The Free Library of Philadelphia has served as a free learning and social oasis since 1891, back when it operated out of three cramped rooms inside City Hall. Today, with branches in every Philly neighborhood, the library offers far more than books — including streaming services, language-learning platforms, musical instruments, and even bird-watching kits.
Here’s a full guide to what your Free Library card gets you.
Can I get a Free Library card?
Yes. Anyone who lives, works, pays taxes, or attends school in Philadelphia is eligible. So are all Pennsylvania residents, even if they live outside the city.
How can I get a Free Library card?
You can apply online, in person, or by mail or email.
What can I borrow from the Free Library?
A lot more than books. The Rare Book Department alone holds over 100,000 historic items — including 5,000-year-old Sumerian cuneiform tablets (which, no, you can’t take home).
The city’s 54 neighborhood libraries carry books, movies, music, video games, comics, and other physical media. But the digital age has ushered in audiobooks, streaming services, digital databases, newspaper subscriptions, business resources, and more, which can be accessed from home.
Most materials from the Free Library can be borrowed for a period of three weeks, with no late fees if that time limit is extended.
After 30 days, the library will consider the item “lost” and send reminders for returning the borrowed materials, or paying to replace them if the materials are lost or damaged. You won’t be able to check out physical materials at libraries until the “lost” items are returned or replaced.
Here are some materials you can borrow from the library that aren’t books.
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Birding backpacks: Includes binoculars, bird guides, and local trail maps.
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Hiking backpacks: With guides to Wissahickon Valley and Fairmount Park, camp songs, and suggested activities..
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Read, Baby, Read kits: Interactive reading kits with coloring books, audio toys, and Spanish-language materials for babies and toddlers.
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Crafting kits: Knitting kits with yarn and various needle sizes.
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Jigsaw puzzles: Dozens of puzzles across all difficulty levels — under 500, 500 to 1,000, and 1,000+ pieces.
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Musical instruments: At the Parkway Central Library, borrow guitars, keyboards, violins, banjos, microphones, and more. Some are for in-library use only.
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Cake Pans: Five themed pans, shaped like a football, train, Lego block, Santa, and a locomotive.
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Blood pressure monitors (health equipment): Easy-Wrap ComFit cuffs with in-device storage and syncing via a mobile app.
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Play backpacks: Fifteen themed kits focused on music, animals, space, the life cycle, and more.
Can I borrow e-books and audiobooks from the Free Library?
Yes. The Free Library has multiple platforms to access their e-book and audiobook collections, but one of the easiest ways is to download the mobile app, Libby, for Apple or Android devices. Libby can also be accessed online at libbyapp.com.
Here are the digital book platforms available to Free Library cardholders.
Popular titles may have waitlists — just like physical books — but borrowing is free.
Can I stream movies from the Free Library?
Yes. Library cardholders get free access to Kanopy, a streaming platform with a curated catalog of indie films, classics, documentaries, and family-friendly titles.
Visit kanopy.com to sign up.
Can I borrow video games from the Free Library?
Yes. The Free Library’s new video game lending program allows borrowers to take home games to play. They need to have a console with a disk drive at home. This includes some of the hottest new titles, like Split Fiction, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Available games are compatible with Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X (Series S does not have a disc drive). Nintendo Switch 2 games are in the process of being acquired.
Check out the Free Library’s video games at freelibrary.org/videogames.
Learning and professional development resources
A Free Library card gives you access to dozens of learning platforms and databases for free. Here are a few highlights:
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Gale Legal Forms: Thousands of customizable legal documents in English and Spanish to help with rental agreements, business transactions, civil complaints, and more.
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O’Reilly for Public Libraries: Offers 47,000+ books and 30,000 hours of professional development videos on business, tech, and media.
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Mango: Take courses in more than 70 languages, including newly added American Sign Language (ASL).
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Lingopie: An interactive learning platform that pairs thousands of TV shows and movies with built-in tools that turn media into language lessons, including some titles on Netflix and Disney+.
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Flipster: Digital magazines from the world’s top publishers, like Time, The New Yorker, and Consumer Reports.
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PressReader Newspapers and Magazines: Read or listen to a collection of thousands of newspapers and magazines from across the world, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, in digital format.
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Mometrix Test Prep: Study guides and practice tests for thousands of exams, including the Keystone Exams.
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LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com): The platform provides professional development courses on business, technology, and creative pursuits.
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Business Resource and Innovation Center (BRIC): This in-person resource at the Parkway Central Library hosts activities and events to learn the basics of business. Learn more and sign up for classes at libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/bric.
Find the full database list at libwww.freelibrary.org/databases.
Do libraries have free Wi-Fi?
Yes. Cardholders can connect to free Wi-Fi at any Free Library location. Some restrictions apply — visit libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/wireless for details.
Are there computers I can use at the library?
Yes. There are computers available to use at every Free Library location, as long as you have a library card and pin number to sign on.
Can I print at the free library?
Yes. Libraries have basic printing services for 25 cents per page.
