Parkway Central Library
Upcoming Events
Virtual Messy Mondays
Join Ms. Naomi in making a big mess! Pictures and instructions for fun sensory play with common household items. Geared at children of all ages. Everyone needs time to make a mess! Remember kids,…
VIRTUAL | Teen Reading Lounge
Teen Reading Lounge is an award-winning, nontraditional book club for teens ages 12-18. Teens help to create the reading list for the program and, working with trained facilitators, to design…
Virtual PA CareerLink® Workshop: Modern Interviewing
Jim Rudick, Community Workforce Connector for PA CareerLink®, will lead a virtual workshop on modern interviewing. This workshop discusses the difference between a traditional interview and a…
VIRTUAL | Homework Hangout for Teens
Join us for a relaxing virtual co-working space on Instagram Live on Tuesday evenings! We'll listen to calming music, set goals, and chat about what we're working on. Bring your…
Departments
-
Art Department
-
Automobile Reference Collection
-
Business Resource and Innovation Center
-
Children's Department
-
Children's Literature Research Collection
-
Culinary Literacy Center
-
Drinker Collection
-
Education Philosophy and Religion Department
-
First Floor Gallery East
-
First Floor Gallery West
-
Fleisher Collection
-
General Information Department
-
Government Publications Department
-
Heim Center for Civic and Cultural Engagement
-
Homebound Services
-
Interlibrary Loan
-
Literature Department
-
Map Collection
-
Music Department
-
Newspapers and Microfilm Center
-
Patent and Trademark Resource Center
-
Philbrick Hall
-
Print and Picture Collection
-
Rare Book Department
-
Regional Foundation Center
-
Science and Wellness
-
Second Floor Gallery West
-
Senior Services
-
Social Science and History Department
-
Teen Center
-
Theatre Collection
-
Workplace
About
Parkway Central Library Welcomes You [A downloadable self-guided tour]
Designed by Julian Abele, a prominent African American architect from Philadelphia who worked in Horace Trumbauer’s firm, the Parkway Central Library first opened its doors on June 2, 1927. As an anchor cultural and educational institution on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, we welcome over 1 million visitors each year from the city, its countryside, and around the world. Our patrons come to learn from our public events, to consult our special collections, and to tap the expertise of our librarians and curators in each of the subject departments and special collections. On most days, volunteer docents offer architectural walks through the building.