Free Library Author Events

Our Fall 2026 Author Events Series schedule is here! This season features engaging conversations spanning fiction, memoir, history, and the ideas shaping our world today.

These incredible voices will be taking the Free Library of Philadelphia stage from September through December. (And there's more to come, so stay tuned for additional names throughout the season!)

Go grab your tickets now!

https://freelibraryfoundation.org/events/

Sneak peek alert! Before we drop our FULL Fall Author Events lineup next week, we couldn't wait to share this one... We're thrilled to announce Andy Beshear joining us on Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at the Parkway Central Library.

Join Governor Andy Beshear for a hopeful conversation about reclaiming faith as a force for good instead of harm and healing a divided nation through our shared values. Centered around his new book, GO AND DO LIKEWISE: How We Heal a Broken Country, Governor Beshear will share stories of healing, justice, forgiveness, welcoming, and moral clarity.

Get tickets HERE:
https://freelibraryfoundation.org/events/andy-beshear-go-and-do-likewise/

We’re a few days away from announcing our full F’26 Author Events lineup!

Who’s excited?

Philly! Get excited.

New conversations and new stories. Our F’26 season is on the way!

But before we unveil our full lineup, an exclusive announcement will be made next week. Stay tuned…

Looking for your next great conversation?

Our Spring 2026 Author Events season featured more than 20 inspiring discussions with bestselling authors, thought leaders, journalists, historians, and cultural voices exploring today’s biggest ideas and most compelling stories.

Whether you missed an event or want to revisit a favorite conversation, you can now listen to the full season on the Author Events podcast.

Start listening here:
https://libwww.freelibrary.org/podcast/

That’s a wrap on our Spring 2026 Author Events season! Thank you to everyone who joined us this season. We loved bringing these conversations to Philadelphia.

Keep an eye out. Our Fall 2026 lineup will be announced soon, and we can’t wait to share what’s next.

Join us for an exciting event with Matt Haig as he presents his new novel The Midnight Train. Haig, the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Midnight Library, The Life Impossible, and How to Stop Time, is known for blending imaginative storytelling with thought-provoking ideas that resonate across readers of all ages.

He will be in conversation with Katy Waldman, staff writer at The New Yorker, for a lively discussion. An evening not to be missed for fans of gripping and imaginative storytelling.

Get tickets here:
https://freelibraryfoundation.org/events/matt-haig-the-midnight-train/

Join us for an evening with Barbara McQuade as she discusses The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government. Drawing on her experience as a federal prosecutor, McQuade reveals how systems of corruption and abuse of power operate, the dangers they pose to our institutions, and what can be done to reclaim accountability and protect the rule of law.

A compelling and eye-opening conversation about justice, governance, and the actions we can take to safeguard democracy.

Get tickets here:
https://freelibraryfoundation.org/events/barbara-mcquade-the-fix/

Scenes from our conversation with Lynn Matluck Brooks and Lauren Putty White earlier this season.

An evening of history, scholarship, and live dance exploring Philadelphia’s rich performance past. Thank you to all who joined us.

Readers gathered for a powerful conversation with Jennifer Finney Boylan and Congresswoman Sarah McBride.

Discussing CLEVAGE, the evening moved between personal story, cultural reflection, and moments of humor and connection. We’re grateful to everyone who spent the night with us at the library.