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The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves Philadelphia. It is the tenth-largest public library system in the United States by number of volumes held.Unique among public libraries in the United States, it is neither a city agency or nonprofit organization; instead, it is governed by both an independent city agency managed by its own board of directors and a separate nonprofit organization, The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation.In fiscal 2012, the Free Library hosted 6 million in-person and 9 million online visits.

The Free Library of Philadelphia was chartered in 1891 as "a general library which shall be free to all," through efforts led by Dr. William Pepper, who secured initial funding through a $225,000 bequest from his wealthy uncle, George S. Pepper. However, several libraries claimed the bequest, and only after the courts decided the money was intended to found a new public library did the Free Library finally open in March 1894.