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YSP Blog Posts

Blog: Back to School Fun and Opportunities Abound for Philly Students Dr. Seuss wrote in Oh, the Places You'll Go , "Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened." The end of summer break may be just around the corner,…

Blog: Summer of Wonder: 3 Ways to Get Kids Reading This Summer The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Summer of Wonder program is a reading challenge for all ages that allows participants to attend fun Free Library events, find new books to read, and…

Blog: Summertime Fun and STEM Enrichment at the Free Library To build an enlightened community devoted to lifelong learning, The Free Library is an advocate and valuable resource for students in and around the City of Philadelphia. The Free Library…

Blog: Get Ready for an Exciting Summer of Wonder at the Free Library! Summer of Wonder is the Free Library's flagship summer reading challenge for all ages. Participants can attend library programs, find new books to read, and explore activities to stay engaged…

Blog: No Rules, Just Read: Children's Book Week Happy Children’s Book Week, Philadelphia! Founded in 1919 — thus marking its 105th anniversary this year — Children’s Book Week is the nation’s longest-running…

Blog: Get Ready for the 2024 Solar Eclipse on Monday, April 8! Something very special is happening on Monday, April 8 : a total solar eclipse will cross North America from Mexico to Canada! After April 8, the next solar eclipse viewable from…

Blog: It's Women's History Month in March! Happy Women’s History Month , Philadelphia! What began as a local educational initiative in Sonoma, California 46 years ago, has evolved into a month-long celebration "commemorating and…

Blog: Sundays on Stage is Back … on Saturdays this Season! Spread the word: Sundays on Stage is back this spring! This season we will host live performances on Saturdays in the Montgomery Auditorium at Parkway Central Library . After nearly four years of…

Blog: The 2024 Youth Media Award-Winners Bright and early on January 22, while many of us were still sleeping, breakfasting, or commuting, librarians and other youth literature enthusiasts gathered excitedly in person at the…

Blog: Enjoy Online Reading Challenges Year-Round! You may have heard of our citywide Summer of Wonder program full of activities, programs, and prizes for all ages, but did you know that the Free Library offers an Online Reading…

Blog: New Year, New Habits The new year is traditionally a time to start fresh, make resolutions, and name your hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Some share this tradition with friends and family and even introduce it to…

Blog: Storytimes at Christmas Village and More Holiday Fun Join the Free Library this holiday season at Philadelphia’s authentic German Christmas market, presented by Bank of America! Christmas Village will light up LOVE Park and City Hall from…

Blog: Native American Heritage Month and Beyond November is Native American Heritage Month . The Free Library, located on the ancestral lands of the Lenni-Lenape people, is proud to honor this tradition. Read on to learn what this holiday is…

Blog: Welcome Back to LEAP Afterschool! The Free Library is pleased to announce that the LEAP After-School Program is once again available in neighborhood libraries across the city! This groundbreaking library program offers drop-in…

Blog: Honoring Indigenous Peoples' Day The Free Library is proud to honor Indigenous Peoples' Day, celebrated on Monday, October 9, 2023 . Philadelphia is now one of the over 100 cities that have chosen to celebrate the holiday in…

Blog: OURfest, National Coming Out Day's First Parade and Festival! Philadelphia will make history with the nation’s first parade and festival in honor of National Coming Out Day, and the Free Library is honored to take part! Named OURfest , the weekend-long…

Blog: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With Your Family Is your family excited to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with the Free Library? We are too! The mid-month heritage celebration is set from September 15–October 15 in order…

Blog: Online Resources for Learners of All Ages Looking for learning resources to help you and your family prepare for kindergarten, conquer the back-to-school routine, or explore a new adult learning path? The Free Library has plenty to offer,…

Blog: That’s a Wrap on Summer of Wonder 2023! This summer has flown by, and believe it or not, the Free Library’s Summer of Wonder is already wrapping up! We finished our in-person summer programming in branches on August 11, and our…

Blog: Gear Up for Success With Back To School Giveaways! We may just be wrapping up the dog days of summer, but a new school year is just around the corner! For Philly families looking for school supplies, we’ve got some hot tips. Each year, the…

Blog: Teens Working at the Free Library We here at Youth Services are so proud of our new teen hires! Thanks to PYN, they’ll be with us all summer long. What is PYN? The Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) works with strategic…

Blog: Summer of Wonder: We're Halfway Through! Neighborhood libraries have been busy this summer happily welcoming our patrons! As we get back to full staffing levels and resume Saturdays at select branches , it has been so wonderful to…

Blog: Why Libraries Are So Important This Pride Month Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong — like something about you wasn’t right, or didn’t meet the expectations of others — and can you remember how that felt?…

Blog: Kick off Your Summer of Wonder With a Week of Play! It’s that wondrous time of year again when the sun heats up, the spray parks open, and the books come out! We’re talking about the Summer of Wonder , of course. What started over a…

Blog: Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage for Families May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month , and it’s a wonderful time to celebrate this rich and varied cultural heritage with the whole family! The acronym stands in…

Blog: Celebrate National Library Week With Your Family We’re celebrating National Library Week with kids and families! The annual event instituted by the American Library Association encourages library lovers of all stripes to celebrate these…

Blog: Celebrate the Earth This April With Kids On April 22, 1970, on the heels of a massive oil spill in California, the first Earth Day brought 20 million Americans to stand up for the protection of a planet polluted and imperiled by…

Blog: Join the Summer Camp Challenge! Summer is on its way, once again. If you will be working with Philly kids at an existing summer camp program, we welcome you to join us in the Summer Camp Challenge! Whether it’s your…

Blog: Women’s History is for Everyone, Especially Kids and Teens! Here in the northern hemisphere, the month of March is known for its changeable nature — predictable unpredictability, you might say! After all, it is the start of spring, a season of thaw…

Blog: The 2023 Youth Media Award Winners Are Here! Just announced this week from LibLearnX in New Orleans, we give you the Youth Media Awards ! This highly esteemed collection of outstanding books, audiobooks, and materials for…

Blog: Black History Month for Kids and Families Welcome to Black History Month! The theme of this year’s annual celebration is Black Resistance , an acknowledgement of the continued fight against historic and on-going oppression. Join the…

Blog: Wintertime Fun at the Free Library The winter season is upon us, and we're excited to spend it with you! Read on for some great ideas for family-friendly fun when the temperature starts to drop. Winter Reading Challenge…

Blog: Storytime at Christmas Village Returns! It’s the most wonderful time of the year again, and that means Santa will soon be returning to LOVE Park for Christmas Village for festive seasonal storytimes for the whole family to enjoy!…

Blog: A Multicultural Thanksgiving Celebration In many cultures including those indigenous to the land we live on, the harvest season is a traditional time of gratitude. Here in the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday has a more troubled…

Blog: It's Young Readers' Week! Welcome to Young Readers’ Week ! The Free Library joins young readers around the nation in an annual celebration of all things bookish. Originally born of a partnership between Pizza’s…

Blog: This is Halloween at the Free Library! It’s the spookiest time of the year again, and the Free Library is getting in on the action! Read on for ways to celebrate the Halloween season with us at every age. This year,…

Blog: It's Time for High School Choice! Do you have teens in your life who will be attending high school in Philly next year? They’ve got options. It is time for High School choice selection! The Philadelphia High School system is…

Blog: Join Us for Reading Promise Week | October 10-16 What Will Your Reading Promise Be? The Free Library and Read By 4th invite your family to join us for Reading Promise Week , October 10-16! This weeklong in-person event series serves as a…

Blog: Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day in Philadelphia! Philadelphia proudly joins the many cities and states around the nation who have chosen to officially recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in lieu of Columbus Day . This cultural…

Blog: Banned Books Week | Close to Home Welcome to Banned Books Week 2022! From September 18-24, we will be delving into the most challenged titles of the past year. The Office for Intellectual Freedom , a project of the American…

Blog: Reasons to Sign Up for a Free Library Card Today! September is Library Card Sign-Up Month , and there are so many reasons to get yourself a card if you don’t have one already! As libraries strive to enter a new era, more and more are…

Blog: It's Back to School Time at the Free Library! We have loved spending our summer with you, and now we’re just as excited to get back to school! The start of a new school year can look different for everyone. Most students are returning…

Blog: Celebrating Another Summer of Wonder We're setting new Summer of Wonder records in 2022! Not only did we meet our Community Reading Minutes goal for the summer, we also blasted past all of our minutes-read milestones and…

Blog: Time Travel to the Beginning of the Universe Interested in time travel? The superpowered James Webb Telescope has released its first images this month, giving us a window into distant space and the distant past. It’s dazzling. The…

Blog: Halfway through Summer of Wonder 2022! The Summer Readers of Philadelphia are on a roll. Just halfway through the Free Library’s Summer of Wonder, we’re more than halfway to our citywide online reading minutes goal! If…

Blog: Summer of Wonder is Heating Up! Summer is here, and along with the rising temperatures, the Summer of Wonder is heating up! In June, we kicked off Pride Month with a brand new Pride March right here in Philly, and we’re…

Blog: Summer of Wonder Begins! | Everyone. Everywhere. Everyone. Everywhere. The Summer of Wonder is all around you. It is happening at libraries and bus stops, at city parks and in camps, on PlayStreets, and in your very own homes. Everywhere you…

Blog: Join Science in the Summer to Be a Biologist! Summer is a time of growth, fruit, and bloom, when life on this planet feels abundant and vibrant. It might be a season when we feel more aware of other beings living alongside us, even here in…

Blog: In April, Every Day Is a Poem! April showers, as they say, bring May flowers, and we’ll be very glad to see them this year! But what else does April bring? It’s National Poetry Month , and there are so many ways to…

Blog: What's New in Women's History March is Women’s History Month, and it’s a wonderful time to delve into some of the previously untold history of the women of our world. Did you know that recent archaeological…

Blog: Summer Camp Challenge is Back! It’s that wonderful time of year again, when the birds begin to sing and educators, caregivers, and camp leaders start to wonder: what is this summer going to hold? If you’ll be…

Blog: Who Was the Saint of Valentine's Day? Was there a saint of love? Despite myths surrounding the "real" Saint Valentine , this holiday likely owes its origins to Medieval English poet Chaucer . At a time of growing romance…

Blog: Celebrate Health and Wellness this Black History Month Throughout Philadelphia Black History Month is a time to illuminate the past, to remember past trials and tribulations, and to celebrate the contributions of Black people in this country. The theme of this…

Blog: 2022 Youth Media Award Winners Librarians, educators, and children’s book lovers have long-anticipated this year’s crop of Youth Media Award winners ! Chosen by the American Library Association, the 2022…

Blog: In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On January 17, our nation commemorates the 27th Annual National Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work and legacy. Dr. King’s part in the Civil Rights Movement…

Blog: Giving Back for the Holidays It can be difficult to get into the holiday spirit in the midst of so much confusion, fear, and grief. Children and adults alike may find ourselves feeling sad at the loss of a loved one, of…

Blog: COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for Children and Available in Philadelphia The FDA has approved a COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11—just in time for the holidays! The holiday season is usually a time for family and friends to gather and share food and fun.…

Blog: Christmas Village Storytimes are Back this Holiday Season! The holiday season is upon us and what better way to celebrate than by bringing your little ones to a storytime at Christmas Village , Philadelphia’s authentic German Christmas market! The…

Blog: Reframing Thanksgiving for Native American Heritage Month November is Native American Heritage Month, as well as a time when many people in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving. If this holiday is a part of your family’s tradition, it may be…

Blog: A Summer of Service: What I Learned on Philly's Play Streets Marian Sosa spent the summer volunteering for the Free Library, with Youth Services , the Summer of Wonder , and on Philadelphia's Play Streets . Here is what she had to say about her…

Blog: Celebrate Young Readers Day! Young Readers Day was first created by a collaboration between the Library of Congress and the reading-incentives program with pizza rewards, Book It! We will happily take any excuse to celebrate…

Blog: Trick or Treat! A COVID-Safe Halloween Jack-o'-lanterns are grinning from the stoops, and a chill wind rustles through the leaves. An orange October moon slips from behind swift-moving clouds, and children are possessed by an…

Blog: Move into Autumn with the Harvest Moon Today, September 22, we welcome the equinox once again! On this day twice each year, the sun rests directly over the equator, so day and night are nearly equal in length all over the globe. In the…

Blog: Celebrate #BeyDay the Beyoncé Way September 4 is #BeyDay , the birthday celebration of our favorite Queen of the music industry— Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter . This inspiring, outspoken, and sometimes shy Virgo is…

Blog: Back to School Resources for Students, Families, and Teachers Many students, parents, caregivers, and teachers are wondering what the upcoming school year is going to look like. The Free Library is here to help you! Back to School Basics The first day…

Blog: An Update from Our Summer of Wonder Teen Artist Deyania Sanders Last year, the Free Library put out a contest call for artwork from high school students. Deyania Sanders’ art teacher encouraged her to submit her designs and she was selected to be our…

Blog: Summer of Wonder | Program Highlights for Families Summer is here, and we know you’re ready for some fun! Whether you’re looking for outdoor, in-person programs or virtual adventures, the Free Library’s Summer of Wonder has got…

Blog: Staff Spotlight on Jade Cintron Baez | Immigrant Heritage Month During Immigrant Heritage Month, we celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of those who have immigrated to the United States and their descendants. As Guerline Jozef explains , "I…

Blog: Youth Services and Programs at the Free Library Youth Services and Programs (YSP) is a division of the Free Library of Philadelphia that provides programs and services for families and educators across all of our Neighborhood Libraries and…

Blog: Kick Off Your Summer of Wonder! Welcome to the Summer of Wonder 2021! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and from June 1 - August 31, the Free Library will be sharing new ways to read, learn, and grow. Help us celebrate…

Blog: Why is Earth Week Important? It’s easy to get blasé about Earth Day amidst the many other real concerns we face each day. But caring for the planet we live on was still a radical idea in the United States when…

Blog: Celebrate Poetry Month Virtually! Is it any wonder that April is National Poetry Month ? What a beautiful time of year to be in Philadelphia—a veritable poetry capital, vibrant in the face of challenges—and with April…

Blog: Sign Up Now for This Year's Summer Camp Challenge! Free Library Youth Services is excited to announce a new Summer Camp Challenge season! Are you working with the youth of Philadelphia at a camp program this summer? The Free Library is here to…

Blog: Teen Author Content | Inspiring BIPOC Women by Brianna Arce - LEAP Teen Leader Happy Women’s History Month! This month we celebrate the contributions of women to history, culture, and society. As a young Latina woman, I wish to see…

Blog: Recommended YA Reads for Black History Month Looking for YA titles that celebrate Black lives? Dig into these recommended #OwnVoices reads! Whether you’re into short stories, fantastical worlds, hard-hitting realistic fiction, or…

Blog: Self-Care for Caregivers | National Caregivers' Day Today is National Caregivers’ Day, and we’d like to take a moment to honor the essential role that caregivers play in our communities. Whether it is for loved ones or how you earn your…

Blog: There’s Always Something New to Discover at the Free Library! The first Saturday of February is Take Your Child to the Library Day! This holiday , invented by two librarians, encourages families to make a trip to their neighborhood library with their young…

Blog: Read a Youth Media Award Winner! It’s that time of year again! The 2021 Youth Media Award winners have been announced, honoring this year’s best and brightest titles for children and young adults. Watch Julius C.…

Blog: An Interview with Deyania Sanders, the High School Artist Behind This Year's Summer of Wonder 2020 Summer of Wonder poster In December, the Free Library and the design team at Mighty Engine put out a contest call for artwork from high school students. Deyania Sanders’ art teacher…

Blog: Looking Back on the Free Library’s First All-Virtual Summer of Wonder! In this unprecedented time, the Free Library has had a lot of firsts. We pulled together to bring you our first virtual Summer of Wonder with the help of librarians and library staff, camp…

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