What are the opening hours?

Monday 11am - 7pm Tuesday 11am - 7pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm

Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library

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Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library

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Located in historic Germantown, Northwest Regional was renamed in 2002 to honor the late Councilman Coleman. The library serves Northwest Philadelphia.

We provide access to much more than books, and can help you with technology and finding information!

10/29/2026

Here is our schedule for the month of November! 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. Here are a few highlights for this month:

College-bound students and their parents & guardians, please join us on Monday, November 2, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., for the FAFSA Completion Workshop. In this free workshop hosted by , you’ll have the opportunity to learn about FAFSA and financial aid, get started on your application, and ask a college prep professional your financial aid questions.

The Deaf and Signing Community Gathering returns to Coleman on November 7, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.! This is a welcoming space for deaf, hard-of-hearing, CODA, SODA, and hearing allies to connect, and for community members to share resources and support each other. First Saturday of the month.

Join us on November 12 and 19 for a stretch and reset with midday chair yoga (12:00-1:00 p.m.). Instructor Megan Ambros Nascimento is known for her inclusive teaching style. This four-session series continues on December 3 and 10. Come to as many sessions as you like.

November’s Memoir Meet-up Book Club is Wednesday, November 18, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. This month’s selection is Bread of Angels, by Patti Smith. Reading the book beforehand is encouraged but not required. Join every month or whenever you are available.

Finally, the Financial Planning for Life! workshop is on Saturday, November 21, from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Join Larry Farmbry, Certified Financial Planner, for a program designed to inform adult and senior participants on the many facets of financial planning. You will learn about budgeting, investing, wills and estate planning, Medicare, savings plans, and more.

10/28/2026

Join us at Coleman Library for a stretch and reset with midday chair yoga! Instructor Megan Do Nascimento is known for her inclusive teaching style. She has taught at area libraries, schools, rehab and fitness centers in the area. This four-session series starts on Thursday, November 12. Meets from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. on November 12 & 19; December 3 & 10. Come as often as you like.

10/26/2026

College-bound students, please join us next Monday, November 2, at 4:30 p.m.! In this free workshop hosted by The Alexander Advantage LLC, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, get started on your application, and ask a college prep professional all your financial aid questions. Parents & guardians welcome.

The Free Library’s 2026 College Prep program series is made possible through the Philadelphia City Institute Board of Managers.

10/24/2026

Here is our schedule for the week of October 26-31! Aside from our usual offerings, a few things to note:

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27
➡️4:45-6:45 Headshot Photos. Back by popular demand—get a free headshot photo taken at the library! No appointments are needed. The last person will be taken 10 minutes before the program’s end (today that’s by 6:35 p.m.). Photographs by Aaron Stallworth of Aaron Stallworth Photography.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28
➡️2:00-5:00 p.m. Social Services at the Library. 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] or call 215-814-4492 Monday-Friday.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29
➡️11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. PDPH Table. Please stop by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) information table to pick up free COVID-19 test kits, masks, and updated information on keeping healthy this fall. PDPH outreach staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide resources.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
➡️3:00-4:00 p.m. Live Performance: International Opera Theater. International Opera Theater, based in Philadelphia, will celebrate America250 by presenting a free concert sharing selected lyric and ensembles from operas based on the works of Shakespeare. This performance will feature local opera singers and their gifted pianist.

10/19/2026

Here is our schedule for the week of October 19-24! Aside from our usual offerings, a few things to note:

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
➡️5:30-6:30 p.m. Estate Planning Workshop with Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania (AHCOPA). Planning ahead is crucial to protect your family and property. Whether you are starting from scratch or have questions about a Power of Attorney or existing will, this workshop will provide guidance to help you take the next step.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
➡️11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Career Exploration Workshop. Explore careers that build on your strengths and interests and get hands-on experience with online resources. FREE! Boxed lunch provided. Registration at tinyurl.com/Coleman-Career-Exploration (or click the link in our bio) is required.
➡️3:30-5:30 p.m. (NEW PROGRAM!) Teen Craft Co-op. Join our weekly, after-school craft meet up. We will work on projects such as blackout poetry, collage, painting, and fiber arts.
➡️5:30-6:30 p.m. Live Performance: Patricio Acevedo. Patricio’s music invokes the traditions of his native Chile. His music is a reflection on the highlands of the Andes, as well as the vast plains of Patagonia in the south of Chile. All ages welcome.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
➡️10:00-11:00 a.m. Meet the Author! Jaylene Clark Owens. Join the award-winning actor, poet, and author for a reading of her picture book, “A Black Girl and Her Braids,” along with fun songs and activities! Free copies of the book will be provided while supplies last. Best for ages 3-8.
➡️3:00-4:30 p.m. Lives of Others: A Memoir Meet-up. Join our monthly book club to explore diverse life journeys of resilient and inspiring people. Reading the book beforehand is encouraged but not required. This month’s selection is Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
➡️10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Natural Creativity Center’s Annual Literacy Fair, hosted for the first time by Coleman Library! Free books for every young person, local authors reading their stories, young DJs, and more.

10/17/2026

Get a FREE headshot photo taken at the library! Headshots are great for enhancing your professional portfolio or LinkedIn profile. No appointments are needed. Photographs by Aaron Stallworth of Aaron Stallworth Photography. Stop by and pose for your FREE headshot on October 27th from 4:45 p.m.-6:45 p.m. (last photo will be taken at 6:35 p.m.).
Aaron Stallworth Photography LLC

This service is made possible with support from Truist Foundation.

10/16/2026

The 3rd Annual Germantown Archiving Fair is one day away—don’t miss it! This Saturday, October 17, from 12:00-4:00 p.m., join us at Joseph E. Coleman NW Regional Library for hands-on archiving activities. Record personal stories, explore family histories, and share in local and library history together. Register in advance at tinyurl.com/gtown-archiving-fair (or click the link in our bio) to learn more and see the schedule. This is a Hyperlocal Heritage program.

DORIANA DIAZ Germantown United CDC The Colored Girls Museum Johnson House Philly Germantown Info Hub gtownradio iMPeRFeCT Gallery Free Library of Philadelphia

October is American Archives Month, and Joseph E. Coleman NW Regional Library is a proud partner of Archives Month Philly, an annual celebration of archives, special collections libraries, and cultural institutions.

10/15/2026

Launch your career with support from the ! Don’t miss the last in the Career Exploration Workshop fall series, held at Joseph E. Coleman NW Regional Library on Tuesday, October 20, from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Build on your strengths and interests today: https://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/post/7673

Free! Boxed lunch provided. Registration is required. Go to tinyurl.com/Coleman-Career-Exploration or click the link in our bio.

10/12/2026

Here is our schedule for the week of October 12-17. Aside from our usual offerings, a few things to note:

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12
➡️Closed for Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13
➡️4:30-5:30 p.m. Storytime Yoga in Vernon Park. Join Heartwell Yoga for songs, stories, breath, yoga poses and relaxation to move us through all that the back-to-school transition brings up. (For young children with a grown-up). Please bring a towel or yoga mat and dress for moving around. No yoga experience is needed. Meet at the first base benches in Vernon Park. In case of bad weather, we’ll move inside into the Children’s department.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
➡️12:00-4:30 p.m. Commerce Dept Office Hours. Local business owners are welcome to drop in in for one-on-one consultations with the Commerce Department to learn about how the city can support you and your business.
➡️3:15-4:30 p.m. (NEW) Teen Performance: Drop-in Sessions with MB. All teens are welcome to drop-in for a weekly program with musical artist MB to explore performance practices that express what makes you you. Develop your creative voice to sing, rap, move, make magic, or story-tell.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17
➡️12:00-4:00 p.m. 3rd Annual Germantown Community Archiving Fair. Everyone is welcome to participate in community archiving at Coleman Library with hands-on archiving activities to record personal stories, explore family histories, and share in local and library history together.
➡️1:00-2:30 p.m. Celebrate the Day of the Dead a little early by making Calaveritas (sugar skulls) with Tia Ivonne Pinto. Learn about the tradition, watch a short movie about the creator of Skeleton-Art, and then, if you want, place one of your skulls in our library ofrenda. All ages welcome. Supplies are limited.

10/10/2026

Mark your calendar—the 3rd Annual Germantown Community Archiving Fair is one week away! Please join us at J.E. Coleman Library on Saturday, October 17, from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to participate in community archiving with hands-on archiving activities to record personal stories, explore family histories, and share in local and library history together. You can participate in one or more of our Community Conversation Circles (see schedule below), and any time between 12:00 and 4:00, you can scan photos or paper documents to a digital collection, digitize a home movie from VHS tape, consult with a genealogy specialist, create a scrapbook to hold photo and other memories, participate in a collaborative craft project making a foam-core quilt with your heirloom fabric scraps, and more.

Community Conversation Circle Schedule:
➡️12:00 p.m. Storytelling: tell a story from your personal or family history
➡️12:30 p.m. Show & Tell: share a few objects, artifacts, or memorabilia
➡️1:00 p.m. Germantown History: what does Germantown History mean to you?
➡️2:00 p.m. Art & Archives: where do they connect?
➡️3:00 p.m. Hyperlocal Democracy: how can we use our voices to support a thriving local democracy?

Our tabling and Community Conversation Circle partners:
DORIANA DIAZ Germantown United CDC The Colored Girls Museum Johnson House Philly Germantown Info Hub gtownradio iMPeRFeCT Gallery
Photo credit slide 4 andrew piccone

Free Library of Philadelphia Archives Month Philly

Address

68 W Chelten Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
19144

Opening Hours

Monday	11am - 7pm
Tuesday	11am - 7pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

(215) 685-2150

Website

https://libwww.freelibrary.org/locations/joseph-e-coleman-northwest-regional-library

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