Philadelphia's Libraries to Extend Weekend Hours: Over 80% Set to Open on Saturdays by January 24th.
The Free Library of Philadelphia is set to extend its weekend hours, with more than 80% of branches scheduled to open on Saturdays by the end of January. As of December 20, the Paschalville Library will join the Bushrod Library in offering Saturday hours, while the Wyoming Library will start up on January 24th.
This move comes as part of a broader effort to increase accessibility and provide additional resources for the community. According to Kelly Richards, president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, "We are proud to continue serving our communities... By continuing to open additional libraries on Saturdays for public service, we look forward to providing the support and resources our neighbors rely on."
Originally, the library had planned to reopen all 54 branches by the end of the year, following funding in Mayor Cherelle Parker's 2025 budget. However, no timeline has been provided for the remaining branches.
The decision marks a return to Saturday hours for the library system, which was first discontinued in 2018 due to budget cuts. The move is expected to provide additional support and resources for students, families, and job seekers.
A strategic plan for the future of the library's operations will be released in February following a public survey and series of town halls held this summer.
The Free Library of Philadelphia is set to extend its weekend hours, with more than 80% of branches scheduled to open on Saturdays by the end of January. As of December 20, the Paschalville Library will join the Bushrod Library in offering Saturday hours, while the Wyoming Library will start up on January 24th.
This move comes as part of a broader effort to increase accessibility and provide additional resources for the community. According to Kelly Richards, president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, "We are proud to continue serving our communities... By continuing to open additional libraries on Saturdays for public service, we look forward to providing the support and resources our neighbors rely on."
Originally, the library had planned to reopen all 54 branches by the end of the year, following funding in Mayor Cherelle Parker's 2025 budget. However, no timeline has been provided for the remaining branches.
The decision marks a return to Saturday hours for the library system, which was first discontinued in 2018 due to budget cuts. The move is expected to provide additional support and resources for students, families, and job seekers.
A strategic plan for the future of the library's operations will be released in February following a public survey and series of town halls held this summer.
I'm so down about this 
they're finally reopening all the libraries on Saturdays again!!! I mean I used to have to take my kids to the library on Sundays just to get some quiet time while they did their homework lol 
but now we can actually spend the whole day there and I can meet up with friends too 
it's like the city is saying "Hey, we care about u" 
can't wait for that strategic plan to come out in Feb 
! I'm so stoked about the Free Library of Philly extending its weekend hours 
. It's all about making education and resources more accessible to the community, you know? 
80% of branches opening on Saturdays is a huge deal - it's like, finally back to normal after that 2018 budget cut debacle 
. I'm loving the fact that they're prioritizing students, families, and job seekers who need that extra support. Can't wait to see what the strategic plan has in store for the future 
gotta think about the costs here... might just end up being another bunch of overhead expenses for taxpayers. and what's with the "strategic plan" thingy? sounds like some corporate jargon to me... just make sure they're providing decent books and resources, not overhyped tech gadgets or whatever...
but at the same time, it's still weird that it took them this long to get back to saturday hours after budget cuts messed everything up in 2018 
and what about those other branches? when are they gonna open again? 
also, i hope the plan they're working on is more than just 'oh we'll figure it out later'... a strategic plan that actually works should be out soon 
it's been super inconvenient for students and families who wanna use the library on weekends 
i wish all branches could be open on saturdays by january 24th, it's like over 80% already 
what's the deal with the remaining branches tho? will they get their funding from mayor parker's budget or wut? 
and btw, more libraries = more resources for community members 
!
. It's amazing how these small changes can add up and make such a big impact on people's lives 
. Fingers crossed that all the branches are open by January 24th so I can plan my weekend around it 
! it's about time they bring back Saturdays, was always a fave spot to study & hang out with friends. hope they keep those extended hours consistent, would love to see the Paschalville one become a regular thing too 
. But seriously, it's about time! I remember when my kids were young and we'd have to plan our whole day around the library's hours... or not even be able to go because they only had weekday hours. Now this is a great move for all the families out there who want some quiet time with their little ones or just need access to resources during the week. I'm all for it!
so having libraries open on saturdays is like the best thing ever! i was thinking if they have computers there why not offer free wifi for anyone who wants it? thats like 10 bucks a month or something 
The president of the library system said they're proud to serve the community, and I'm pretty sure we should all be proud of them too! 
. I'm curious to see how it'll all play out and what kinda impact it'll have on students and families 
.
I mean, who doesn't love having access to books and resources on the weekends, right? Plus, it's a great way for students and families to get some studying done or just chill out with some reading. And can you imagine how cool it is that they're getting all 54 branches open again? That's like, almost every corner of the city covered! 
. They're planning those town halls and public surveys to make sure everyone's got a say in what's happening. That's really cool, you know? Not just throwing money at it without thinking how people might be affected... that's the kind of stuff I want to see more of 
.