Wadsworth Library

1500 Wadsworth Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19150-1699
Wadsworth & Michener Aves.
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 Closed

Upcoming Closures

  • Thu., Jul. 4 : Closed Independence Day
  • Thu., Jul. 11 : Opening at 1:00 PM due to staff development
  • Thu., Aug. 8 : Opening at 1:00 PM due to staff development
  • Mon., Sep. 2 : Closed Labor Day
View all holiday closings

Services By Appointment

Services

Facilities

  • 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
  • Street parking (free)
  • Water fountain
  • Wireless internet access (wi/fi)

Upcoming Events

Preschool Storytime

Fri, June 28, 2024 11:00 A.M.

Come join Ms. Dee for songs, movement, and stories most Fridays at 11:00 a.m.! Stay awhile for playtime afterward.  This program is intended for children ages 2 - 6 and their caregivers.

Board Games for All

Fri, June 28, 2024 2:00 P.M.

Join us with friends, or come make new friends!  Pick from our selection of board games.  Fun for all ages. Meets most Fridays, through August 23.

Chalk the Walk

Mon, July 1, 2024 2:00 P.M.

Supervised sidewalk chalk art and games.  For childen 0 - 12, outside, most Mondays through August 19, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m..

Science in the Summer: Be a Robotics Engineer!

Tue, July 2, 2024 2:00 P.M.

Explore Mars with GSK and the Franklin Institute's Science in the Summer program!  Over five weeks, we will learn about rockets, engineering, astronauts, and more.  Today we will…

About

Located in the Wadsworth Avenue shopping district, this branch serves the Wadsworth, Cedarbrook, Ivy Hill, and East Mt. Airy communities. A free parking lot on Michener Street serves many of the stores in the area.
 

History

The Wadsworth area became part of the city of Philadelphia in 1854. Prior to a housing boom that began in the 1940's, the area was open woodlands and farms. Therefore, there are only two buildings in the community built before the 1940's. Wadsworth Avenue and Michener Street were named after two of the old family farms.

Before there was a branch library, the neighborhood made heavy use of the Free Library's bookmobile. Wadsworth Avenue Library, a modern building with a glass "storefront," opened on July 30, 1959. In 1992, the building reopened after being closed several years for asbestos removal and building renovations, including the addition of a meeting room. Colorful ribbons enlivened the glass façade and neon lights brightened the interior.

The library was further renovated in 1999 as part of the "Changing Lives" campaign, which refurbished branches and brought Internet service.