The Swarthmore Booksmith

The Swarthmore Booksmith has been the intellectual center of this small Delaware County borough since 2001, drawing energy from the renowned liberal arts college that shares its name. Owner Joanna Prescott, a Swarthmore College alumna, designed the store as a space where rigorous ideas and accessible bookselling coexist, with sections that reflect the community's passionate engagement with social justice, environmental stewardship, and political philosophy. The literary fiction selection is carefully curated to include both celebrated authors and translated works from around the world, reflecting the college's global outlook. A comfortable cafe area serves as an informal meeting place for book clubs, study groups, and neighbors catching up over coffee. The store's community bulletin board is always full, a testament to its role as the connective tissue of village life, and its events calendar features a steady stream of authors, activists, and thinkers who find a thoughtful and engaged audience here.