McCabe Library is the center of the College Libraries system. The Circulation, Technical Services and Reference Departments occupy the main floor. Other facilities include study carrels, lounges, computers for student use, conference rooms, and faculty studies. Circulation policies and Reserve information are provided for members of the Swarthmore College community. Visitors should contact the Library at (610) 328-8477 for information.
| Reference Services | Reference Desk Hours | |
| During the semester, reference librarians provide consultation at the Reference Desk and by appointment. The Swarthmore College Libraries have divisional librarians for the Humanities (x8492), Social Sciences (x5786), Natural Sciences and Engineering (x7685), and Music and Dance (x8231). Students should see these librarians for assistance with research projects. |
McCabe Library Monday - Thursday: 11am - 5pm; 7pm - 10pm Friday: 11am - 5pm Sunday: 7pm - 10pm |
Cornell Library Monday - Friday: 8:15am - 4:30pm Underhill Library Monday - Friday: 9am - 4:30pm |
Documents Collection: The Libraries are a selective depository for United States government official publications. Selected documents from state and foreign governments and international organizations are also received. All documents are listed in TRIPOD.
Video: The video collection contains over 1200 plays, classic films and documentaries. Several films are also available in Laserdisc format. Videos and laserdiscs are listed on TRIPOD. An alphabetical list of videos in the collection is available.
McCabe Special Collections: Special Collections contains three groups of books. Rare Book Room books are rare or valuable and include the Bathe Collection in the history of technology; a fine-printing collection; and a collection of editions of the English poets James Thomson, William Wordsworth, and W. H. Auden. British-Americana contains accounts of travel by Britons in North America. Swarthmoreana contains books by alumni and students, and publications by and about the College. Most Swarthmoreana books circulate normally, but other Special Collections materials must be used by arrangement in the library.