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We partnered with Visit Philly on a Labor Day weekend giveaway

We partnered with Visit Philly on a Labor Day weekend giveaway

We partnered with Visit Philly on a Labor Day weekend giveaway

On top of Philly news

How to get there on public transit, and things to do if you go.

Temperatures in Philadelphia have been in the high 90s this week with the sun on full blast, and the trend is predicted to continue. The city officially declared a Heat Health Emergency, and it will be in effect through Monday evening.

What does a Heat Health Emergency mean? A few things: residential utility shut-offs are paused, the city may dispatch “mobile heat health teams,” and a “Heatline” number for consultation on heat-related health issues goes live.

It also means several Free Library branches have been designated as cooling centers for anyone looking for a free, air-conditioned location to get away from the heat.

You can drop by any library near you during the day (just check if they’re open first), but a few branches throughout the city will be open later into the evening — and potentially open on the weekends, if that’s necessary.

As many library services as possible — like computer usage or the ability to check out books — will be up and running during the extended cooling center hours, said Free Library spokesperson Kaitlyn Foti Kalosy, but that ultimately depends on staff availability. All locations have free WiFi.

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Although Philadelphia’s public libraries aren’t typically open on the weekends, designated cooling center locations will stay open Saturday and Sunday, per Kalosy. Each of the centers will be open 12 to 6 p.m. over the weekend.

Here’s the list and map of designated cooling centers, some of the things you can do at each location during regular operating hours this week, the best public transit routes to get there, and what time they’ll close on weekdays while the Heat Health Emergency is in effect.

Opening times vary by day and by library, so be sure to check branch hours on the Free Library website (linked in each heading), or give the branch a call. Both the library and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health recommend wearing a mask while in cooling centers.

The Blackwell Library is West Philly’s regional branch, meaning it has a larger collection of materials than a typical neighborhood branch. Programming there this week includes a healthy cooking demonstration on Thursday afternoon and an afternoon “Builder Friday” for Lego-loving kids. It’s just two blocks south of 52nd Street MFL stop, and bus routes 21 and 52 are nearby.

Address: 125 S. 52nd St. Phone number: 215-685-7431 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

Like Lucien E. Blackwell Library, Joseph E. Coleman is also a regional library with a bigger collection than most branches. It’s got a nifty dragon sculpture in its lobby, and on most Fridays, the library hosts a board game and puzzle day. SEPTA bus routes H, XH, 26, 65, and K have stops nearby.

Address: 68 W. Chelten Ave. Phone number: 215-685-2150 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

Aside from being a cooling center, the Blanche A. Nixon branch has some fun activities planned for this week, including a “Spooky Story Club” for ages 8-12 on Thursday afternoon and a “Builders Club” for children 11 and under on Friday afternoon. It’s just a short walk from the Baltimore Avenue and 59th Street trolley stop (SEPTA route 34), as well as a stop for bus route 46.

Address: 5800 Cobbs Creek Parkway Phone number: 215-685-1973 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 8 p.m.

Located in Northeast Philly, the Fox Chase branch isn’t far from the Fox Chase regional rail station, and it’s also served by SEPTA bus route 28.

Address: 501 Rhawn St. Phone number: 215-685-0547 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 8 p.m.

The Frankford branch is a three-minute walk from the Arrott Transportation Center stop on SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line, and it has activities geared specifically toward teens every Thursday at 4:30. (Yes, there are snacks.) You can also get there on SEPTA bus routes 3 and 5.

Address: 4634 Frankford Ave. Phone number: 215-685-1473 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

South Philly’s Fumo Family Library is hard to miss, since it’s painted bright yellow. Energetic young kids are in luck if you bring them here on Thursday — a “Music and Movement” event for preschool kids is scheduled for 3 p.m. The library is a 4-minute walk from the Broad Street Line’s Oregon station, and SEPTA bus route 4 also stops near the library.

Address: 2437 S. Broad St. Phone number: 215-685-1758 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

The Haddington Library is situated at the top of a hill in West Philly — a block away from a stop along SEPTA bus route 30, a 6-minute walk from route 15 trolley line, and a 15-minute walk from the 69th Street Transit Center. Only the meeting room is open as a cooling center.

Address: 446 N. 65th St. Phone number: 215-685-1970 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

Located in Fairhill, the Lillian Marrero Library building — one of 19 existing Carnegie libraries in Philadelphia — has been closed for HVAC repairs since last month. But the library’s Meeting Room still has AC, so just that area of the library will be in use for cooling center purposes, Kalosy said. It’s near bus routes 47 and 54.

Address: 601 W. Lehigh Ave. Phone number: 215-685-9794 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

Another one of Philly’s remaining Carnegie libraries, Logan Library is a 3-minute walk from the Logan BSL station and bus route 16. The location also serves free lunch outside to kids 18 and under, provided by Nutritional Development Services. (You can search for other food distribution sites throughout the city here.)

Address: 1333 Wagner Ave. Phone number: 215-685-9156 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

Right near Philly’s northern border, the Oak Lane branch is located within two blocks of bus routes 28, 55, and K. The library has a whole slate of programming on deck during its regular hours on Friday, including a board game afternoon in the children’s department, an interactive healthy snack program for elementary school kids (call the library to register), and film screenings for teens and adults.

Address: 6614 N. 12th St. Phone number: 215-685-2848 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

Located in Southwest Philly, the Paschalville branch is within walking distance (6 minutes or less) of SEPTA trolley lines 11 and 36 and bus route 108.

Address: 6942 Woodland Ave. Phone number: 215-685-2662 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

North Philly’s Widener Library was designed to have an African Plains theme, so your stop to stay cool there can double as a scavenger hunt for the hidden, abstract elephant and giraffe designs that the library’s website says are scattered throughout. For ages 12 to 18, there’s a Dungeons and Dragons group that runs there every Thursday afternoon. SEPTA bus routes 32, 48, and 54 stop within a few blocks of the building.

Address: 2808 W. Lehigh Ave. Phone number: 215-685-9799 Weekday hours during heat emergency: until 7 p.m.

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