Free Library of Philadelphia

Coordinates: 39°57′34″N 75°10′16″W / 39.9595°N 75.1710°W

Free Library of Philadelphia

Established	1891
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Branches	54
Collection
Items collected	Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music Print and Picture Collection (largest in the U.S.A)
Size	4,240,304
Access and use
Population served	1,526,006
Other information
Budget	$43,268,399
Director	Siobhan A. Reardon
Website	http://www.freelibrary.org/

The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the 13th-largest public library system in the United States.^[1] Unique among public libraries in the United States, it is neither a city agency nor a nonprofit organization; instead, it is governed by both an independent city agency managed by its own board of directors and a separate nonprofit organization, The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation.^[2]

In fiscal year 2014, the Free Library hosted nearly six million patrons in person and eight million more online.^[3]

History

Founding

The Free Library of Philadelphia was chartered in 1891 as "a general library which shall be free to all", through efforts led by Dr. William Pepper, who secured initial funding through a $225,000 bequest from his wealthy uncle, George S. Pepper. However, several libraries claimed the bequest, and only after the courts decided the money was intended to found a new public library did the Free Library finally open in March 1894. Its first location was three cramped rooms in City Hall. On February 11, 1895, the library was moved to the old Concert Hall at 1217-1221 Chestnut Street. Library officials criticized their new home as "an entirely unsuitable building, where its work is done in unsafe, unsanitary and overcrowded quarters, temporary make-shifts". In December 1, 1910, the Library was moved again, to the northeast corner of 13th and Locust Streets. Today, the Free Library of Philadelphia system is composed of 61 locations including Parkway Central Library, three regional libraries, 49 neighborhood libraries, five community Hot Spots, the Regional Research and Operations Center, and the Rosenbach Museum & Library,^[4] which became a subsidiary of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation in 2013, retains its own board, and is managed separately from the public library system.^[5]

Parkway Central Library

On June 2, 1927, the Parkway Central Library opened for service at its present location at 1901 Vine Street on Logan Square. The building had been in planning since 1911; various obstacles, including World War I, held up progress. The grand Beaux-Arts building was designed by Julian Abele, chief designer in the office of prominent Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, and first opened its doors in 1927. Its design, that of the adjacent Philadelphia Family Court building, and their placement on Logan Circle closely follow that of the Hôtel de Crillon and the Hôtel de la Marine on Paris's Place de la Concorde.^[6] In addition to being the main library, the building serves as the system's administrative building.^[7]

Mission

The mission of the Free Library of Philadelphia is "to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity."^[8]

Services

Programs

The Free Library of Philadelphia hosts more than 25,000 events each year, including job-search workshops, small business programming, English as a Second Language conversation groups, and computer classes. The Free Library’s Culinary Literacy Center,^[9] which opened in the spring of 2014 at the Parkway Central Library, offers culinary classes for children, teens, families, and adults to teach literacy skills through cooking as well as math, chemistry, nutrition, and health. The Library hosts a renowned Author Events Series,^[10] which brings more than 100 writers to the Free Library annually; the city-wide One Book, One Philadelphia program, which encourages all Philadelphians to read and discuss the same book, fostering community and connection; the Summer Reading program, which engages some 50,000 Philadelphia school children each summer; and the Literacy Enrichment After-school Program (LEAP). In addition, the Free Library hosts months-long celebrations of literary milestones, from the birthdays of influential writers like Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare to the publication anniversaries of groundbreaking titles like Pride and Prejudice and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The Free Library also manages READ! by 4th,^[11] a citywide effort of public and private organizations aiming to majorly increase the number of students in Philadelphia entering the 4th grade at reading level by 2020. READ! by 4th’s comprehensive strategy includes improving early learning, providing parents with resources to teach their children reading skills, emphasizing summer reading and other strategies to prevent learning loss, decreasing absenteeism by addressing behavioral and health concerns, and enhancing reading instruction in schools.

Digital services

The Free Library's digital offerings include nearly 120,000 ebooks; 1,000 public computers; 1,000-plus author event podcasts; 150 online databases; daily homework and computer literacy classes online; Hot Spot community computer training centers; and the roving Techmobile.

Hot Spots initiative

In March 2011, the library launched Free Library Hot Spots, placing new computer labs and computer trainers in existing community centers in low-income areas of the city. The initiative is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. Each Hot Spot provides computers, internet access, printers, and a small selection of Free Library materials. (These are in addition to the 650 public-access computers and free WiFi throughout the Free Library's 54 branches.)

In April 2012, the Free Library added The Techmobile, a Hot Spot on Wheels, which brings service to neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia.^[12][13] The Techmobile has six public laptops.

Impact

According to a study conducted by Penn’s Fels Institute of Government, in 2010 nearly 25,000 people learned to read or taught someone else to read solely because of the resources of the Free Library. In addition, nearly 1,000 people found jobs based on the career resources of the Free Library, and some 8,600 entrepreneurs were able to start, grow or improve their small businesses because of programs and resources available free of charge at the Library.^[14]

Special collections

The Free Library of Philadelphia houses several rare and unique special collections. Many of the items in the special collections have been digitized and can be viewed online.^[15]

The Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library features one of the world’s most renowned Charles Dickens collections, featuring first editions, personal letters, and Dickens’ stuffed pet raven Grip, as well as the largest Beatrix Potter collection outside of the United Kingdom. The Department also houses robust collections of cuneiform tablets, medieval and Oriental manuscripts, and Pennsylvania German fraktur.

The Free Library also features the Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music, which is the largest lending library of orchestral performance sets in the world.

The Library’s Automobile Reference Collection is one of the most extensive public resources of its kind, and the Print and Picture Collection houses roughly half a million circulating pictures in the largest public picture lending library in the nation, in addition to thousands of fine art prints, drawings, and photographs. The Library's Theatre Collection contains research materials on the history of American theatre, early film, and popular entertainment. The Free Library also has an extensive special collection devoted to maps.

Additionally, the Rosenbach Museum & Library^[16] is a subsidiary of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation.^[17]

Neighborhood libraries

In addition to the Parkway Central Library in downtown Philadelphia, the system operates 54 neighborhood library locations throughout the city. Many of these locations were funded by Andrew Carnegie, who donated US$1.5 million to the library in 1903.^[18]

Holmesburg Branch

Kingsessing Branch

Lehigh Avenue Branch

Oak Lane Branch

Passyunk Branhc

Tacony Branch

Walnut Street Branch

Wyoming Branch

#	Name	Address	Zip Code	Phone	Neighborhood(s) Served
[01]	Andorra	705 East Cathedral Road	19128-2106	215-685-2552	Andorra and Upper Roxborough
[02]	Blanche A. Nixon	5800 Cobbs Creek Parkway	19143-3036	215-685-1973	Cobbs Creek
[03]	Bushrod	6304 Castor Avenue	19149-2731	215-685-1471	Oxford Circle, Castor Gardens, Upper Northwood, Summerdale, and the Lower Northeast
[04]	Bustleton	10199 Bustleton Avenue	19116-3718	215-685-0472	Bustleton and Somerton
[05]	Cecil B. Moore	2320 Cecil B. Moore Avenue	19121-2927	215-685-2766	North Central, Strawberry Mansion, Brewerytown, Sharswood, and the Johnson Homes
[06]	Charles L. Durham	3320 Haverford Avenue	19104-2021	215-685-7436	Mantua and Powelton
[07]	Charles Santore	932 South 7th Street	19147-2932	215-686-1766	Bella Vista, Queen Village, and Hawthorne
[08]	Chestnut Hill	8711 Germantown Avenue	19118-2716	215- 685-9290	Chestnut Hill
[09]	David Cohen Ogontz	6017 Ogontz Avenue	19141	215-685-3566	Ogontz and Belfield
[10]	Eastwick	2851 Island Avenue	19153-2314	215-685-4170	Eastwick, Elmwood, Clearview, and Penrose Park
[11]	Falls of Schuylkill	3501 Midvale Avenue	19129-1633	215-685-2093	East Falls
[12]	Fishtown Community	1217 East Montgomery Avenue	19125-3445	215-685-9990	Fishtown and New Kensington
[13]	Fox Chase	501 Rhawn Street	19111-2504	215-685-0547	Fox Chase/Burholme
[14]	Frankford	4634 Frankford Avenue	19124-5804	215-685-1473	Frankford, Northwood, Bridesburg, and part of Juniata Park
[15]	Fumo Family	2437 South Broad Street	19148-3508	215-685-1758	Melrose
[16]	Greater Olney	5501 North 5th Street	19120-2805	215-685-2846	Olney
[17]	Haddington	446 North 65th Street	19151-4003	215-685-1970	Haddington-Carroll Park and Overbrook-Morris Park
[18]	Haverford	5543 Haverford Avenue	19139-1432	215-685-1964	Haddington-Carroll Park
[19]	Holmesburg	7810 Frankford Avenue	19136-3013	215-685-8756	Holmesburg and Mayfair
[20]	Independence	18 S. 7th Street	19106	215-685-1633	Society Hill, Old City, Queen Village, Washington Square West, and Chinatown
[21]	Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library	68 West Chelten Avenue	19144-2795	215-685-2150	Germantown
[22]	Katharine Drexel	11099 Knights Road	19154-3516	215-685-9383	Normandy, North and West Torresdale, Morrell Park, Millbrook, Parkwood, Crestmont Farms, Brookhaven, and Walton Park
[23]	Kensington	104 West Dauphin Street	19133-3701	215-685-9996	Kensington, West Kensington, and Norris Square
[24]	Kingsessing	1201 South 51st Street	19143-4353	215-685-2690	Kingsessing
[25]	Lawncrest	6098 Rising Sun Avenue	19111-6009	215-685-0549	Lawndale, Crescentville, Lawncrest, and Cedar Grove
[26]	Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped	919 Walnut Street	19107	215-683-3213	-
[27]	Lillian Marrero	601 West Lehigh Avenue	19133-2228	215-685-9794	Central North, Fairhill, St. Edwards/Hartranft, and West Kensington
[28]	Logan	1333 Wagner Avenue	19141-2916	215-685-9156	Logan
[29]	Lovett	6945 Germantown Avenue	19119-2189	215-685-2095	East and West Mt. Airy
[30]	Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library	125 South 52nd Street	19139-3408	215-685-7433	Cedar Park, Walnut Hill, West Market, Mill Creek, Dunlap, and West Park
[31]	McPherson Square	601 East Indiana Avenue	19134-3042	215-685-9995	Kensington, McPherson Square, and K & A
[32]	Nicetown-Tioga	3720 North Broad Street	19140-3608	215-685-9790	Nicetown and Tioga
[33]	Northeast Regional Library	2228 Cottman Avenue	19149-1297	215-685-0522	Greater Northeast
[34]	Oak Lane	6614 North 12th Street	19126-3299	215-685-2848	Oak Lane
[35]	Overbrook Park	7422 Haverford Avenue	19151-2995	215-685-0182	Overbrook Park
[36]	Parkway Central	1901 Vine Street	19103	215-686-5322	--
[37]	Paschalville	6942 Woodland Avenue	19142-1823	215-685-2662	Paschalville and Elmwood
[38]	Philadelphia City Institute	1905 Locust Street	19103-5730	215-685-6621	Rittenhouse Square and Fitler Square
[39]	Queen Memorial Library	1201 South 23rd Street	19146-4316	215-685-1899	Landreth
[40]	Ramonita de Rodriguez	600 West Girard Avenue	19123-1311	215-686-1768	Olde Kensington, Kensington South, Ludlow, Yorktown, East and West Poplar, Northern Liberties, and Girard/Poplar
[41]	Richmond	2987 Almond Street	19134-4955	215-685-9992	Richmond and Port Richmond
[42]	The Rosenbach	2008-2010 Delancey Place	19103	215-732-1600	--
[43]	Roxborough	6245 Ridge Avenue	19128-2630	215-685-2550	Roxborough, Manayunk and Wissahickon
[44]	South Philadelphia	1700 South Broad Street	19145-2392	215-685-1866	South Philadelphia
[45]	Tacony	6742 Torresdale Avenue	19135-2416	215-685-8755	Tacony/Wissinoming
[46]	Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr.	1935 Shunk Street	19145-4234	215-685-1755	Girard Estate, Packer Park, Passyunk Homes, St. Richards, and West Passyunk
[47]	Torresdale	3079 Holme Avenue	19136-1101	215-685-0494	Academy Gardens, Ashton-Woodbridge, Pennypack, Pennypack Woods, Upper Holmesburg, and Winchester Park
[48]	Wadsworth	1500 Wadsworth Avenue	19150-1699	215-685-9293	Wadsworth, Cedarbrook, Ivy Hill, and East Mt. Airy
[49]	Walnut Street West	201 South 40th Street	19104	215-685-7671	University City and Spruce Hill
[50]	Welsh Road	9233 Roosevelt Boulevard	19114-2205	215-685-0498	Aston Wooden Bridge and Bustleton
[51]	West Oak Lane	2000 Washington Lane	19138-1344	215-685-2843	West Oak Lane and parts of Cedarbrook, Ivy Hill, and East Mt. Airy
[52]	Whitman	200 Snyder Avenue	19148-2620	215-685-1754	Whitman and Pennsport
[53]	Widener	2808 West Lehigh Avenue	19132-3296	215-685-9799	North Central, Strawberry Mansion, and Allegheny West
[54]	Wynnefield	5325 Overbrook Avenue	19131-1498	215-685-0298	Wynnefield and Overbrook Farms
[55]	Wyoming	231 East Wyoming Avenue	19120-4439	215-685-9158	Feltonville/Juniata Park

See also

• List of Carnegie libraries in Philadelphia

References

1. "The Nation's Largest Public Libraries: Top 25 Rankings". American Library Association. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
2. "Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation surpasses fundraising goal". Newsworks.
3. "Annual Report" (PDF). Free Library of Philadelphia. 2014.
4. "About us: History". Free Library of Philadelphia.
5. "Q&A for merger of The Rosenbach Museum and Library and Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation". The Rosenbach. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
6. "The Central Library and Logan Circle: New Public Spaces". City of Philadelphia.
7. "About us: History". Free Library of Philadelphia.
8. "About the Library". main website. Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
9. "Culinary Literacy Center".
10. "Authors at the Free Library this fall".
11. "READ! by 4th".
12. "Free Library Hot Spots".
13. The Techmobile
14. "Fels study shows Free Library’s economic impact".
15. "Collections". Free Library of Philadelphia.
16. "About us: History". Free Library of Philadelphia.
17. "Q&A for merger of The Rosenbach Museum and Library and Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation". The Rosenbach. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
18. "About us: History". Free Library of Philadelphia.

External links

• Official website
• Free Library of Philadelphia on Twitter