Editing Free Library of Philadelphia (section)

===Founding===
The Free Library of Philadelphia was [[charter]]ed in 1891 as "a general library which shall be free to all", through efforts led by [[William Pepper|Dr. William Pepper]], who secured initial funding through a $225,000 [[bequest]] from his wealthy uncle, George S. Pepper. However, [[List of libraries in 19th century Philadelphia|several libraries]] claimed the bequest, and only after the courts decided the money was intended to found a new public library did the Free Library finally open in March 1894. Its first location was three cramped rooms in [[Philadelphia City Hall|City Hall]]. On February 11, 1895, the library was moved to the old Concert Hall at 1217-1221 [[Chestnut Street (Philadelphia)|Chestnut Street]].

Library officials criticized their new home as "an entirely unsuitable building, where its work is done in unsafe, unsanitary and overcrowded quarters, temporary make-shifts". On December 1, 1910, the Library was moved again, to the northeast corner of 13th and Locust Streets. 

A study by A.H. Poole in 2025 using archival research explored how between 1903 and 1916, the Free Library of Philadelphia’s story hours—and its children’s work represented a crucible of community building.<ref>Poole, A. H. (2025). “A Magnetic Feature of Our Work with Children”: Building Community Through Children’s Work and Storytelling at the Free Library of Philadelphia in the Early Twentieth Century. ''Public Library Quarterly'', 1–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2025.2464521</ref>

Today, the Free Library of Philadelphia system, comprising 54 neighborhood library locations and the [[Rosenbach Museum and Library|Rosenbach]], advances literacy, guides learning, and inspires curiosity with millions of digital and physical materials; 28,000 yearly programs and events; free public computers and Wi-Fi; and rich special collections. With more than 6 million in-person visits and millions more online annually, the Free Library and the Rosenbach are among the most widely used educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia and boast a worldwide impact.