Bryn Mawr Book Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts is celebrating its 50th anniversary and its special connection to Montgomery County, writes Madeleine Aitken for Cambridge Day.

The used bookstore is one of 10 in the Northeast that was opened by Bryn Mawr College graduates to help raise scholarship funds for current students.

Founded in 1971, Cambridge’s store, and The Lantern in Washington, D.C. are the only two left.

Jan Gardener, a former writer for the Boston Globe, wrote a 22-page booklet on the store’s history to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

“The First 50 Years: A History of the Bryn Mawr Book Store in Cambridge” will be a part of the store’s celebration this month.

“I am very happy to have the history of the bookstore documented with such colorful details and commentary,” Bryn Mawr Bookstore president Melissa Vaughn said in a statement.

The bookstore is run by volunteers who sell donated books. Sales profits are used to create scholarships for students at Bryn Mawr College. Many of the store volunteers are Bryn Mawr College alumni.

In 1971, the store made a profit of $14,000, all of which went to scholarships. The total amount of scholarship money the store has raised is now more than $2 million.

Read more about the connection between a Cambridge, Massachusetts bookstore and Bryn Mawr College in Cambridge Day.

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