Government Publications Department, Free Library of Philadelphia

11/03/2015

The Government Publications Department is now part of the Social Science and History Department and no longer exists as a separate department. All in-person reference questions are being handled at the SSH desk on the 2nd floor of the library. If you call with a question, you can still call 215-686-5330, and your call will be answered at the SSH desk. We have not yet been able to move most of the books to SSH, so you will still need to look for them in the GPD room. If you need to have a reference book retrieved from an area that is not accessible to the public, please go to the SSH desk and we will get it for you as soon as possible. We regret any inconvenience that this might cause you and hope that you will be patient while we undergo this transition.

01/29/2015

Tax season is here again! Unfortunately, the IRS has not yet delivered any tax forms to the Government Publications Department. We expect to receive the 1040 forms by the middle of February. At this time, we do not expect to receive and other Federal tax forms. Also, the IRS has decided not to send libraries the tax instruction books. NO FREE LIBRARY LOCATIONS will get the instruction books. You can view the instruction books and the other tax forms at irs.gov or you can order them from the IRS online at irs.gov/orderforms or by calling 1-800-829-3676. We also do not yet have Pennsylvania tax forms, but we usually do not receive them until February. We expect to receive the full complement of state tax forms sometime within the next several weeks.

Order up to 10 different forms and publications to complete your tax return. Instructions are automatically included with your order.

10/27/2014

In May of this year, the Free Library moved most of the Government Publications Departments' collection to an off-site storage facility called the Regional Operations Center. Materials in the Regional Operations Center (or ROC) are still available, but it now takes us a little longer to retrieve them. We currently must allow up to a week for retrieval of our government publications. When you check the Free Library's catalog, the location for these materials will be shown as "Government Publications Department – Limited Availability." If you see this location in our catalog for an item that you are interested in reading, please come to the Government Publications Department or call 215-686-5330. We will obtain it from the ROC and email you once it is available. In some cases, the material that has this location actually will be available electronically or held on-site in our closed stack reference collection. If it is, the item will b be available immediately. The librarian who helps you will be able to tell you if this is the case. We also might be able to find a digitized version online of an item that has been moved to the ROC. Whatever the case might be, come to this department or call us; and we will do our utmost to help you get what you need.

08/04/2014

Have a legal issue? Legal Advice Live will return to the Free Library on Tuesday, September 9th from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M. Volunteer attorneys will be in Rm. 108 to answer your legal questions - for free!

01/31/2014

Let's Speak English will return in March! This is a program for "international adults." It is a weekly conversation hour for anyone whose native language is not English. Come and practice your English in a comfortable, friendly environment.

The group will meet weekly at 6:00 from March 27 to May 29 in Central Senior Services.

Call 215-686-5330 if you have any questions.

01/31/2014

Do you have questions about Social Security?

Mr. Edward Lafferty, a Public Affairs Specialist for the Social Security Administration, will be here in February and again in March to help you out.

On Monday, February 24, he will cover:

- What are the programs?

- Who is eligible?

- How do I apply?

- The importance of Social Security in retirement planning

- Family benefits (spouse / widow (er) and children

On Monday March 17, he will cover:

- How working affects your benefits

- What you should know after you file for benefits

- Family benefits (spouse / widow (er) and children

Both programs will be from 2:00 to 3:30.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

01/31/2014

Tax season is here, and Richard Furlong, Jr., an IRS Senior Stakeholder Liaison, is coming to the Free Library to help you out. On Friday, February 28, from 2:00 - 3:30 PM, he will talk about:

- Tax law changes impacting 2013 IRS returns files during the 2014 tax season

- IRS online services that can help you track the status of your refund

- How to protect yourself from tax-related identity theft issues

-Record keeping requirements to support items on your tax returns

-Tips for choosing competent tax preparers

He will answer your questions following his presentation.

09/16/2013

Have a legal issue? Come to the Central Library to consult with an attorney for free at Legal Advice Live! The program will be held in Rm. 108 on Monday, September 23 from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M.

07/26/2013

The state of Pennsylvania is currently looking for the owners of $1.9 billion in unclaimed property. Could some of this property belong to you? You can find out by searching the state's database at http://www.patreasury.gov/Unclaimed/Search.html.

In this challenging economy, I hope people will look everywhere they possibly can for extra resources. This database is a free and easy way to find out if you, your family, or your neighbors have unclaimed property.

07/15/2013

Would you like to know more about Mayor Nutter's plan to fight poverty in Philadelphia? You can learn all about it at http://sharedprosperityphila.org/plan/.

We can only build a thriving Philadelphia for everyone if we act to prevent this crippling legacy from being passed to yet another generation. Shared Prosperity Philadelphia builds a foundation for systemic, long-term change.

04/19/2013

Need legal advice? Come to the Central Library to consult with an attorney for free at Legal Advice Live! The program will be held in Rm. 108 on Monday, April 29 from 12:00 - 2:00 P.M.

Attorneys will also provide free legal advice at three other Free Library locations on April 29: Haverford Branch (5543 Haverford Ave), Donatucci Branch (1935 Shunk St), and Ramonita de Rodriguez Branch (600 W. Girard Ave).

02/27/2013

We now have 2012 Federal tax forms and instruction books. Well, we have the major tax forms: 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ, and some of the schedules. We also have the Pennsylvania form PA-40 and the rent rebate form. If you don't see the form you're looking for, please ask us for assistance.