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

❤️ Soldering Practice: LED Heart Board
2026-01-16 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-01-09 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Iffy Books, 404 S. 20th St., Philadelphia, 19146, United States
Come out and get some soldering practice! This time we’re making a heart-shaped board with 22 LEDs, using an oscillator circuit to dim and brighten them at the speed you choose.
This project is ideal for folks who have soldered at least once before. Beginners are welcome to join us, but it may take you more than one session to finish. Working with a friend is encouraged!
The kit you’ll need to complete this project costs $5.50. We’re suggesting a $10–$25 donation for the class, no one turned away for lack of funds.
Register:
Registration for this event is now closed. Sorry.
Here's a link to future workshops in this series!

⚡️ Beginner Soldering: LED Spinning Top
2026-01-16 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-01-09 12:00 - 13:30
For this class we’re building a spinning top toy with LED lights that flash when it spins. No previous soldering experience required!

Registration
Registration for this event is now closed. Sorry.
Here's a link to future workshops in this series!

💻 Nushell Basics
2026-01-15 18:30 - 20:30
Nushell is a modern shell that combines a rich programming language with a fully functional shell for efficient and versatile usage.
Register
Registration for this event is now closed. We'll offer it again soon!

🤔 FAFIO Beginner Tech Meetup: Share a File with BitTorrent
2026-01-14 18:30 - 20:30
FAFIO is a new 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! Feel free to come and work on something else!
This month we’re focusing on BitTorrent, a widely used peer-to-peer file sharing protocol. If you’ve ever wanted to share big files without using centralized “cloud” services, this meetup is for you!
Here’s the zine we’ll be working through:
🗒️ Share a file with BitTorrent
▸ PDF
▸ Imposed PDF

✏️ The Writing Room
2026-01-13 17:00 - 19:30, 2026-01-06 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.

🧵 Anarchist Sewing Club
2026-01-11 15:00 - 17:00
Interested in learning to sew, mend or make clothes? Already know how and wanna hang out with people while sewing? Come and join us! Sewing supplies and a sewing machine will be available for anyone needing them.

Image credit

⏳ Pico LED Hourglass Workshop
2026-01-11 10:30 - 12:30
Learn to make a programmable game timer and dice with a Pi Pico microcontroller! First you’ll solder six LEDs, two switches, and a vibration motor to the board’s GPIO pins. Then you’ll install and customize the CircuitPython code that makes it work. No experience needed!
You’ll need to buy a kit for $8.50 to complete this project.
• RP2040/Pi Pico board
• wood base w/ pilot holes
• 6 LED lights
• vibration motor
• push button switch
• 4 screws w /spacers
Instructions & starter code
Register
Registration for this event is now closed. We'll offer it again soon!

⚙️ Neo-Luddite Reading Group: 'Technics and Civilization' by Lewis Mumford (moved to Saturday!)
2026-01-10 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.

🚂 Model Internet Club
2026-01-10 10:30 - 12:30
The Model Internet Club is back! Join us every second Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for an informal meetup focused on building small-scale computer networks.
No registration needed for this event! If we run out of space we can expand into our back yard area.

🛠️ D̶i̶g̶i̶t̶a̶l̶ ̶P̶r̶i̶v̶a̶c̶y̶ ̶&̶ ̶A̶u̶t̶o̶n̶o̶m̶y̶ ̶W̶o̶r̶k̶s̶h̶o̶p̶ (postponed 'til March!)
2026-01-09 18:00 - 20:00
We’re postponing this workshop ’til March. Stay tuned for an update!
A workshop/discussion on digital security, tools, and divestment from big tech. Our goal is to find alternate platforms for organizing and day-to-day life.
Bring a laptop if you have one, but it isn’t required.

🚧 Make Your First Website
2026-01-08 18:00 - 20:00
Make a home page like it’s 1999! Join us at Iffy Books for a new workshop called Make Your First Website, led by Ragman a.k.a. Richard Green. You’ll learn the basics of HTML and create a static site on the free hosting service Neocities. No experience necessary!
Please bring a laptop if you have one. We’re suggesting a $5–$25 donation for this workshop, no one turned away for lack of funds.
Register:
Registration for this event is now closed. We'll offer it again soon!

💾☀️ Permacomputing + Solarpunk Meetup
2026-01-07 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)

🏠 IndieWeb Homebrew Website Club
2026-01-04 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!

🔄 Solder & Code: Pico Power Cycler
2026-01-04 10:30 - 12:30
In this workshop you’ll build a gadget that turns power on and off for a USB-powered device. Useful for rebooting solar-powered radios, making decorations blink, etc. No experience with soldering or programming required!
You’ll need to buy a kit for $11.50 to complete this project. Here’s what it contains:
– Pi Pico board with USB-C port
– IRFZ44N MOSFET transistor
– 22 AWG stranded wire pair (4″)
– USB-A port board
– twist tie wire (3″)
– 1″ heat shrink tubing (3″)
– 1/12″ heat shrink tubing (0.5″)
Instructions
Example code
Register
Registration for this event is now closed. Sorry.
Here's a link to future workshops in this series!

💻 Philly 2600 Meetup
2026-01-02 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.

🕰️ Closed January 1st
2026-01-01
We’ll be closed on New Year’s Day. Sorry for the inconvenience!

🪐 Speculative Futures Reading Group
2025-12-31 19:00 - 20:30
The Speculative Futures Reading Group meets on the last Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m.!

📡 Meshtastic 101
2025-12-31 13:00 - 14:30
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:
Registration for this event is now closed. We'll offer it again soon!

🎶 Breadboard MP3 Player Workshop
2025-12-30 12:00 - 13:30
Stay tuned for details!
Instructions & example code
Here’s what’s included in the kit:

Pi Pico board with USB-C port  & pre-soldered header pins
DFplayer MP3 Player module
3W speaker
830 tie point breadboard
2-prong screw terminal
4 push buttons
single-core wire (16″)
mini wire cutter/stripper tool
M2 screw

Here’s what else you’ll need:

microSD card
USB-C cable w/data
small Phillips screwdriver
wire cutters/scissors (optional)

Register:
Registration for this event is now closed. We'll offer it again soon!

🧸 Toy Quieting Workshop
2025-12-28 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-12-27 10:30 - 12:30
Is there a toy in your house that’s so loud it’s driving you up a wall? Are you just curious about electronics and sound? Join us for a hands-on workshop on how to quiet or silence kids’ electronic toys. Bring an electronic toy to modify and we’ll walk you through the steps.
Register:
Registration for this event is now closed. Sorry.
Here's a link to future workshops in this series!
This workshop is now full. We'll offer it again soon!

❄️ Closed December 25th
2025-12-25 08:00 - 17:00
We’ll be closed on December 25th. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Photo CC-BY Alexey Kljatov

🎵 Cassette Mixtape Session
2025-12-21 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-12-20 10:30 - 12:00
Bring a playlist on your phone/computer and we’ll help you record it to an audio cassette tape. We have plenty of tapes to share!
Register:
Registration for this event is now closed. Sorry.
Here's a link to future workshops in this series!
This workshop is now full. We'll offer it again soon!

🔄 Solder & Code: Pico Power Cycler
2025-12-18 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-17 13:00 - 15:00
In this workshop you’ll build a gadget that turns power on and off for a USB-powered device. Useful for rebooting solar-powered radios, making decorations blink, etc. No experience with soldering or programming required!
You’ll need to buy a kit for $11.50 to complete this project. Here’s what it contains:
– Pi Pico board with USB-C port
– IRFZ44N MOSFET transistor
– 22 AWG stranded wire pair (4″)
– USB-A port board
– twist tie wire (3″)
– 1″ heat shrink tubing (3″)
– 1/12″ heat shrink tubing (0.5″)
Instructions
Example code
Register
Registration for this event is now closed. Sorry.
Here's a link to future workshops in this series!
This workshop is now full. We'll offer it again soon!

👁️ Intelligence History Reading Group: 'The Achilles Trap' by Steve Coll
2025-12-17 19:00 - 20:30
This month we’re readingThe Achilles Trap Saddam Hussein, the United States and the Middle East, 1979-2003 by Steve Coll
🎧 Get the audiobook on Libro.fm
The Achilles Trap masterfully untangles the people, ploys of power and geopolitics that led to America’s disastrous war with Iraq and, for the first time, details America’s fundamental miscalculations during its ruinous, decades-long relationship with Saddam Hussein.
Beginning with Saddam’s rise to power in 1979 and the birth of Iraq’s secret nuclear weapons programme, Steve Coll traces Saddam’s motives through understanding his inner circle. He brings to life the diplomats, scientists, family members and generals who had no choice but to defer to their leader – a leader directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, as well as the torture or imprisonment of many more. This was a man whose reasoning was impossible to reduce to a simple explanation, and the CIA and successive presidential administrations failed to grasp critical nuances in his paranoia, resentments and inconsistencies – even when the stakes were incredibly high.
Using unpublished and underreported sources, interviews with surviving participants, and Saddam’s own transcripts and audio files, The Achilles Trap is a remarkable picture of a dictator who was convinced the world was out to get him and acted accordingly. A work of great historical significance, it is the definitive account of how corruptions of power, lies of diplomacy and vanity – on both sides – led to avoidable errors of statecraft: ones that would enact immeasurable human suffering and forever change our political landscape.
