Why libraries really matter right now

At a moment in America when the cost of almost everything is rising, most Philadelphians are finding it harder to make choices about how to spend their time and money.

Groceries cost more. A night out costs more. Even the basics feel less within reach.

But there is still one place in our city that remains free of inflation, free of tariffs, and open to everyone: the library.

At the Free Library of Philadelphia, you can borrow books, music, and movies at no cost. You can access computers and Wi-Fi, attend cultural programs, learn new skills, join a gaming club, take a crafting class, or get help finding a job. The library offers something increasingly rare — a place where access meets opportunity, without a price tag.

Access matters, especially in a city where literacy remains a pressing challenge. Only about one-third of Philadelphia’s third graders are reading at grade level, and most public schools lack a full-time library or librarian. These realities should concern all of us. But they also make clear why libraries remain essential.

And right now, they are ready to be used.

After the pandemic disrupted routines and kept people apart, libraries — like many public spaces — are still rebuilding daily habits of use. But inside Philadelphia’s libraries, the energy is back — and back in a big way. You will find lots of toddlers at storytime, a growing number of teens in after-school programs, more adults building job skills, and neighbors connecting in book clubs, gaming groups, and community gatherings.

These are not niche offerings. They are practical, accessible, and free.

Books remain at the center of it all. They are portals to new ideas, new histories, and new ways of understanding the world. And what libraries offer goes beyond what we collect. Libraries are among the few places where people from different backgrounds, incomes, and viewpoints regularly share space and experience something together. That kind of everyday interaction strengthens neighborhoods and builds the trust that underpins a healthy city.

That matters in Philadelphia.

This is the birthplace of American democracy — a city grounded in the idea that people can govern themselves if they have access to information and a place to exchange ideas. Libraries remain one of the institutions that help make this possible: open, free, and committed to the belief that knowledge belongs to everyone.

They also play a quiet but powerful role in the city’s broader progress. As Philadelphia continues its work to become a safer, cleaner, greener city with access to economic opportunity for all, libraries contribute every day — providing job-readiness support, literacy programs, English-language learning, and safe, welcoming spaces where residents can build skills and connect to opportunity in their own neighborhoods.

And there is something else you will find there, too: joy.

From April 19 through 25, we celebrate National Library Week, with the theme, “Find Your Joy.” Joy is in a child hearing a story for the first time. It is a teenager finding a place to belong. It is in an adult learning something new, or simply finding a quiet moment in a busy life.

In 2026, the Free Library will also help Philadelphians explore our city’s history — including the unfinished promise of freedom in America — through partnerships with more than three dozen cultural organizations and city agencies. Together, we are offering free workshops, exhibits, performances, and conversations across neighborhoods throughout the city.

All of this is already here.

The question is whether more of us will walk through the doors.

If you have not been to your local library in a while, now is a good time to return. If you have never attended a program, try one. If you are looking for something to learn, something to do, or simply somewhere to go, the library is there for you.

In a time of rising costs, one of the best investments you can make costs nothing at all.

The library is waiting.

Kelly Richards is the president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia.