Iffy Books | 404 S. 20th St., PHL

📓 DIY Digital Notebook Workshop
2026-08-12 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Iffy Books, 404 S. 20th St., Philadelphia, 19146, United States
In this workshop you’ll build a digital notebook, a pocket-sized device for taking notes with a USB keyboard. We’re using affordable, widely available components: a Seeed XIAO ESP32-S3 microcontroller, a 1-inch OLED display, and a microSD card reader, arranged on a solderless breadboard. The ESP32-S3 connects to the display via the I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) protocol, and to the microSD card reader uses the SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) protocol.
No soldering required! Cutting and stripping jumper wires requires a degree of manual dexterity.
Please bring a laptop if you have one! If not it’s OK.
Instructions
Register:
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name/pseudonym:Email address:EmailConfirm EmailBuy a kit:Digital Notebook Kit - $46.23(price includes tax)Instructor donation:$0 / donate later$5$10$15$20$25$30(suggested $5–$15)Credit card info: *CardName on CardComments or questions?Submit

🔋 Beginner Soldering: Li-Ion Battery Pack
2026-08-13 14:30 - 15:30, 2026-08-20 14:30 - 15:30, 2026-08-27 14:30 - 15:30, 2026-09-03 14:30 - 15:30
Make a rechargeable battery pack for your LoRa node, a microcontroller such as an ESP32 or Pi Pico, or anything that runs on 3–4 Volts. Perfect for folks who’ve never soldered before!
To complete this project you’ll need to buy a li-ion battery pack kit for $3.99. Here’s what it includes:
• 18650 battery clip w/ attached wires
• TP4056 charge controller board
• PH2.5 plug w/ attached wires
• 1/8″ heat shrink tubing (1.5″ long)
• 1/2″ heat shrink tubing (1″ long)
You’ll also need a lithium-ion 18650 battery, available separately.
Register
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name/pseudonym:Email address:EmailConfirm EmailPurchase a kit:Li-Ion Battery Pack Kit - $4.31Flat top 18650 battery (5000 mAh ) - $6.47(prices include sales tax)Instructor donation:$0 / donate later$5$10$15$20$25$30(recommended $5–$15, notaflof)Credit card info: *CardName on CardComments or questions?Submit

⚙️ Neo-Luddite Reading Group: 'The Technological Society' by Jacques Ellul
2026-08-13 18:30 - 20:30
➡️ Virtual Meetup Link
Discord: Email neoluddite@victorgom.es for an invite!
Full schedule: victorgom.es/neoluddite
If you’re joining for the first time, I’d suggest you read this before anything else for brief context: What the Luddites Really Fought Against by Richard Conniff.The only expectation is that you read the chapter(s) of the book that’s listed for that meeting. You’re still welcome to participate if you haven’t done the readings as long as you are mindful. For each chapter, I’ve also noted some optional readings for context, so I’d suggest checking those out rather than reading ahead in the book. And remember, if you ever find yourself struggling with any of the readings or concepts, reach out! Either directly to me over email or to the entire group over discord.

📍 Offline GPS Unit Workshop
2026-08-14 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-28 14:00 - 16:00
In this workshop you’ll build a device that displays your GPS coordinates and the current time, without connecting to the internet or transmitting anything. 100% passive and off-grid, no internet or cell connection needed!
We’ll use the MicroPython programming language and the Thonny IDE, following the instructions on this page.
You’ll need to purchase a kit to complete this project, which includes the following parts:

RP2040 Pi Pico microcontroller unit w/ pre-soldered header pins
830 tie point solderless breadboard
NEO-6 GPS unit w/ antenna
0.96″ OLED display
Single-core 22AWG jumper wire (30″)
rubber band (to attach GPS antenna to breadboard)

Register:
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name/pseudonym:Email address:EmailConfirm EmailBuy a kit:Offline GPS Unit Kit - $27.00(price includes tax)Instructor donation:$0 / donate later$5$10$15$20$25(suggested $5–$15)Credit card info: *CardName on CardComments or questions?Submit

⊕ Quarterly Bonus Workshop
2026-08-15 10:00 - 12:00
Our quarterly off-site bonus workshop for Patreon supporters. Check out our Patreon page for details!
Questions? Email iffybooks@iffybooks.net

📡 Meshtastic 101
2026-08-15 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-09-05 10:30 - 12:00
Join us for an introduction to Meshtastic, an application that lets you send private text messages over the air using pocket-sized LoRa radio transceivers. We’ll show you how to flash the latest Meshtastic firmware to the device, customize the settings, and start chatting with your friends.
Here’s a link to our zine on LoRa + Meshtastic.
Register:
coming soon!

🖼️ DIY Digital Picture Frame Workshop
2026-08-15 10:30 - 12:30
In this workshop you’ll build a device that displays a 320×240 photo slidshow on any TV/monitor with HDMI input!
Soldering is required for this project. We recommend bringing a laptop (macOS, Linux, or Windows), but you’ll be OK without one.
➡️ Workshop instructions
Register
Coming soon!

🔊 DJ Basixxx with Mixxx
2026-08-16 16:00 - 18:00, 2026-08-30 16:00 - 18:00
If you’re curious about DJing but don’t have money to drop on equipment, this workshop is for you! You’ll learn to use Mixxx, a free and open source DJ program for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Mixxx supports a wide range of DJ controller hardware, but to make it more accessible we’re using regular QWERTY keyboards with stickers on the important keys. We’ll teach you to find tracks on the web, load them into Mixxx, and get started with beatmatching. It’s easier then you think!
You’ll need to bring your own laptop and headphones for this workshop. We also recommend bringing a separate USB keyboard if you have one, ideally with a row of function keys (F1, F2, F3, etc.). If you have an external audio interface, you’re welcome to bring that too.
The DJ controller sticker sheets we’re using are available on our online store. Or print your own (4″ x 4″) on sticker paper!
➡️ Workshop instructions
Register:
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name/pseudonym:Email address:EmailConfirm EmailBuy a sticker sheet (optional)DJ controller keyboard stickers - $2.70(price includes tax)Instructor donation:$0 / donate later$5$10$15$20$25(suggested $5–$20)Credit card info: *CardName on CardComments or questions?Submit

CircuitPython code for turning a Pi Pico board into a USB keyboard

☕️ Coffee Talk
2026-08-17 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-09-07 18:00 - 20:00
A social hangout every first and third Monday for trans and non-binary people, their significant others, and allies. We have snacks and coffee.

✏️ The Writing Room
2026-08-18 17:00 - 19:30, 2026-08-25 17:00 - 19:30, 2026-09-01 17:00 - 19:30, 2026-09-08 17:00 - 19:30
Come co-work with other writers in three 40-minute units of silent writing. Writers and projects of any type welcome. 10-minute breaks and accountability check-ins between units. BYO coffee, water, computer chargers, notepads, etc.

🐌 Slow Living Support Group
2026-08-19 18:00 - 20:00
For people who value connection, sustainability, and creativity — without AI.
Bring:
• writing projects
• craft projects
• books & book recommendations
• CDs
Do not bring:
• screens
Provided:
• zine-making supplies
• snacks

🤔 FAFIO Beginner Tech Meetup
2026-08-20 18:30 - 20:30
FAFIO is a meetup for folks who want to learn new tech skills, but aren’t sure where to start. Let’s fuck around and figure it out. FAFIO means there is no instructor. Instead we learn by talking and sharing knowledge, reading info in zines and online, and hands-on trial and error.

🎬 Make a Hand-Coded SVG Animation!
2026-08-24 18:00 - 20:00
Learn to make an animated SVG file using a plaintext editor and web browser. No fancy tools needed!
Geany text editor
Sublime Text
Happy Birthday example file
Register
coming soon!

🪐 Speculative Futures Reading Group: 'Future Home of the Living God' by Louise Erderich
2026-08-26 19:00 - 20:30
The Speculative Futures Reading Group meets on the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m.

💻 Cyberdeck Meetup
2026-08-29 10:30 - 12:30
A cyberdeck is a DIY laptop based on a single-board computer (SBC) such as Raspberry Pi, with a tiny LCD screen and keyboard enclosed in a folding case.
Bring an SBC to this meetup and start building your own! We’ll have LCD screens and keybaords for sale, as well as wooden boxes in various sizes. If you’ve already built a cyberdeck, you can show it off and help others get started!

Photo credit

💻 Philly 2600 Meetup
2026-09-04 18:00 - 20:00
> The Philly 2600 meeting is a monthly gathering of local hackers, phreaks, nerds, geeks, activists, tinkerers, developers, infosec professionals, and other interesting people.

🏠 IndieWeb Homebrew Website Club
2026-09-06 18:00 - 20:00
Homebrew Website Club is a growing world-wide network of meetups for everyone who wants to take back their web experience from social media silos, and own their online identities & content, or just want support with blogging!

💾☀️ Permacomputing + Solarpunk Meetup
2026-09-09 18:30 - 20:00
The Permacomputing + Solarpunk meetup is the first Wednesday every other month at Iffy Books! You can join us in person (404 S. 20th St., PHL) or remotely via Jitsi Meet.

➡️ Virtual meetup link
From Permacomputing.net: Permacomputing is a more sustainable approach to computer and network technology inspired by permaculture. Permacomputing is both a concept and a community of practice oriented around issues of resilience and regenerativity in digital technology. In a time where computing epitomizes industrial waste, permacomputing encourages a more sustainable approach, maximizing hardware lifespans, minimizing energy use and focussing on the use of already available computational resources. We do this because humans are part of nature and technology is an extension of humans, and we acknowledge that technology has been used to harm nature. We want to find out how we can practice good relations with the Earth by learning from ecological systems to leverage and re-center existing technologies and practices. We are also interested in investigating what a permacomputing way of life could be, and what sort of transformative computational culture and aesthetics it could bring forward. If you want to know more, please start reading about what is permacomputing in essence, and then dive into its principles.
Permacomputing Aesthetics: Potential and Limits of Design Constraints in Computational Culture by Mansoux, Howell, Barok, and Heikkilä (2023)

⚙️ Neo-Luddite Reading Group
2026-09-10 18:30 - 20:30

📍 Offline GPS Unit Workshop
2026-09-11 14:00 - 16:00
In this workshop you’ll build a device that displays your GPS coordinates and the current time, without connecting to the internet or transmitting anything. 100% passive and off-grid, no internet or cell connection needed!
We’ll use the MicroPython programming language and the Thonny IDE, following the instructions on this page.
You’ll need to purchase a kit to complete this project, which includes the following parts:

RP2040 Pi Pico microcontroller unit w/ pre-soldered header pins
830 tie point solderless breadboard
NEO-6 GPS unit w/ antenna
0.96″ OLED display
Single-core 22AWG jumper wire (30″)
rubber band (to attach GPS antenna to breadboard)

Register:
coming soon!
