Another title has been added to Project Gutenberg thanks to the efforts of Villanova’s Digital Library. The latest release is A Book of Bryn Mawr Stories, which, as the title suggests, features short fiction about our neighbor, Bryn Mawr College.

The collection was released in 1901, and it serves as an affectionate tribute to a beloved school, a record of traditions that still live on today, and a time capsule of attitudes about college-educated women.  It also contains a few brief references to “Villa Nova” and other spots in the region, just in case you are keeping score.

Putting aside local and historical significance, the book is more of a mixed bag — there aren’t a lot of stories in here that make a lasting impression on the reader who does not have a personal connection to Bryn Mawr, though there are at least a couple of tales that work reasonably well in their own right.  Given that most people aren’t approaching an obscure 1901 short story collection solely for its literary merit, these above-average tales serve as a nice little bonus.

The book can be read online or downloaded in a variety of popular eBook formats through Project Gutenberg.