Free Library of Philadelphia (Science & Wellness)

The Insectopia will bring six animal friends for attendees to interact with.This program brings 6 animals for a 1 hour program of meet and greets with the invertebrates. Students will have a great time learning about these animals and have the opportunity to hold and/or pet them. Students and adults alike are surprised by how handleable these animals can be.This program is free and open to the public and will be held in the Heim Center, rooms 131-132. Registration is not required yet seating is limited.

The Library of Life Book Tour is designed to highlight both books and life resources as tools for healing and growth.This event is free and open to the public. It will be held in Rooms 131/132 in the Heim Center. Registration is not required yet seating is limited. There will be an opportunity to purchase Ciara's book after the presentation.Rooted in my book Cliché Your Way Through Life REMIX, each event blends storytelling, therapy-inspired reflection, and practical life tools. By connecting the metaphor of the library with real-life resources, the program encourages participants to see both literature and community as

Want to bike safely around Philly? Curious about how to use an Indego bike? Join the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to learn how!

Have you ever wondered if the “weeds” growing around you might actually be useful—or even delicious?This program dives into the world of the plants formerly known as weeds, revealing their hidden benefits and surprising roles as food and medicine. You’ll learn the basics of foraging, including plant identification, seasonal harvesting, and how to safely recognize and use common edible plants found throughout the Philadelphia area. Perfect for curious beginners eager to see local landscapes in a whole new way—and maybe never look at a sidewalk crack the same again.This program will take place in Room 131 on the First Floor.

Join us for a conversation with the Neighborhood Gardens Trust, Philadelphia’s neighborhood garden protector.As the city’s largest land trust dedicated to preserving community gardens and shared open spaces, NGT has safeguarded a network of more than 58 spaces where neighbors grow food, flowers, and lasting connections. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, NGT holds land in perpetuity—ensuring that community-managed green spaces remain vibrant, accessible, and protected for Philadelphians.Hear directly from NGT’s Executive Director and Stewardship Manager as they share stories from the field. Learn how they collaborate with self-organized groups of gardeners, community organizations, property owners, the City of Philadelphia,

Want to bike safely around Philly? Curious about how to use an Indego bike? Join the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to learn how!

Have you ever wondered if the “weeds” growing around you might actually be useful—or even delicious?This program dives into the world of the plants formerly known as weeds, revealing their hidden benefits and surprising roles as food and medicine. You’ll learn the basics of foraging, including plant identification, seasonal harvesting, and how to safely recognize and use common edible plants found throughout the Philadelphia area. Perfect for curious beginners eager to see local landscapes in a whole new way—and maybe never look at a sidewalk crack the same again.This program will take place in Room 131 on the First Floor.

Come learn about mushrooms, fungi, and how to identify what you see on your next local excursion. Local foraging and mushroom identificationThis program takes place in Science & Wellness department 2nd Floor Parkway Central Library

Discover the many fascinating members of our Solar System, how numerous small planets were found, and how they formed alongside the Sun.Learn why the question "How many planets are there?" is more complicated than it seems in this fun and informative presentation.Professor Bernstein's research centers on extracting gems of astronomical knowledge from large piles of astronomical images. Currently his group is pursuing two main science projects with the ~100,000 sky exposures of the Dark Energy Survey.Gravitational lensing is the deflection of light by gravity as predicted by General Relativity. These deflections can cause dramatic distortions of background objects, or subtle

Come learn about mushrooms, fungi, and how to identify what you see on your next local excursion. Local foraging and mushroom identificationThis program takes place in Science & Wellness department 2nd Floor Parkway Central Library

Join the Free Library and Neighborhood Gardens Trust for a walking tour of three West Philly community gardens!Tour schedule:10:00 am Meet at Summer Winter Garden (3225 Race Street)10:30 am Walk to Wiota Street Garden (4020 Powelton Avenue)11:20 am Walk to Holly Street Neighbors Garden (323 N. Holly Street)Rain date: Sunday June 14 at 10:00 amComfortable footwear, water bottles, and sun protection advised!

Join us for a lecture History of the Fossil Fuel Industry in Philadelphia with UPENN Professor Jared Farmer!Philadelphia has been a hub for fossil fuel distribution for nearly two centuries. The lower Schuylkill River—often considered America’s first petrochemical corridor—helped shape the city’s industrial and environmental history.Join Penn history professor Jared Farmer for an illustrated talk on how Philadelphians have lived with coal, oil, and gas, highlighting key milestones from 1826 to 2026 and their impact on the region’s economy, landscape, and daily life.This event will be presented in Room 131/132, First Floor, Heim Center. No reservations necessary.

SEPTA! Love it, hate it, learn more about it! Join cartographer Jake Berman to delve into the what, how, and why of SEPTA's subway lines.SEPTA! Love it, hate it, learn more about it! Join cartographer, writer, artist, and lawyer Jake Berman to delve into the what, how, and why of SEPTA’s subway and regional rail lines. Jake Berman is the author of The Lost Subways of North America. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, Vice, Atlas Obscura, and the Guardian. He teaches urban planning at Columbia University. This event is part of Philadelphia: For the People, an

Want to bike safely around Philly? Curious about how to use an Indego bike? Join the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to learn how!This class will be held in the Heim Center, Room 131/132 on the first floor of Parkway Central Library.No registration required, but space is limited.

Join Penn State Master Gardeners for a free, hands-on workshop designed to teach you the basics of seed saving!During this hands-on workshop you will learn how to clean and save seeds for next year's garden! Share saved seeds with friends or your local seed library. No registration required, but space is limited.This program will take place in Room 108 on the first floor of Parkway Central Library.