The climate control in the library can be extreme, especially in summer (when it can be freezing inside!) Researchers are advised to dress in layers and include a warm jacket or sweater.

We allow photography of most materials, so you may wish to bring a digital camera or use your cell phone camera.

Swarthmore College encourages persons with disabilities to visit our spaces. Comprehensive, detailed access guides of our campus including McCabe Library are available from AccessAble. If you have any accessibility or mobility needs for accommodations, please let us know. 

Use the Swarthmore College Campus Map page to find an interactive campus map, a printable map [PDF], and online campus tours, including a page devoted to the Libraries. Comprehensive, detailed access guides of our campus including McCabe Library are also available from AccessAble.

While the College does not provide Library and Special Collections specific information once you've arrived on campus, the Driving Directions are useful.

Learn about Public Transportation options.

Explore the many local lodging options here. 

• Visitors to Friends Historical Library may be especially interested in knowing about staying at Pendle Hill, a Quaker Retreat Center a 5-minute drive or a 30-minute walk from campus. It is significantly more affordably priced than nearby hotels. Their bed & breakfast service is perfect for short stays. Some of our visitors working on larger research projects choose Pendle Hill for longer-term sabbatical or personal retreat accommodations.
• If you are exploring short-term rentals, you can search for "Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA" and find our library close to the arboretum marker. For more numerous and affordable options, and to be closer to Center City, you may choose to stay in West Philadelphia and take the SEPTA regional transit train from the station on 49th Street between Chester Ave and Kingsessing Ave. Many of our staff live in this area, but it is an urban environment and travelers who are used to being in a city and are able to be aware of their surroundings will be most comfortable here. We recommend staying northeast of the station: search Airbnb for "Cedar Park, Philadelphia."

The most convenient option is the campus Dining Center, which includes a full service dining hall while classes are in session, and "Essie's Corner" snack bar year round. Essie's offers made-to-order sandwiches and grain bowls, plus a selection of snacks and prepared items. (Note that the two coffee bars on campus, in Kohlberg and Science Center, are keycard-access only, limited to the campus community.)

There are also numerous dining options in the Swarthmore town center near the train station, less than a 10-minute walk away. 

The Visitor Parking information on the Swarthmore College website outlines several options. It will help to know that McCabe Library is located directly adjacent to the Scott Arboretum, and so following directions to that location will get you very close to Special Collections. Additionally, there are several accessible parking spaces available very near the Library and beside the Rose Garden.