Reading Public Library

Reading Public Library Serving the City of Reading & Berks County. RPL - Read Play Live

Committed to closing the literary, cultural & digital divides in our community by empowering people through literacy and access to information, creating a space where everyone feels inspired to learn & connect.

We are very pleased to share that Reading Public Library has been selected to host PULITZER ON THE ROAD, a traveling exh...
08/27/2026

We are very pleased to share that Reading Public Library has been selected to host PULITZER ON THE ROAD, a traveling exhibition from The Pulitzer Prizes and the American Library Association.

Discover powerful stories, award-winning journalism, and unforgettable images that have captured the world around us.

Exhibit dates and programs coming soon. See ALA's full press release at https://www.ala.org/news/2026/08/pulitzer-prizes-partnership-american-library-association-present-new-traveling

Yeehaw! One more month until we celebrate one of the best nights of the year, Cocktails & Classics! 🥂It's time to grab y...
08/25/2026

Yeehaw! One more month until we celebrate one of the best nights of the year, Cocktails & Classics! 🥂

It's time to grab your Boots, Books, & Bling for a night out in the wild west to support Reading Public Library. We will enjoy delicious food stations, exciting auctions and raffles, music from The Hot Club of Reading, an open bar, and great company!

🤠 Get your tickets for Cocktails & Classics today at https://readingpubliclibrary.org/cocktails-classics/

Now, for more details for those who are curious about the wild west...

Live auction packages include Sunnyside on the Creek Getaway in the Appalachian Mountains, Orlando Family Adventure, Saquon Barkley Signed & Framed Jersey, Roy Halladay Signed & Framed Jersey, Dinner for 8 at Chef Tim's Table, and more!

Food stations by Adelphia Seafood, Ady Cakes, B2 Bistro, Bapanada Catering, Berkshire Country Club, Comālli Taqueria, DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, Chef Tim of Redner’s Fresh Markets, and Uncorkd. A full list of vendors is coming soon.

And of course, don't miss your chance to win a fantastic smile courtesy of Reading Orthodontics Group, who is offering complimentary braces or Invisalign valued at over $6,300! The winner will be announced at the night of Cocktails & Classics, but tickets are on sale now.

Thank you to our featured sponsors: Baldwin, Janney Haupt Wealth Management, Carolyn and Jerry Holleran, Reading Orthodontics Group, The Compleat Baldwin Brass Center, Plank Frankowski, Berman Voss, Customers Bank, Mark & Zelda Yoder, Barley Snyder, Daryl Tillman Realty Group, William F. Roberts, Esq., Trout CPA, RKL LLP, Baker Tilly, Brentwood Industries, East Penn Manufacturing Co., M&T Bank, Weik Financial, Suzy Rae Design, West Lawn Quoiting Association, Dobson Dietrich, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC

We are so sorry to hear about the passing of Dolly Parton, an early literacy advocate who made it her life mission to ge...
08/25/2026

We are so sorry to hear about the passing of Dolly Parton, an early literacy advocate who made it her life mission to get books in the hands of children across the United States and beyond. In over 30+ years of executing her Imagination Library project, she gifted over 300 million books across five countries. She believed reading belonged to everyone, regardless of income or circumstances.

And, of course, nothing could be more iconic than her ALA Read poster, posing with some of America's favorite picture book classics.

Dolly has already significantly impacted the future of global literacy, and we hope her legacy will continue to shine in public libraries and community spaces around the world.

*Update: Our slots are full for this autumn's Woodworking class! You are still welcome to call and sign up for the waitl...
08/24/2026

*Update: Our slots are full for this autumn's Woodworking class! You are still welcome to call and sign up for the waitlist in case openings become available. Stay tuned for more upcoming classes for teens!*

Check it out! Here is one of our students with her completed woodshelf from our teen woodworking program with Goggleworks Center for the Arts! We loved seeing everyone's one of a kind creations, and we can't wait to do it again this fall...

RPL's Introduction to Woodworking for Teens at Goggleworks is back beginning September 22! This time, make your own wooden book project. This is a completely free four part series with our friends at the Goggleworks, but spots are limited! Call 610-655-6350 ext. 241 or stop by the Main Library Teen Loft to save your spot today!

Food with Friends for teens is taking a two-part field trip to Thorn Alley Kitchen at GoggleWorks! 😋🍴On Monday, Septembe...
08/19/2026

Food with Friends for teens is taking a two-part field trip to Thorn Alley Kitchen at GoggleWorks! 😋🍴

On Monday, September 14 at 4:30PM, teens will have the opportunity to see the new restaurant and meet the staff at the kitchen! Then, on Thursday, November 19, teens will get to see behind-the-scenes of the kitchen in action.

Registration is required by contacting 610-655-6350 ext. 241 or stopping by the Teen Loft at Main.

Pictures are from some of our recent Food with Friends programs! We have made viral TikTok recipes, simple desserts, and we've even explored a variety of cultural dishes together. These teens certainly stayed busy all summer long in our kitchen!

08/17/2026

"Wait, the library has all of this???" -Everyone, every day now that we gave our Library of Things at Main a refresh ✨️

Need a sewing machine? We've got you. Need a code reader for your car? Come on over. Looking for lawn games to entertain your guests? You know where to find us 😀

Check out all of the things you can borrow the next time you walk into our Main Library. You can also visit our website to see our new webpage featuring items that are exclusively at our branches.

RPL Southeast Branch is experiencing a temporary power outage that is estimated to be restored by 3:30PM today. It is ad...
08/17/2026

RPL Southeast Branch is experiencing a temporary power outage that is estimated to be restored by 3:30PM today. It is advised to call ahead before planning your visit at 610-655-6362.

We've got NEW museum passes waiting for you at RPL Main!⚛ Da Vinci Science Center - Allentown, PA🎨 Michener Art Museum -...
08/17/2026

We've got NEW museum passes waiting for you at RPL Main!

⚛ Da Vinci Science Center - Allentown, PA
🎨 Michener Art Museum - Doylestown, PA
🏰 Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle - Doylestown, PA

See all of our passes on our website!

To reserve an admission pass, visit our online catalog or talk to a library staff member! A library card is required to check out any pass, and your pass must be picked up at its designated branch. Please note that many of our passes are popular and have existing holds, so you will want to plan your trip around the time you expect to receive your pass. After your hold is ready for pickup, you have one week to claim your hold. All passes have a loan period of one week after pickup.

To learn more or place holds on our passes, visit readingpubliclibrary.org/museums/

We think you're kinda chic for enjoying our library 🫶🙂‍↕️
08/14/2026

We think you're kinda chic for enjoying our library 🫶🙂‍↕️

¡Felicidades, Ramon! Our neighbor from Mofongo Restaurant Reading got his library card today! 🥳
08/14/2026

¡Felicidades, Ramon! Our neighbor from Mofongo Restaurant Reading got his library card today! 🥳

Address

100 S 5th Street
Reading, PA
19602

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Reading Public Library posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category