The Free Library of Philadelphia (2024)

FAQs

What are the fines for the Free Library in Philadelphia? ›

Fines, Fees, & Policies

The Free Library does not charge fines for overdue materials! However, there are costs for lost or destroyed materials in order to replace them. Anyone over the age of 12 may borrow up to 50 items at a time, and children under 12 years old may borrow up to 20 items at a time.

About us. The Free Library of Philadelphia advances literacy, guides learning, and inspires curiosity with 54 neighborhood libraries city-wide.

Your library card connects you to the latest e-books, audiobooks, streaming media, news outlets, and online learning sites—for free! Virtual Programming, like online storytimes and Author Events, are also now streaming on a variety of platforms. Browse all databases and streaming media services.

The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation gratefully accepts donations of material goods and non-cash contributions for the Free Library of Philadelphia, which are in line with its current mission, collections, and programming.

Siobhan Reardon, the longtime leader of the Free Library of Philadelphia, resigned Thursday, after employee complaints about racial discrimination in the workplace led Mayor Jim Kenney and some library trustees to pressure her to step down.

They argue that fines are a barrier to access, especially for low-income families, and can create adversarial relationships between customers and library staff members. Even worse, patrons who are ashamed of their overdue fines or financially unable to pay them may stop using the library entirely.

In 1894, the courts ruled in favor of William Pepper's Free Library, and later that year it merged with the city's public library system and became the Free Library of Philadelphia, founded under the motto “Liber Libere Omnibus,” the Latin phrase meaning “Free Books for All.”

Parkway Central Library also known as Free Library or Central Library is the main public library building and administrative headquarters of the Free Library of Philadelphia system. It is the largest library, and only research library, of 54 library branches in the Free Library system.

The Free Library of Philadelphia was chartered in 1891 as "a general library which shall be free to all", through efforts led by Dr.

However, many public libraries offer free e-books and audiobooks through Libby. If you are a Pennsylvania resident, the Philadelphia Free Library offers free library cards to residents (including access to ebooks via Libby).

Does Free Library Philadelphia take donations? ›

Yes, the Print and Picture Collection accepts donations if they are photographs or prints depicting events or buildings, especially in Philadelphia. We have a large collection of old photographs and historical prints documenting the history of Philadelphia and are always looking for additional material.

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

The library also dropped Hoopla, a platform that offers access to movies and TV as well as other types of media, like audio books, e-books, music, and comics. Between 2,000 and 7,000 patrons used the two services every month.

Rather than cover-buying or just dropping cash on popular books, you can use your library card to check out countless titles for free.

Overdue fines are perceived to be a major source of revenue, but they are not. Fine revenue is typically less than 1% of a library's annual operating budget. While fines are a revenue source for public libraries, the cost of collecting those fines can easily outweigh those revenues. To collect a $5 fine….

Most, though not all, branches have printing services available. Call your local branch for specific information. Many have free printing, but some may charge up to 25 cents per page.