Most Friends Historical Library materials have not been digitized, so if you want to see them, you will need to come to the Reading Room in person. Search our catalogs before your visit:

• Tripod: find books and periodicals. After entering your search, you may refine your search to items at: Swarthmore: Friends Historical Library
• Archives and Manuscripts: find archival materials and manuscripts, read collection descriptions and summaries, and learn of any limitations on particular collection access.
  • Use this guide to learn how to get the most out of the Archives and Manuscripts site, especially if searching for archival material is new to you.

Most of our digitized collections may be found on the TriCollege Libraries Digital Collections site.

There are a few things in other places, so if you don't find what you're looking for, reach out via friends@swarthmore.edu for help!

Digital Exhibits + Projects make use of primary resources in our collections presented in modern ways to enrich our understanding of history and present opportunities to explore data sets, digital timelines, maps, digitized manuscripts and transcriptions, and social relationships to help contemporary people understand Quaker history, Swarthmore College history, and American and African American history.

Browse our selections of popular topics in Quaker History and links to related resources.