The Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library Corporation will be hosting its Annual Meeting on Wednesday evening, November 15, 2023, at the Gloucester Stage located at 267 East Main Street in Gloucester from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. with corporators sign-in beginning at 6:00 p.m.
The meeting will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with a welcome by the President of the Library’s Board of Trustees, Mern Sibley, followed by remarks by Mayor Greg Verga. A construction update of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library renovation, modernization, and expansion project will be provided by Jon Rich, president of the construction management firm W.T. Rich. In addition, new members of the Library Corporation and Board of Trustees will be elected, and the Mary M. Weissblum Volunteer Award will be presented to Kecia German for her years of service to the Library. The evening will also feature a special presentation to Beth Pocock, who recently retired after a decade of exceptional service as the Assistant Library Director.
Refreshments will be served. The meeting is open to the public, but only corporators can vote. For more information, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.
This Saturday, November 4 from 10:30 to 11:15 am join local author Katherine (Gig) Babson and Pippi her black Labrador retriever at Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street as they share their newest picture book. Hear stories from their many outdoor adventures at Dogtown, a favorite local spot of theirs on Cape Ann. The 26 Babson Boulders, which are engraved with inspirational inscriptions such as Kindness, Courage, & Never Try, Never Win are featured in their outdoor Dogtown adventures as well as Pippi’s training!
Pippi Rocks, More Stores from the Dog Blog is a charming tale of a curious, exceedingly clever Young Dog’s exploits. The antics of Pippi are non-stop in these tales of her mischievous adventures by Katherine (Gig) Babson. The book is a warm and inspiring affirmation of how a dog’s and its owner’s reciprocal love brings deep and unique meaning to their lives.
Registration is not required. All are welcome! For more information visit, sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.
All are welcome to the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street on Thursday, October 19 at 5:30pm for an engaging talk with local author Karin Gertsch, who will discuss her debut novel Five Wishes, a heartwarming Massachusetts-based story about history, love, and lore. All are welcome. No registration is required.
Five Wishes is about the MacInnes family, who live in a small New England town called Hamlet. Husband, Delbert MacInnes, was born and raised in Hamlet and is content to remain grounded, while his wife, Matilda, has been itching to make her dreams come true. Over the years her wish list was amended several times—her patience is wearing thin. When an unexpected event happens, Matilda learns that Delbert has kept a secret from her for decades. But, then, she’s never shared her precious secret with him. Five Wishes takes the reader on journeys from Hamlet to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, then overseas to an ancient castle in Scotland, before venturing back to the cozy Cape Cod-style home at Five Cedar Street, where a freshly-brewed cup of Darjeeling tea is waiting at the breakfast table.
Karin Gertsch is the author of Cape Ann & Vicinity: A Guide for Residents and Visitors, as well as Flora Has an Adventure, a children’s book for ages 3-8. The author is currently working on her second novel as well as a series of Flora stories for children. Karin will share about the research process for her novel, as well as the processes for researching and creating a travel guide and a children’s book.
All are welcome. No registration required. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.
Join Sawyer Free Libraryand Backyard Growers on Saturday, October 14 from 10 to 11 a.m. to hear pumpkin stories while decorating your own pumpkin. All supplies and pumpkins will be provided.
Prepare for spooky vibes at 21 Main Street this Friday, October 13 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. as the Sawyer Free Library dim the lights and set the stage for not just one, but TWO local authors who will share hauntingly fun details from their books. This event is designed for teens and tween (6 to 12th graders).
Alyssa Alessi is a Boston native who has always loved all things spooky. Her debut middle grade book is entitled Izzy Hoffman Is Not A Witch. She writes stories for tween, teen, and adult audiences that are inspired by the macabre vibes of New England. She enjoys writing for young readers and fueling their excitement for discovering their interests… especially when their interests include witches, vampires, werewolves, and UFOs!
E.C. Hanson lives in Salem, Massachusetts. He earned his MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU and was the recipient of an “Outstanding Writing For The Screen” certificate. His work has been published by Smith & Kraus and Applause Books in 8 play anthologies. More than 35 of his short plays have been developed and produced in the United States. He has written three books of horror fiction. They include: All Things Deadly (Salem Stories), Wicked Blood, and Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies.
This event is designed for teens and tween (6 to 12th graders). No registration is needed. For more information call the Library at 978-325-5500 or email moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org. Sawyer Free Library programming information can be found at sawyerfreelibray.org
Sawyer Free Library is pleased to welcome local author, JoeAnn Harton Thursday, October 12, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 21 Main Street as she discusses her new collection of short fiction, Highwire Act & Other Tales of Survival.
The 2022 Winner of the Hudson Prize, this collection of short fiction has characters that struggle with COVID, ecological destruction, and grief as they attempt to find solace and restoration from a nature that is not always in a position to give back. In the profound stories from Highwire Act & Other Tales of Survival, the climate crisis arrives not just as strange and violent weather, but as upheavals in our political and emotional climates as well. As characters struggle for survival with COVID, ecological destruction, grief, or mental illness, they attempt to find solace and restoration from a nature that is increasingly no longer in a position to give back. And with science unable to keep up, fake suicides, fairy tales, and delusion are the thorny tools humans are left with to carry on, yet carry on they do.
All are welcome for this special night with JoeAnn Hart at SFL at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.
To learn more or if you have questions about the event, call 978-325-5500 or email moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org. The event is free, open to the public. Registration is not necessary.
To learn about all the events happening at SFL@21 Main Street visit: sawyerfreelibrary.org
This Saturday morning, October 7 at 10:30 a.m. everyone is invited to join Karin Gertsch, local children’s author of Flora Has An Adventure, at the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street in Gloucester. The Essex author will shares her story about Flora, an Ameraucana chicken, and her adventure spending the day on an outing away from the farm. Children will get the chance to meet Karin’s life-size, hand-made Ameraucana chicken and handle her soft, real chicken feathers. The author will also offer facts about chickens and answer questions.
The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to announce the highly anticipated groundbreaking celebration for its historic renovation, modernization, and expansion project, a momentous event marking the commencement of an ambitious project that will transform the heart of the community.
The 2025 Sawyer Free Library groundbreaking celebration will occur on Friday, September 29, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester, taking place rain or shine in the tented parking lot.
The community is invited to attend this exciting local history-making event as we symbolically break ground and set the foundation for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library. All ages are welcome. The festive afternoon will include a speaking program with local elected officials and Library leaders, the first ceremonial shovel hitting the ground, and refreshments and music for everyone to enjoy.
“I am truly excited about this groundbreaking and what it means for our community. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be an asset for every resident of Gloucester and beyond,” said Mayor Greg Verga. “This is a fantastic way to round out our 400th anniversary as we look forward to the next century. “
“For nearly a decade, the Sawyer Free Library has been planning to transform our historic facility into a reimagined space that better meets the community’s needs. Now as we prepare to officially break ground on this wonderful public project, you can feel the excitement,” said Mern Sibley, president of the Library’s Board of Trustees. “The Sawyer Free Library 2025 will be a source of pride worthy of our heritage and future – reflecting the essence of the city and where technology, community engagement, and a commitment to learning come together.” Adding, “We are grateful for the tremendous engagement, support, and investment from everyone who have helped us reach this historic milestone and continue to work with us to bring the City of Gloucester the 21st-century Library it so needs and deserves.”
“We are so proud to reach this milestone, celebrate the kick off of this transformative project with our community and begin the next chapter of the Sawyer Free Library’s history,” said Jenny Benedict, the Library’s Director. “The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be a welcoming and comfortable community space for all people to connect with our community’s storied past, enrich their current lives and feel empowered to face an ever-changing future. Its new community spaces amplify opportunities for involving people, as we have for more than 140 years, in public forums that foster a spirit of community and participation.”
“Sawyer Free Library is one of Cape Ann’s treasured gems, and this groundbreaking represents both a monumental milestone and a cause for celebration,” said John Brennan, president of the Sawyer Library Foundation. “But this community’s work isn’t done. The philanthropic capital campaign is still $11 million dollars away from fully funding this project, so anyone who is able should do their best to contribute whatever they can to help remake our beloved institution.”
The visionary design, created collaboratively by a team comprised of Oudens Ello Architecture and Dore + Whittier Architecture, Construction Management Firm W.T. Rich and Library project leaders, along with the vital input of the citizens of Gloucester, integrates three distinct structures with complete interior renovations of the Library’s existing 1976 and 1913 buildings and a new 14,000 sq. ft. addition. The architecture of the Library will seamlessly blend the old and the new, creating a structure that harmoniously combines tradition with innovation.
As a LEED Gold building with advanced sustainability features, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library will also serve as a leading example of actions that can be taken in designing and operating a building to protect climate and nature based on design principles that put people first. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library is the first of its kind on Cape Ann–a next generation public building with an all-electric heating and cooling system powered by renewable clean energy generated onsite. The renovated and expanded Library will optimize natural resources and light, ensure excellent air quality, prioritize public safety, and promote accessibility for all community members.
The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will offer current and emerging public technology, diverse collections, engaging programs, and new dedicated spaces for collaboration, learning, and relaxation. It will feature a digital maker space, audio and video recording studios, a 100-seat community room with state-of-the-science media presentation equipment, a research center for Gloucester history, a dedicated teen room, a beautiful expanded children’s room with an early literacy center for toddlers, study rooms for individual and group study, a 16-seat conference room, and much more. With its modern and sustainable design, the Library will provide an inspiring environment for library patrons, staff, the community, and beyond.
The Sawyer Free Library is committed to securing the funds for the $29 million transformational project and, to date, has over $17.5 million committed, including approximately $10.3 million in grants from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP) and Green Library Incentives. The Sawyer Library Foundation will continue to seek funding through individual and corporate donors, federal, state, and municipal government grants, and nonprofit foundations. To learn how you can donate or get involved, visit www.sawyerfree2025.org.
The 2025 Sawyer Free will be constructed by W.T. Rich Company of Beverly, MA. Scheduled to begin in mid-October, the project is expected to take eighteen months and be completed in mid 2025. The Library is currently operating at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.
For more information about the 2025 Sawyer Free Library project and the groundbreaking ceremony, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978.325.5500.
The Sawyer Free 2025 campaign is grateful for the tremendous engagement and investment at every level from all parts of the community but we still need the community’s help. To learn how you can be a part of making the new Sawyer Free Library a reality, visit www.sawyerfree2025.org.
The Sawyer Free Libraryis excited to welcome author Taylor Tyng to speak about his new book for middle-grade readers (ages 8-12), Clara Poole and the Long Way Round, on Friday, September 15 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. The free event will be at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.
Make your own hot air balloons as you listen to the fun and engaging author read from his new middle-grade nove! It is Mr. Lemoncello meets the Amazing Race, in this quirky high-octane balloon-racing middle-grade around-the-world adventure.
The Bookstore of Gloucester will be selling books at the event; Tyng will be signing books after the talk and Q&A. If you cannot be there in person, you can pre order a book to be signed by the author by calling the store at 978-281-1548.
This program is suitable for grades 4th-8th. Click HERE to register. Registration required as space is limited. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org
Join theSawyer Free Library for a fun LEGO-filled community eventTHIS Saturday, September 16, from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at 20 Main Street in downtown Gloucester, right across from the Sawyer Free Library temporary location.
Build your own library-inspired LEGO creation with the help of a certified LEGO Master from the LEGO Discovery Center Boston. Check out the specially commissioned LEGO model replica of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library. Have fun creating with LEGOs along with face painting, prizes, music, and more!
All are invited to this FREE community celebration of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library’s upcoming community groundbreaking which is taking place on Friday, September 29th!
For more information on the LEGO event or the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Groundbreaking visit: sawyerfreelibrary.org
The SawyerFree2025.org campaign depends on the generosity of supporters like you.
We still need your help. Make the new Sawyer Free Library a reality- donate now!
Cape Ann Community 