November 1, 2011
Charles Dickens was one of the first international celebrities, and the Free Library possess one of the most impressive collections of his work and effects in the entire world. Celebrate the man, the myth, the legend, all year long throughout the city. (Image courtesy Free Library)
Attention English majors, bookworms, history buffs, rare book collectors and Free Library patrons: 2012 is the 200th birthday of renowned author Charles Dickens, and Philadelphia is celebrating all year long.
The Free Library of Philadelphia has one of the largest collections of Dickens’s works and personal effects outside of the UK. To celebrate Dickens’s bicentenary the Free Library will be launching the “Year of Dickens,” a year-long celebration of all things Dickens.
Unique highlights of the Dickens Collection include 2,000 letters of his, the third largest collection in the world; his writing desk; and his pet raven, Grip — the same bird that is said to be the inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem.
The Free Library’s Year of Dickens 2012 will kick off on Monday, November 14 with an American Idol-inspired Dickens Idol Contest. The contest is an open call audition to find a local actor who best embodies Charles Dickens.
The winner will take on the role of the legendary author, bringing him back to life in a series of events. Check out all the contest rules here.
Upcoming Year of Dickens 2012 events include:
• A Dickens of a Christmas: For the entire month of December 2011, Philadelphia’s quaint Chestnut Hill neighborhood will transform itself into a festive Victorian village with special holiday and Dickens performances, extended store hours and Dickens-themed activities up and down Germantown Avenue.
• Literary Salons: Discussing a different Dickens novel each month, the salons will meet on every third Thursday at 6:30 p.m. from January through December 2012 at the Parkway Central Library’s gorgeous Elkins Room. They’re open to all Dickens readers, from veterans to newcomers.
• Dickens in Philadelphia Tour: Follow in Dickens’s footsteps starting from his 1842 visit to Philadelphia, led by the dynamic and engaging Dickens aficionado, Edward Pettit.
• Drinking with Dickens: Join the festivities at several watering holes around town, including Stephen Starr’s The Dandelion, where your’ll sample brews and concoctions first popularized in Victorian London.
• Steampunking Dickens: Let your imagination run wild as the library steampunks Dickens throughout the year with special parties and a steampunked version of one of his classics released serially throughout the year — just as his original stories were.
• Digital Dickens: View the library’s digitized Charles Dickens collection online, featuring detailed images of many of the Rare Book Department’s gems. The website also includes detailed descriptions about the man, his life and his works, as well as a blog dedicated to all things Dickens.
More events will continue to be fleshed out over the next several months, so check back here for up-to-date details. It was the best of times, it was the worst — no, it really will be the best of times!
The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Year of Dickens 2012
When: The events kick off with the Dickens Idol Contest, Monday, November 14
Where: Throughout the city; contest is at the Montgomery Auditorium on the ground floor of Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street
Cost: Free
More info: libwww.freelibrary.org
November 1, 2011
If you want to get a glimpse at the process of designing the new Barnes Foundation, architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien will be in town to give a behind-the-scenes look at the building of the new Barnes. (Images courtesy The Barnes Foundation)
Awesome (architecture) event alert: Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, the architects of the new Barnes Foundation on the Parkway, will be coming to the Free Library of Philadelphia for a special evening discussion and presentation about the building of the new Barnes.
In September 2007, Williams and Tsien were chosen by the Barnes Foundation to create the new campus on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. In October 2009, the design for the new building was revealed. And in May of 2012, the brand new Barnes will finally open its doors to the public.
At this special event at the Free Library, entitled “Gallery in a Garden, Garden in a Gallery: The Building of the Philadelphia Barnes Foundation,” the audience will get a special inside look at the design process of the entire project.
Architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien will discuss the project’s lifespan in detail: the design concept that won the commission, the detailed planning of the project, and the challenges met along the way, in a revealing and fascinating behind-the-scenes presentation.
Background About The Project
The new Philadelphia campus of the Barnes Foundation is the first major addition to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in more than sixty years and will become a vital part of the city’s cultural corridor. The lecture’s title, “Gallery in a Garden, Garden in a Gallery” hints at the architects’ original concept for the new Barnes.
Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, in conjunction with landscape architect Laurie Olin, conceived a “gallery in a garden,” consisting of a series of distinct outdoor areas that would unfold to visitors as they approached the building, passing through the public gardens and entry atrium en route to the galleries.
Said Billie Tsien of the design: “We hope that visitors will be able to relax, drop their shoulders and leave the outside world behind when they enter the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. When they do, they will discover a place with a highly personal feeling, where the brilliance of the art collection and the distinctive hang are fully respected.”
You can read more about the plans for the May 2012 Barnes opening here.
To get a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating process of designing the new Barnes, however, you’re going to want to attend this event. Tickets, just $7, are available online.
Gallery in a Garden, Garden in a Gallery: The Building of the Philadelphia Barnes Foundation
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 7 p.m.
Where: Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Branch
Cost: $7 General Admission
More info: www.freelibrary.org
Check out an original concept drawing for the new Barnes below.
September 2, 2011
Chef Marc Vetri is getting ready to release his next cookbook: Rustic Italian Food, available beginning November 1.
It’s a thorough primer on all things Italian food, with detailed, step-by-step instructions for making terrines, dry-cured salami, cooked sausage, bread, pasta and classic Italian preserves and sauces.
As Bobby Flay says of the book, “Marc Vetri cooks the best Italian food in America. Now he shares his secrets with all of us. Get ready for gutsy flavors, silky pasta dishes, and your friends and family running to the table for meal after meal.”
Vetri’s previous book, II Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey, while acclaimed, was more of a memoir-style text, whereas Rustic Italian Food will be a straight-up cookbook.
You can catch Vetri talking about the book, live, for FREE at the Free Library on November 22 at 7:30 p.m.
You can pre-order the book online.
Rustic Italian Food by Marc Vetri [Amazon]
August 12, 2011
Philadelphia's Free Library draws top international talent year after year. (Photo by J. Smith for GPTMC)
This fall, the Free Library of Philadelphia will once again host its popular event series, Author Events, bringing major acclaimed authors to the area and showcasing local writers.
Each Author Event will be held in the Montgomery Auditorium downstairs in the Parkway Central Library. Highlights include a Q&A session with the author, and a book signing for all in attendance.
Select events are no charge, but for any requiring tickets, they go on sale Friday, August 19 at 10 a.m. so get them while you can! Tickets are available for purchase in single events, or a subscription package. They sell out very fast.
Highlights include, for ticketed speakers: Jeffrey Eugenides (November 1), Joan Didion (November 3), Harry Belafonte (November 4), Umberto Eco (November 10) and Tom Brokaw (December 8).
Free events include Anne Enright (October 4), Amos Oz (October 28), Chuck Palahniuk (October 29) and Norton Juster (November 5).
The library is so much more than stale shelves of manuscripts and so-over DVDs to borrow. Engage in the system’s awesome programming to see for yourself, and get a signed book to prove you were there!
Author Events at the Free Library of Philadelphia
When: September 15-December 8
Where: 1901 Vine Street
Cost: Varies
More info: libwww.freelibrary.org
June 7, 2011
Support the Free Library at tomorrow night's spelling bee event. (Photo by K. Ciappa for GPTMC)
Hearken back to the elementary school classroom of your youth at the Raven Society Spelling Bee at Bob & Barbara’s Lounge, tomorrow night, Wednesday, June 8.
The event will raise money for the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Summer Reading program, which helps 60,000 Philadelphia schoolchildren, teens and adults prevent summer brain drain by rewarding reading throughout the summer.
The suggested donation for attending is $5, which includes snacks and extended happy hour specials. There will be prizes for the top three spellers — including a $25 cash prize for the winner, courtesy of Bob & Barbara’s — and consolation prizes for all participants.
Want to prove your spelling mettle? Register at raven@freelibrary.org. Otherwise, the event’s peanut gallery is open to all.
Raven Society Spelling Bee
Where: Bob & Barbara’s Lounge, 1509 South Street
When: Wednesday, June 8, 7 p.m.
Cost: $5 suggested donation
More info: libwww.freelibrary.org
April 11, 2011
The Philadelphia Book Festival officially kicks off today, the first day of a week’s worth of poetry readings, musical performances, movie marathons, book signings, tours of the library’s special collections and much more.
Some of today’s highlights: Cheltenham native Jay Ansill plays live Celtic music at the Parkway Central Lobby at 5:45 p.m., and two New York Times best-selling authors discuss their latest books at 6 p.m. in the Skyline Room.
A cool F.Y.I.: in honor of the festival, local designer SA VA has crafted a limited edition (by limited, we mean only 30 exist) Library Banner Jacket from recycled cloth banners from the 2009 Free Library Festival and domestic fair-trade textiles. Each jacket retails for $159, and 10% of the proceeds benefit the Free Library!
Click here for a full schedule of events by date.
PLUS: save the date for the April 16 Street Fair, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside the central branch. It’s the largest literary street fair in the region, partnering this year with the Philadelphia Science Festival and PIFA for better-than-ever activities and special features.
Philadelphia Book Festival
Where: Throughout and near the Free Library Central branch, 1901 Vine Street
When: Today-April 16
Cost: Mostly free
More info: libwww.freelibrary.org/bookfestival
To see our previous coverage of the Philadelphia Book Festival, click here.
March 21, 2011
The exhibition showcases photos like this one by Frank H. Taylor, a view from the Bell Telephone Building in 1916.
(Photo courtesy Free Library)
In celebration of the memory of art aficionado and Free Library curator Robert F. Looney (he served from 1963-1986), the Parkway Central Library will host the 12th annual Robert F. Looney Lecture on Saturday, March 26 at 4 p.m.
This year’s program will kick off with “Challenges to Documentary Photography in the 21st century,” a free panel discussion moderated by noted photography critic A.D. Coleman and featuring photographer Daniel Traub and arts writer Nancy Brokaw.
Plus: a vivid new exhibition titled Documentary PIX: Philadelphia, A Century of Change just opened in the Free Library’s West Gallery in conjunction with the Looney Event. The exhibit features photographs and images of an ever-changing Philadelphia throughout the 20th century from several notable contemporary artists. It will remain open until April 29.
The 4 p.m. panel discussion will be followed by a ticketed reception (click here to reserve a spot), at which attendees can enjoy refreshments and bid on affordable artwork donated by local artists. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Print and Picture Collection.
12th Robert F. Looney Memorial Event
When: Saturday, March 26, 4 p.m.
Where: Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street
Cost: Talk and exhibit are free, reception is $20 (Student), $40 (Regular), $100 (Patron), $250 (Benefactor)
More info: libwww.freelibrary.org
March 9, 2011
The event will include live music, in addition to an appearance by Mayor Nutter.
(Photo by Jules Vuotto for Free Library)
As the ninth season of One Book, One Philadelphia draws to a close, the Free Library of Philadelphia will celebrate with a Grand Finale on Wednesday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Parkway Central Library.
In addition to a special welcome from Mayor Michael Nutter, spotlighted author Sherman Alexie will lead a lecture and discussion about his books, the featured selections of the 2011 program: War Dances and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
The One Book Grand Finale will also feature the world premiere of a musical piece inspired by the books, composed and performed by students from the Curtis Institute of Music.
Founded in 2003 by the Free Library and the Mayor’s Office, One Book motivates tens of thousands of Philadelphians to read the featured selections and participate in discussions, events, workshops, classes and more. This year proved no less a success than years past; we can’t wait to see what next year’s book selection will be!
One Book, One Philadelphia Grand Finale
When: Wednesday, March 16, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street
Cost: FREE
More info: www.freelibrary.org
January 19, 2011
(Image courtesy Edgar Allan Poe House)
In honor of one-time Philadelphian author Edgar Allan Poe’s 202nd birthday, the Raven Society of the Free Library of Philadelphia is hosting its third annual Happy Birthday, Edgar Allan Poe happy hour at Fergie’s Pub tonight, January 19th, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The young friends group will offer beer specials, birthday cake and complimentary appetizers from new Executive Chef Mark Coates, formerly of the award-winning Bebe’s Barbecue in the Italian Market. Poe ‘himself’ will even be on hand to do a reading of The Raven.
The Raven Society is named for “Grip”, the actual raven that inspired Poe’s eponymous poem. The real Grip is on display in the Rare Book Department on the third floor of the Free Library’s Central Branch. Tours of the Rare Book Department are offered Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. or at other times by prior arrangement (call (215) 686-5416).
Third Annual Happy Birthday, Edgar Allan Poe Happy Hour
When: Wednesday, January 19th, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Fergie’s Pub, 1214 Sansom Street
Cost: FREE
More info: www.fergies.com
January 18, 2011
The 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program, featuring Sherman Alexie’s War Dances, kicks off tomorrow night, January 19th, at 7 p.m. at the Central Library with an evening of music, dance performances and a special video welcome message by author Alexie.
The opening event, celebrating the ninth year of One Book, One Philadelphia and honoring the Native American subject matter of the spotlighted book, stars the Red Blanket Singers and Dancers of the Lenni Lenape Nation (the first Philadelphia residents); Udi Bar-David, Philadelphia Orchestra cellist; and Grammy Award- winning Navajo-Ute flutist R. Carlos Nakai.
The nine weeks of subsequent programming (the event series ends March 17th) include highlights like Battle of the Bios storytelling competition (win $100!) at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens January 21st; craft sessions at library branches around the city from beading to jewelry-making to quilting; a hands-on tour of the Rosenbach Museum’s rare book and manuscript Native American holdings, February 20th; a lecture on Native Americans in Hollywood films by Philadelphia Museum of Art film expert Michael McGonigle, February 16th; and lots, lots more!
A full schedule is available online (PDF).
One Book, One Philadelphia
Where: Locations throughout the city (opening event at Central Library, 1901 Vine Street)
When: January 19th-March 17th (opening event January 19th, 7 p.m.)
Cost: Varies based on event (opening event FREE)
More info: www.freelibrary.org
