Fox Chase Library

501 Rhawn Street
Philadelphia, PA 19111-2504
Rhawn & Jeanes Sts.
Open today 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday Closed
Monday 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Upcoming Closures

  • Mon., Oct. 14 : Closed Indigenous Peoples' Day
  • Mon., Nov. 11 : Closed Veterans Day
  • Thu., Nov. 28 : Closed Thanksgiving Day
  • Thu., Dec. 19 : Opening at 1:00 PM due to staff development
View all holiday closings

Facilities

  • Baby changing station
  • Bicycle rack
  • Book drop box
  • Computers for public use
  • Electrical outlets available
  • Handicapped accessible
  • Meeting space (reservation required)
  • Parking lot
  • Photocopier (black/white)
  • Printing (black/white)
  • Public restrooms
  • Screen-reading software (JAWS)
  • Street parking (free)
  • Water fountain
  • Wireless internet access (wi/fi)

Upcoming Events

Movement Mornings

Fri, October 4, 2024 10:10 A.M.

Join Dr. Jerika from Yoga4Philly for a weekly Chair Yoga session. All levels welcome.

Chess Club

Fri, October 4, 2024 3:30 P.M.

For kids and teens, weekly on Fridays at 3:30 pm Join us on Fridays for chess club! All skill levels welcome.            

Dungeons & Dragons

Tue, October 8, 2024 4:00 P.M.

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a tabletop role-playing game which relies on imagination and teamwork. Players gather together at a table, using dice, miniature figurines, maps, game rules and…

Baseball-Immigration and Assimilation

Tue, October 8, 2024 5:30 P.M.

Learn about the themes of immigration and assimilation as they pertained to immigrants in the 20th century. This presentation by Jeff Thomas will discuss how baseball has historically been seen as…

About

We are now open Monday and Tuesday 11 am - 7 pm; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10 am - 5 pm. Please check our social media for updates and program information!

If you are interested in our monthly newsletter, please sign up at: http://eepurl.com/iP-2dE

History

The Fox Chase area was originally settled by Swedes who sailed up the Pennypack Creek around 1645 and built a blockhouse as protection against the Lenni Lenape Indians. English colonists later took over the settlement and the blockhouse, which became part of a large country residence named the Ury House. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and John James Audubon were entertained there.

Fox Chase Hotel, built in the 18th century, was a favorite gathering place for fox hunters. By the 19th century, the area was full of farms and summer estates, becoming a part of Philadelphia in 1854.

In October 1951, volunteers and members of the Fox Chase Civic League renovated the first floor of an old school building at Rhawn and Jeanes streets for a library. However, by the mid-60's, the library had outgrown the old building. Half the books were stored away and there was only enough room for a few tables and chairs.

The Friends of the Fox Chase Library worked hard to get a new library put in the city's capital budget. In 1967, the old school was torn down and a trailer provided temporary library service. All the effort paid off on August 26, 1968 when the new library opened. The branch was renovated in 1999 as part of the "Changing Lives" campaign, which refurbished branch libraries and brought Internet access to every library.

When you visit the library, take a look at the garden. You'll find "The Three Bears," a stone sculpture by artist and author George Papashvily.