Philadelphia's Free Library to Offer Weekend Hours at Over Eighty Percent of Branches by January End.
By the end of January, more than 80% of Philadelphia's libraries will be open on Saturdays, offering storytimes, books and community resources to patrons. The increase in weekend hours is part of a plan to extend library services beyond weekday limits.
In recent months, several branches have begun or resumed Saturday operations. The Bushrod Library has been open on Saturdays since at least December, while the Paschalville Library opened its doors to the public on December 20. Additionally, the Wyoming Library will add Saturday hours starting January 24. The Falls of Schuylkill and Torresdale libraries had previously resumed weekend hours in October and November.
The Free Library's president and director, Kelly Richards, expressed pride in continuing to serve the community with these expanded services. "By providing additional resources and workspace for students, families, and job seekers," Richards said, "we look forward to supporting our neighbors who rely on us."
Originally, the library had plans to have all 54 branches open by the end of the year, thanks to funding included in Mayor Cherelle Parker's 2025 budget. However, the statement did not provide a specific timeline for opening the remaining branches.
The Free Library has faced challenges in recent years due to budget cuts and closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with the introduction of additional weekend hours, library officials hope to better serve their community. By February, the library plans to release a strategic plan outlining its future operations based on feedback from a public survey and town hall meetings held this summer.
In 2018, the library system first cut Saturday hours due to budget constraints, and by 2020, all branches had ceased operations for Saturdays during the pandemic. Weekday hours resumed in 2020 and 2021 but remained closed on weekends until recently.
By the end of January, more than 80% of Philadelphia's libraries will be open on Saturdays, offering storytimes, books and community resources to patrons. The increase in weekend hours is part of a plan to extend library services beyond weekday limits.
In recent months, several branches have begun or resumed Saturday operations. The Bushrod Library has been open on Saturdays since at least December, while the Paschalville Library opened its doors to the public on December 20. Additionally, the Wyoming Library will add Saturday hours starting January 24. The Falls of Schuylkill and Torresdale libraries had previously resumed weekend hours in October and November.
The Free Library's president and director, Kelly Richards, expressed pride in continuing to serve the community with these expanded services. "By providing additional resources and workspace for students, families, and job seekers," Richards said, "we look forward to supporting our neighbors who rely on us."
Originally, the library had plans to have all 54 branches open by the end of the year, thanks to funding included in Mayor Cherelle Parker's 2025 budget. However, the statement did not provide a specific timeline for opening the remaining branches.
The Free Library has faced challenges in recent years due to budget cuts and closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with the introduction of additional weekend hours, library officials hope to better serve their community. By February, the library plans to release a strategic plan outlining its future operations based on feedback from a public survey and town hall meetings held this summer.
In 2018, the library system first cut Saturday hours due to budget constraints, and by 2020, all branches had ceased operations for Saturdays during the pandemic. Weekday hours resumed in 2020 and 2021 but remained closed on weekends until recently.
idk about this one... more weekend hours at libraries might just be a fad 
people are always looking for something to do on saturdays and it's not like they can't find other things to do, like going out or hanging with friends 
. and what's the point of having all 54 branches open by december if some aren't gonna make it till then? seems like a big hassle 
. plus, libraries are already pretty convenient so why do we need them on weekends too? just wondering if this is more of a publicity stunt to get people excited for new books or whatever 
! More libraries opening on Saturdays is a huge win for people with busy schedules or just wanna get some reading done without having to worry about school/work stuff 
. It's always important for libraries to stay connected with their patrons, you know? And I gotta say, Kelly Richards sounds like a total rockstar 
for pushing for these changes and keeping the spirit of the library alive 
.
. We're getting closer to that original goal of all branches being open on Saturdays by the end of the year - fingers crossed! 
cant wait to check out the new books and resources they got comin up!
just so hyped about philly's free library adding saturday hours 
. it's about time our libraries became a hub for families, students & job seekers 
. and can u believe they've been doing it since dec?! i know the struggles library faced during covid 
but it's awesome to see them bounce back stronger 
. I mean, who doesn't love havin a place to chill out on the weekend? Its all about lookin at it like this: how can we make our community better, and if that means bein open more, then thats what we gotta do 
another good thing to ruin our lives... apparently philly's free library is gonna be open saturdays at like 80% of its branches by january end 
meanwhile, the world keeps spinning outta control 
. Now we gotta see how it pans out and if its more than just a small group of branches that gets extended hours...
. I also wonder what other changes might come from that public survey... maybe we'll finally get some more funding for our libraries? 
i think its cool that they're trying to make libraries more accessible but what's with the plans being kinda vague? like, when r the last 14 branches gonna open?