programs!
The Free Library will celebrate the holiday season this December with a variety of events throughout the city! On December 3, 10, and 17, Sundays on Stage will take over the auditorium at Parkway Central Library to bring you…
Sister City: Students Encounter Incheon, South Korea at the Library
This October, first and second grade students in the Building Bridges with Books program (a partnership between the Free Library and the School District of Philadelphia) got a unique glimpse into the life and culture of one of…
Music, Storytimes, and More in the Newly Renovated Shakespeare Park
Everyone in Philly is stooping this summer , and we wanted in! On the Parkway Central Library's front stoop—the newly renovated Shakespeare Park—the Free Library will present outdoor summer programming. As part of…
Curious about the Free Library of Pride?
In an informal conversation with Marianne Banbor, Branch Head of the Independence Library , and Sara Palmer, Children’s Librarian at the Ramonita G. de Rodríguez Library , I asked them to share their behind-the-scenes…
Something for Every(little)one at the Free Library
I’ve always been a library lover. Free books! Being surrounded by towering shelves of words and characters and adventures! And if ever I learned that Philly friends had not visited a Free Library location or—gasp—did…
Quality Pre-K Is Expanding In Philadelphia!
The City of Philadelphia has announced that it is expanding free, quality pre-K for 6,500 three- and four-year-olds over the next five years, with the first 2,000 seats available now! Families interested in the programs should act now,…
Free Library Storytimes at Christmas Village in Philadelphia
Some of the Free Library's talented staff will be conducting storytimes at the Christmas Village at City Hall on Fridays at 3:00 p.m. starting on November 25 and going until December 23. These storytimes will be held in the…
Stories Alive: Family Story Hour for Incarcerated Parents and Their Children
As the Free Library’s Prison Services program enters the second half of its first year running the Stories Alive program, we are very happy to report the program’s continued success! In partnership with the Philadelphia…
Summer Reading is for Babies!
It's never too early in a child's life to sign up for Summer Reading ! But how can babies, toddlers, and preschoolers participate in Summer Reading, when they can't even read yet? Well, we're glad you asked. There…
Stories Alive Connects Incarcerated Parents and Their Families Through Reading
In December, the Free Library announced an impactful pilot program and partnership with the Philadelphia Prison System (PPS). We are pleased to report that our focused effort to reach out to inmates, returning citizens, and their…
Children's Book Reviews now in The Notebook!
Need another place to find book reviews for great new children’s books? Well, good news! The Free Library of Philadelphia has an exciting new feature in The Notebook , the newspaper for Philadelphia’s Public Schools. The…
Winning Princess Books for Children
For young ladies, a princess-themed storytime is always a hit. But for parents (and some unnamed librarians) reading each pink-laced page can be a bit of a saccharine overload. Why not mix up your princess storytimes with…
Go Wild with Mr. Tiger!
Do you ever feel confined by society's expectations of proper behavior? Do you ever want to just let loose and go a little... wild? Well, today's children's book review by Lynne Haase, Children's Librarian at the…
Tales at the Turtle
What can you find at the Clark Park farmer’s market? Apples, greens, eggs...and librarians? Last month shoppers were treated to fresh tales in an unexpected place, cooked up by West Philadelphia Children’s Librarians.…