RSS Parrot

💻 Cyberdeck Meetup Notes

https://iffybooks.net/cyberdeck-meetup-notes/

Published: June 15, 2026 13:02

Cyberdecks (a.k.a. DIY laptops) are having a moment on social media! That means lots of people are getting interested in single-board computers and Linux who may never have heard of […]

🎙️ Iffy Books on Block By Block, from WPPM-LP & PhillyCAM

https://iffybooks.net/block-by-block-radio/

Published: June 13, 2026 17:51

The radio reporter Milan Parker recently did a story for Block by Block that included interviews with folks from three groups that meet at Iffy Books: the IndieWeb Homebrew Website […]

✌️🤚 25 Iffy Books Projects in 2025

https://iffybooks.net/25-projects-in-2025/

Published: December 13, 2025 13:35

December is a time to get cozy, sip a warm drink, and scroll through long lists about the previous year. So make yourself a cup of tea and settle in […]

Q&A with Jathan Sadowski, author of ‘The Mechanic and the Luddite: A Ruthless Criticism of Technology and Capitalism’ | June 18, 2025

https://iffybooks.net/neo-luddite-jathan-sadowski/

Published: July 10, 2025 11:49

A few weeks ago we hosted a virtual Q&A with Jathan Sadowski, author of The Mechanic and the Luddite: A Ruthless Criticism of Technology and Capitalism and host of the […]

♥️ You saved Iffy Books!

https://iffybooks.net/thank-you-june-2025/

Published: June 26, 2025 16:54

Well! Our situation has turned around since last week, thanks to an outpouring of support from the community around Iffy Books. We now have a few months’ rent on hand […]

A letter from Steve at Iffy Books | June 13, 2025

https://iffybooks.net/a-letter-from-steve-at-iffy-books-june-13-2025/

Published: June 18, 2025 00:27

In 2021 we were pushing anti-blockchain arguments. In 2022 we were pushing solar-powered music and encrypted mesh chat. We’ve been against LLMs since before ChatGPT came along, and we hope […]

🛡 Make a Faraday shield for your phone

https://iffybooks.net/diy-faraday-shield/

Published: September 10, 2023 14:27

On September 9th, 2023 we hosted a workshop on how to make a one-time-use Faraday shield for your phone to block radio communication via the cell network, wi-fi, and Bluetooth. […]

🐢 Draw with code! An intro to turtle graphics using Python

https://iffybooks.net/draw-with-code-zine/

Published: August 27, 2023 16:07

On Saturday, August 26th we hosted a self-guided Python Turtle workshop to coincide with the Philly Bookstore Crawl. It went really well! Here’s the zine we used, which you’re free […]

Notes for Router Hack Day 2 at Iffy Books

https://iffybooks.net/router-hack-day-2/

Published: June 23, 2023 18:44

Saturday, June 24th, 20231:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.  You can find this document at the following URLs: For the past few months, a handful of people in the Iffy Books […]

☀️ Circuit diagram for a solar-powered LoRa node

https://iffybooks.net/solar-lora-circuit-diagram/

Published: April 12, 2023 21:04

We’ve been hard at work running tests and writing documentation for on our upcoming workshop Let’s make a solar-powered chat network, in which we’ll build weatherproof LoRa nodes running Meshtastic to support a […]

🐎 Make a Solar Zoetrope

https://iffybooks.net/solar-zoetrope/

Published: April 10, 2023 17:00

This past weekend we hosted a workshop called Make a Solar Zoetrope, as part of the DVAA Everyday Futures Fest. It was super fun! If you didn’t make it, we’re […]

Challenge Router Progress Report

https://iffybooks.net/challenge-router-progress-report/

Published: March 24, 2023 15:20

The following is transcribed from a conversation with Jim from Trashpanda Village, with a few edits for clarity. You can buy your own Atlas Media challenge router here. What we […]

New zine! Against Intellectual Property by Dante Scanline

https://iffybooks.net/against-intellectual-property/

Published: January 10, 2023 17:52

We liked this blog post by Dante Scanline so much, we made it into a zine! We’ve handed out hundreds of copies at Iffy Books, and now you can print […]

☀️ New Zine! Build a Solar-Powered Music Synth

https://iffybooks.net/solar-synth-zine/

Published: November 16, 2022 18:23

Our new how-to zine is ready to share! In this project you’ll build a solar-powered oscillator circuit, using two NOT gates to generate a square wave. Then you’ll add two […]

Security for Reproductive Health with Alison Macrina

https://iffybooks.net/security-for-reproductive-health/

Published: August 29, 2022 20:36

On August 27th at Iffy Books, Alison Macrina led a workshop on how to protect your online privacy when accessing information about reproductive health. Here’s a PDF of her slides, […]

Permacomputing Meetup Notes ☀️ July 24, 2022

https://iffybooks.net/permacomputing-meetup-notes-july-2022/

Published: July 25, 2022 06:53

E-waste in Philly • Rabbit Recyclinghttps://www.rabbitrecycling.com • eForce Compliancehttps://www.eforcecompliance.com E-waste we want to reuse Computers Motors Speakers Hard drives Cell phones, even if they’re carrier-locked E-paper displays How can I…

Meshtastic iOS Configuration

https://iffybooks.net/meshtastic-ios/

Published: July 22, 2022 21:16

[This post is under construction. It’ll be in better shape soon.] Install Meshtastic (beta) using the TestFlight App First, install the USB-to-serial drivers for your…

Meshtastic iOS app + LoRa32 (July 2022)

https://iffybooks.net/meshtastic-ios-july-2022/

Published: July 7, 2022 18:26

After a month of trial and error, I’ve figured out a way to get a stable Bluetooth connection between a LoRa32 board and the Meshtastic iOS app, which is currently […]

The Bar Raccrawl 🗑 May 14

https://iffybooks.net/the-bar-raccrawl/

Published: May 10, 2022 02:47

The Bar Raccrawl is this Saturday, starting at Iffy Books at 2 PM! Organized by our neighbors at Tr4shpanda Village.

Bleeding Control Basics 🔴 May 7

https://iffybooks.net/bleeding-control-post/

Published: April 30, 2022 21:01

Presented by Philadelphia SRA, Bleeding Control Basics will go over first aid as it applies to severe bleeding. We will cover scene safety, injury assessment, basic bleeding control, and tourniquet […]

This weekend at Iffy Books 🌱

https://iffybooks.net/this-weekend-at-iffy-books/

Published: April 29, 2022 20:48

This Saturday (1–5 p.m.) we’re hosting a low-key plant swap. Stop by and get a free maple seedling! On Sunday (12–6 p.m.) we’re doing a marathon screening of BBS: The […]

Explore the Appropriate Technology Library ☀️ Apr 21–24

https://iffybooks.net/explore-the-appropriate-technology-library-%e2%98%80%ef%b8%8f-apr-21-24/

Published: April 21, 2022 19:37

Stop by Iffy Books this Thursday (4/21) through Sunday (4/22) and learn about the Appropriate Technology Library, a collection of resources about small-scale, do-it-yourself technology. In its current form, the […]

Grow something! with Goda Trakumaite 🍅 Apr 14

https://iffybooks.net/grow-something-with-goda-trakumaite-blog-apr-14/

Published: April 12, 2022 12:53

This Thursday (April 14, 6:30 p.m.) we’re hosting a workshop on urban gardening called Grow something! An extreme-beginner-friendly overview of your gardening possibilities, led by Goda Trakumaite. Suggested donation $10. […]

Make your own wildflower seed balls 🌺 Apr 7–10

https://iffybooks.net/wildflower-seed-balls/

Published: April 6, 2022 17:19

Stop by Iffy Books this week and make your own throwable wildflower seed balls. It’s free! This workshop is a collaboration with the DVAA Everyday Futures Fest. Click here to […]

Opening reception in our new space 🎉 Friday, April 1

https://iffybooks.net/opening-reception-4-1-2022/

Published: March 31, 2022 16:34

On Friday, April 1 we’re having an opening reception in our new space, one door down in room 3E. We’ll have drinks, snacks, and music. It would be great to […]

Send files securely with Magic Wormhole 🔐 March 26 & 27

https://iffybooks.net/magic-wormhole-march-2022/

Published: March 17, 2022 18:35

On Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27 we’re running a tutorial on Magic Wormhole, an easy-to-use program for sending files over an encrypted channel. Stop by any time 12–6 […]

Build a DIY sub-irrigated planter 🌱 March 12 & 13

https://iffybooks.net/sub-irrigated-planter/

Published: March 8, 2022 18:19

🌱 Stop by this weekend (Friday & Saturday, 12–6 p.m.) for a free tutorial on how to build a sub-irrigated (self-watering) planter. A sub-irrigated planter uses wicking to water your […]

Spread ideas with a pocket wi-fi portal 📶 Feb 19 & 20

https://iffybooks.net/pocket-wifi-portal/

Published: February 15, 2022 03:30

On Feb 19 & 20 (this Saturday & Sunday) we’re hosting a tutorial called Spread ideas with a pocket wi-fi portal. You’ll learn to create a wi-fi access point + […]

Open this Thurs, Fri, & Sun (closed Sat 2/12)

https://iffybooks.net/open-this-thurs-fri-sun-closed-sat-2-12/

Published: February 9, 2022 00:02

We’re open this Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, 12–6 PM. Hope to see you!(We’ll be closed on Saturday, February 12.)

Snow day 1/29

https://iffybooks.net/snow-day-1-29/

Published: January 29, 2022 16:30

Iffy Books is closed today due to snow. We’ll be back Sunday, 12–6 PM!

Upcoming tutorials at Iffy Books

https://iffybooks.net/upcoming-tutorials-at-iffy-books/

Published: January 28, 2022 18:26

Here’s our tutorial calendar for winter/spring 2022! I’ll post more about each event over the next few days. 📶 February 19 & 20: Spread ideas with a pocket wi-fi portal […]

Transcode audio & video with FFmpeg 🎥 Jan 20–23

https://iffybooks.net/ffmpeg/

Published: January 11, 2022 19:00

We’re pleased to present a free tutorial on FFmpeg, an essential command-line tool for working with audio and video files. You’ll learn to convert FLAC files to MP3, split stereo […]

Closed this week! See you January 13

https://iffybooks.net/closed-this-week-see-you-january-13/

Published: January 6, 2022 14:51

We’ll be back next week! In the meantime, you can follow us on Instagram and Twitter and sign up for our email list.

Strong encryption with a 10-sided die 🎲 Dec 30 – Jan 2

https://iffybooks.net/otp/

Published: December 29, 2021 02:41

Stop by this week (Thursday–Sunday, 12–6 p.m.) and learn to create a one-time pad cipher without using a computer. All you’ll need is paper, a pencil, and a 10-sided die. […]

Holiday Hours 🎁

https://iffybooks.net/holiday-hours-%f0%9f%8e%81/

Published: December 22, 2021 15:30

Here are our holiday hours! We’ll be open Thursday (12/23) from 10AM to 6PM and Friday (12/24) from 10AM to 4PM. We’re closed on Saturday (12/25), then back to normal […]

How to darn your clothes 🪡 Dec 16–19

https://iffybooks.net/darning/

Published: December 15, 2021 21:30

This week we’re running a tutorial on how to darn your clothes! Bring a garment with a small tear or worn spot, and we’ll help you repair it with a […]

Program a Digispark Mouse Jiggler 🐁 Dec 2–5, 2021

https://iffybooks.net/mousejiggler/

Published: December 2, 2021 19:13

Stop by this week (Thursday–Sunday, 12–6 p.m.) and learn how to program a mouse jiggler or keyboard simulator using a Digispark clone. > Zine PDF (screen reading version) > Zine […]

Now open Thursday–Sunday, 12–6 p.m.

https://iffybooks.net/new-hours-thursday-sunday-12-6-p-m/

Published: November 30, 2021 04:06

Starting December 2, we’ll be open four days a week. Our new hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 6 p.m. Hope to see you soon! Iffy Books319 N. 11th […]

Free luffa squash seeds!

https://iffybooks.net/luffa-squash-seed-packets/

Published: November 27, 2021 00:00

Stop by this weekend (Friday 5–9 & Saturday 12–6) and get a free pack of luffa squash seeds! Luffa squash (also spelled “loofah”) can be peeled, cleaned, and dried to […]

Make noise music with MicroPython and a Pi Pico 🔊 Nov 19 & 20

https://iffybooks.net/noisemusic/

Published: November 16, 2021 14:56

This weekend we’re running a tutorial on making noise with a Raspberry Pi Pico and MicroPython. Stop by any time on Friday, November 19 (5–9 p.m.) or Saturday, November 20 […]

Share a file with BitTorrent 🧲 Nov 5 & 6

https://iffybooks.net/bittorrent/

Published: October 28, 2021 18:50

On November 5 & 6 we’ll host a tutorial on how to share files using BitTorrent, an alternative to cloud storage options like DropBox. Here’s a link to the zine […]

Design a flyer with Scribus 🖋️ Oct 15 & 16

https://iffybooks.net/scribus/

Published: October 11, 2021 17:42

Stop by this weekend for a tutorial on Scribus, a free desktop publishing program for Linux, macOS, and Windows. You’ll learn to install Scribus, download fonts and images, and design […]

Is Ubuntu for me? 🌐 Oct 1 & 2

https://iffybooks.net/ubuntu/

Published: October 1, 2021 21:32

We’re hosting a tutorial on Ubuntu! Here’s a link to the zine PDF: > Is Ubuntu for me? Part 1 (PDF)

Closed 9/24 and 9/25

https://iffybooks.net/closed-9-24-and-9-25/

Published: September 22, 2021 15:47

Iffy Books is closed this weekend, 9/24 and 9/25. We’ll be back on October 1 for First Friday!

Download a website with Wget 🕸️ Sept 10 & 11

https://iffybooks.net/wget/

Published: September 7, 2021 14:21

Stop by Iffy Books this Friday (5–9 p.m.) or Saturday (12–6 p.m.) for a free tutorial on the command-line program Wget. We’ll teach you to use Wget to download an […]

Sci-Hub 10th Anniversary 🔬 Sept 3 & 4

https://iffybooks.net/sci-hub-10/

Published: September 1, 2021 15:34

This weekend we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of Sci-Hub, which went live on September 5, 2011. Stop by Friday (5–9) or Saturday (12–6) and get a free stack of #WeStanAlexandra […]

Software-defined radio tutorial ✶ August 27 & 28

https://iffybooks.net/sdr/

Published: August 24, 2021 14:16

We’ll be hosting a software-defined radio tutorial this Friday, August 27 (5–9 p.m.) and Saturday, August 28 (12–6 p.m.). Stop by to get a free zine and learn more. > […]

Download videos from the web with youtube-dl ⇩ August 13 & 14

https://iffybooks.net/youtube-dl/

Published: August 10, 2021 15:44

On Friday, August 13 (5–9 p.m.) and Saturday, August 14 (12–6 p.m.), we’ll be running a tutorial on the command-line program youtube-dl. Drop by any time to get a free […]

Open this weekend! Upcoming events!

https://iffybooks.net/open-this-weekend-upcoming-events/

Published: August 6, 2021 23:41

We’re pleased to announce two events for August: a drop-in tutorial on youtube-dl next weekend, August 13 & 14, and a tutorial on software-defined radio on August 27 & 28. […]

Closed this weekend, July 30 and 31

https://iffybooks.net/closed-7-30-and-31/

Published: July 28, 2021 16:31

Iffy Books is closed this weekend, and we’ll be back on Friday, August 6. Hope to see you then!

We’re open!

https://iffybooks.net/iffy-books-is-open-this-weekend/

Published: July 23, 2021 17:00

Iffy Books is open for our second weekend! Stop by tonight from 5 to 9 or tomorrow from 12 to 6. We have plenty of cold drinks and maple trees […]

Low-key opening Friday, July 16

https://iffybooks.net/opening-july-16-2021/

Published: July 12, 2021 17:18

We’ll be opening for the first time on Friday, July 16, 2021, and we’re giving away free maple seedlings for the occasion. Stop by and say hi!