Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library

06/09/2026

Celebrate Pride across the Free Library this June! Drop by J.E. Coleman Library to check out our Pride Month book selections or to ask us for more recommendations. We have all kinds of books for all ages.

Throughout June, Free Library locations will offer a variety of programs that honor LGBTQ+ communities, stories, creativity, history, and resilience. Together We Thrive celebrates the power of learning, connection, and belonging in our libraries. Be sure to save the date on Saturday, June 27, at 2:00 p.m., and join us at Coleman Library for a documentary screening and discussion for Talking Walls, a 2025 BlackStar Film Festival award-winning documentary short (27 min.) by Marcellus Armstrong. Talking Walls moves through the Black q***r spaces of Detroit, Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia (including Germantown), tracing the architecture of q***r resistance and joy in the lives of its characters.

06/08/2026

One day. 50+ libraries. 15+ TED Talks. One national conversation.

Join us for a livestream broadcast of TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures, a national event featuring 15+ TED Talks centered around the past, present, and future of modern democracy, streamed live from the city where it started. Coleman Library is one of only 60 locations across the nation where you can watch the event live! Join us for the watch party, including pizza and discussion. Be part of the conversation.

Saturday, June 13, 2026
Morning session: 11:00 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
Pizza & discussion: 12:30 p.m. –2:00 p.m.
Afternoon session: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Free and open to the public!

06/03/2026

Come hang out with us this summer as we watch a different movie or TV series each week, drawn from the wide world of anime! Selections will range from action-packed shonen to adventurous, romantic shoujo and will include some Studio Ghibli favorites. Bring a friend or two and come share in the otaku fun! Snacks will be provided. This program is best for ages 12 - 18 years old.

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!