Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library

05/30/2026

Here is our full schedule for the month of June! For the most up-to-date information that may include changes or additions to our programs and events schedule, please see our page at freelibrary.org/coleman or click the link in our bio. Below are a few highlights. Happy Summer! 🌞

Please join us June 2nd at 4:00 p.m. for our Summer Reading Kickoff Celebration and the start of the Ultimate Quest, this year’s Free Library summer reading game! We will have live music, face painting, and crafts for kids and teens.

“To Be Free,” The Free Library’s oral history project, will be at Coleman Library on Saturday, June 6, all day. Come share your response to one basic and fundamental question, “What does it mean to be free?” The library will be collecting these recordings as a time capsule for future generations to understand Philadelphia today. People of all ages are encouraged to participate.

Starting on June 9th and running every week through August 11th, teens 12-18 years old are welcome to join us for a special anime-themed night. Come hang out with us this summer as we watch a different movie or TV series each week! Selections will range from action-packed shonen to adventurous, romantic shoujo and will include some Studio Ghibli selections.

And finally, join us at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, for a documentary screening and discussion for Talking Walls, a 2025 BlackStar Film Festival award-winning documentary short (27 min.) by Marcellus Armstrong.

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Join Friends of the Wissahickon and Friends of Vernon Park for a beginner’s birding stroll through Vernon Park—no experience or equipment needed! We’ll meet at Coleman Library to go over some basics, then make our way over to the park to see which backyard birds have made their home in this urban green space.

If you have binoculars, bring them along; otherwise, we’ve got you covered! You can also stop by any Free Library branch before the day of the hike to pick up a Birding Backpack, stocked with everything you need to get started, including binoculars, a field guide, and a Wissahickon Valley Park map.

Registration is required for all so that participants can be informed of weather or other emergency cancellations. Click the link in our bio or go to https://tinyurl.com/VernonParkBirdWalk. Service animals are always welcome.

05/26/2026

Libraries strengthen democracy every day.

On June 13, 2026, Joseph E. Coleman Library, among other libraries across the country, will host a livestream of TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures, bringing 15+ new TED Talks about democracy’s next chapter from the stage in Philadelphia directly to our community. Presented in collaboration with and partners nationwide, and sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts, this event connects local conversation to a national moment. This livestream event is free to attend! Session 1 runs from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and session 2 runs from 2:00- 3:30 p.m.

05/25/2026

Here is our schedule for the week of May 25-30! Aside from our regular offerings, a few things to note:

Monday, May 25
CLOSED FOR MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY

Tuesday, May 26
➡️4:00-6:00 p.m. Teen Comic Book Workshop. Join Immortal Dark manga writer Enoch, and visual artist Exhibit A, who will assist with figure drawing in this workshop. Build your own comic, learn basic figure drawing, and ask real questions about how comics come to life. This workshop is presented by PB&J, a Spokenword Comic Con.

Thursday, May 28
➡️3:00-4:00 p.m. The Science of Soccer: On the Field. Become a soccer scientist! Using Franklin Institute created activities, explore how the physics of force and motion impact different aspects of the game. Using a miniature soccer field, teams will test how a ball moves on different surfaces and under changing “weather effects,” then strategize how to score goals even when conditions make it tough to play. Engineered by The Franklin Institute, presented by Bentley, and led in partnership with the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Saturday, May 30
➡️10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Vernon Park Bird Walk. Join Friends of the Wissahickon and Friends of Vernon Park for a beginner’s birding stroll through Vernon Park—no experience or equipment needed. We’ll meet at the library, to go over some basics, then make our way over to the park to see which backyard birds have made their home in this urban green space. Registration is required; go to https://tinyurl.com/VernonParkBirdWalk.

05/20/2026

All Free Library of Philadelphia locations will be closed for Memorial Day. We will close early Friday, May 22, at 1:00 p.m. We will be open as usual Saturday, May 23, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., but will be closed all day Monday, May 25.

05/19/2026

Congrats to Coleman Library’s Spring 2026 esports team of Rasheem, Isa, Keith, Jason, and Tahmaj (not pictured). The team competed in the FLoP Bowl Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament last Saturday with 14 other libraries across the city and won the Challenger Finals! The JEC team’s regular season record was 2nd overall in the league. The members worked hard this spring and demonstrated great teamwork, sharing knowledge and supporting each other while improving their skills. Thanks to all for participating!

05/18/2026

Teens, please join us on Tuesday, May 26 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. for a special comic book workshop just for you! Immortal Dark manga writer Enoch and visual artist Exhibit A will assist with figure drawing in this workshop. Build your own comic, learn basic figure drawing, and ask real questions about how comics come to life. This workshop is presented by PB&J, a Spokenword Comic Con.

05/18/2026

Here is our schedule for the week of May 18-May 23! Aside from our usual offerings, some things to note:

Monday, May 18
➡️5:30-6:30 p.m. English Conversation Group. CANCELED TODAY.

Tuesday, May 19
➡️5:00-6:30 p.m. One Book One Philadelphia Discussion. In a society governed by “PACT” - where un-American books are pulped, and families are fractured by fear - how does a mother’s poem become a revolutionary act? This librarian-led discussion invites you to dive deep into Celeste Ng’s Our Missing Hearts which is this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia selection. We will explore Bird’s heartbreaking search for his mother, the chilling relevance of the novel’s social commentary, and the enduring power of art to keep hope alive when everything else feels silenced. Whether you’ve read every page or just started your journey into Bird’s world, your voice is welcome here. We’ll facilitate an open conversation about the book’s central questions: What does it mean to be a good citizen, and what are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of our children’s futures?

Wednesday, May 20
➡️10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Social Services at the Library with a Social Worker. Stop by for Open Office Hours with a Social Worker where you can receive help finding, navigating, and connecting to relevant community and government agencies. If you have questions, you can email [email protected]. Social Workers are also available at 215-814-4492 Monday-Friday.

Friday, May 22
➡️1:00 p.m. EARLY CLOSURE

Saturday, May 23
➡️OPEN REGULAR HOURS 10-5! Join us for our regular events: Preschool Storytime (11:00-11:30 a.m.), Chess Club (2:00-3:30 p.m.), and Fiber Friends (2:00-4:00 p.m.).

05/11/2026

Here is our schedule for the week of May 11-16! Aside from our regular offerings, one thing to note:

Saturday, May 16
➡️12:00-2:00 p.m. Black Imagination Book Club. Join poet Lindo Jones for a new take on book clubs. This one will explore Black imagination using graphic novels, sci-fi, fantasy, and comics. There is no reading commitment, just come to the library, pick up something that catches your eye, read for about 10 to 20 minutes and then talk about what came up for you. We will be meeting on the 2nd floor.