Scholarship Spotlight: Firefly Bookstore Scholarship

For Rebecca Laincz and Matthew Williams, the Firefly Bookstore in Kutztown is more than a place where new and used books are sold—it’s a community haven.  

“Places like bookstores and libraries are safe spaces,” Matt shared. “Places we’d be happy to spend an entire afternoon in.”

“Creating that for school-age and college-age people has been important to us,” Rebecca added.

Rebecca is a Kutztown native. Her father, Paul Laincz, taught photography at Kutztown University for many years and still keeps up with former students. With the Firefly just down the street from campus, its connection to Golden Bears is evident.

Since its opening in 2012, the Firefly has become a gathering place for groups with shared interests in books, knitting and crafting, gaming, and more. Among these assemblies—and in the crowd at talks and events—are a mix of KU students, alumni, and other locals. It’s even become a new favorite of KU’s president, Dr. Philip Cavalier.

“Bookstores are special spaces that are often third spaces,” Matt said. “We are a gathering place. We are a community.”

In 2017, Matt and Rebecca moved the Firefly to its current location at 271 W. Main Street with the goal of continuing to meet the diverse needs and interests of those in and around Kutztown. Now, the two have come up with a new way to lend support to others.

Beginning in fall 2026, KU will award the Firefly Bookstore Scholarship to an undergraduate student studying library science.

“We know that working toward a higher education degree has become financially difficult, and we want to help,” Rebecca said.

The pair also discussed the importance of stories, primary sources, and archival efforts. Through the Firefly Bookstore Scholarship, philanthropy can support the work they see as vital.

“Library science is a critical-need profession,” Matt shared. At its core, their giving is rooted in helping students: “so they can go out and spread the love of books and community-building.”