The Sawyer Free Library’s Romance Book Club đź’– will meet on Thursday, April 27 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss this month’s selection Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. Click HERE to register or visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org
Copies of the book are available now at the Library.
The group will meet at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street, Gloucester.
YGSC: Solar System Explorers – The Young Gloucester Scientists Club is hosting a live virtual interactive journey through our Solar System with experts from Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University. This program is suitable for 4th-8th graders. Registration is required to receive the link. This program is virtual, should a device be needed reach out to Teen Librarian Marisa.
Astronomy Take & Make Universe in a Jar – a take home kit for tweens and teens with hands on astronomy activities. For students in grades 4-8. Registration is required for each child individually. Pick up begins Tues, and continues through Friday.
YSGC Field Trip: Star-Gazing at Halibut Point State Park – SFL’s Young Gloucester Scientist Club is hosting an evening of night-sky observations with the Gloucester Area Astronomy Club. Students, grades 4th through 8th, and their families, will use telescopes, chat with experts and do some hand-on astronomy activities at this late-night Field Trip to Halibut Point State Park located at 4 Gott Ave, Rockport, MA. Registration is required.
Questions? Contact Teen Librarian Marisa Hall at mhall@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5549.
Every ninth grader at Gloucester High School is represented in the Tween | Teen Zone at SFL @ 21 Main Street with squares they designed to ‘speak’ for themselves.
The public is invited to come and see this beautiful collaborative collage!
The students participated in this collaborative art activity as part of a Library Information Session that Gloucester High School coordinated by SFL Teen Librarian Meg O’Neil and GHS Librarian Samantha Teixeira.
During Teen Librarian Meg’s visits to Gloucester High School, she had an opportunity to share all about library resources and facilities, ensuring that all students have an SFL card and know about the Tween and Teen Zone as a free, public, safe community space.
For more information about the SFL Tween/Teen Zone at www.sawyerfreelibrary.org or visit Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street, Gloucester.
Sawyer Free Library‘s Children’s Services presents Storytime Yoga for children 5 and under with Erin McKay of Treetop Yoga.
This free program will be held, starting this week, on the first TUESDAY of the month: April 4, May 2, & June 6 at 10:45am at Treetop Yoga Studio located at 3A Pond Road in Gloucester.
Register HERE for this joyful morning exploring stories, movement and fun at Treetop Yoga Studio at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
If you have questions, visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org or contact: jvitale@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-515-6349.
April is National Poetry Month AND the Sawyer Free Library is hosting its annual Poetry without Poetry Contest until May 14.
To get local teens’ poetic creative juices flowing, the Library is hosting a series of “Poetry and Popcorn” writing workshops. From Monday, April 3 through Friday, April 7, anytime between 3:00 and 4:00 pm, all teens are invited to SFL at 21 Main to enjoy popcorn and an afternoon of poetry writing.
Munch on popcorn (and lollipops, too!) and write your poems, or join Community Librarian Mrs. O’Neill in creating spatial poetry in which together you will reimagine maps, consider issues of place naming, and develop a renewed understanding of place and belonging.
Drop into SFL @ 21 Main Street this week at any time between 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Registration is not required. If you have questions, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or contact moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5562.
Sawyer Free Library to host Whale Watch Naturalist Cindy McInnis and her life-sized inflatable whale THIS FRIDAY, March 31, 3:30–5:30 pm, at Gloucester City Hall in Kyrouz Auditorium, as part of its Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club.Â
Kids can meet “Nile,” a representation of a 35-year-old adult female humpback whale based on a real humpback whale that frequents Gloucester’s coastal waters. They will have the opportunity to step inside the 43-foot long and 30-foot wide inflatable humpback and learn how whales are similar and different from humans in this interactive program. They will learn about Nile’s migratory path, how many calves she’s had, and how researchers came to this information. Artifacts such as baleen, teeth, and bones will be available for children to see and feel as a part of this interactive program.
The Whalemobile program is suitable for 2nd-8th graders, ages 6 and up. It is free and open to all to attend, although registration is required for each young scientist planning on stepping into the whale.
Please register HERE or sawyerfreelibrary.org. People can sign up in half-hour intervals starting at 4:00 pm and ending at 5:30 pm. Â
The event will take place in Kyrouz Auditorium on the second floor of Gloucester City Hall located at 9 Dale Avenue. Â
To learn more about the program or upcoming events, visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org or call 978-325-5506.
It will be a whale of a time at Gloucester City Hall on Friday afternoon, March 31st, when the Sawyer Free Library hosts Whale Watch Naturalist Cindy McInnis and her life-sized inflatable whale from 3:30–5:30 pm, in Kyrouz Auditorium, as part of its Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club.Â
Young Scientists will have the opportunity to step inside Nile, the 43-foot long and 30-foot wide inflatable humpback, and learn how whales are similar and different from humans in this interactive program. They will learn about Nile’s migratory path, how many calves she’s had, and how researchers came to this information. Artifacts such as baleen, teeth, and bones will be available for children to see and feel as a part of this interactive program.
The Whalemobile program is suitable for 2nd-8th graders, ages 7 and up. It is free and open to all to attend, although registration is required for each young scientist planning on stepping into the whale. Please register on the calendar page of the SFL website. People can sign up in half-hour intervals starting at 3:30 pm and ending at 5:30 pm on the calendar page of SawyerFreeLibrary.org.  The event will take place in Kyrouz Auditorium on the second floor of Gloucester City Hall located at 9 Dale Avenue.
The Young Gloucester Scientists Club is a monthly club for 4th through 8th graders, which takes a hands-on approach to learning, building community connections, and encouraging local youth to actively think like scientists by observing, questioning, and experimenting with the world around them.Â
In addition to monthly field trips in the community, circulating Kits and library-produced Digital Content provide children with fun learning activities to do at home and in-person family programming that introduces them to Gloucester Community members with careers across a variety of STEM fields.
To learn more about the program or upcoming events, visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org.
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the Sawyer Free Library @ 21 Main Street is hosting a “Literary St. Patrick’s Day Party” on Tuesday, March 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. The evening is free and open to all to come and enjoy!Â
Local harpist Moira Kelly will open the evening at 5:15 p.m. with a lively and interactive performance of traditional Celtic music.Â
Then at 6:15 p.m., Massachusetts author Robert T. McMaster will introduce his latest novel, Rose of Glenkerry: A County Wicklow Mystery.  He will present via Zoom, which will be broadcast at the Library for viewing. Both a mystery and a touching love story, the book is set amid the incomparable scenery of Ireland’s County Wicklow. Bob will read excerpts from his book, accompanied by images and music of the Emerald Isle.Â
McMaster is a native of Southbridge, Massachusetts, with family ties to Ireland. He has also authored The Trolley Days Series, set in Massachusetts in the World War I era, and a biography of pioneering dinosaur scientist Edward Hitchcock, All the Light here Comes from Above: The Life and Legacy of Edward Hitchcock.
Festive refreshments will also be provided. Though registration is not required, the first three to fill out a registration form will receive a free copy of the book!
For more information visit, sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5562.Â
Monday, March 13, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
A conversation with New York Times bestselling author David Epstein as he chats about his most recent book, Range: Why Generalist Triumph in a Specialized World.
What’s the most effective path to success in any domain? It’s not what you think.
Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you’ll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule.
David Epstein examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters, and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable—generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, juggling many interests rather than focusing on one. They’re also more creative, agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can’t see.
Provocative, rigorous, and engrossing, Range makes a compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. As experts silo themselves further while computers master more of the skills once reserved for highly focused humans, people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive.
About the Author: David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World and of the New York Times bestseller The Sports Gene, both of which have been translated into more than 20 languages. His writing has been honored by an array of organizations, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, to the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Center on Disability and Journalism, and has been included in the Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology. His story “Following the Trail of Broken Hearts,” on sudden cardiac death in athletes, was chosen as one of the top 100 stories of the last 100 years by Columbia Journalism alumni. He has master’s degrees in environmental science and journalism and lives in Washington, DC.
To receive the link for this free online event register at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Tuesday, March 21, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
A delicious chat with celebrity chef Jernard Wells which will leave you starving for more as he discusses his newest cookbook, Southern Inspired: More Than 100 Delicious Dishes from My American Table to Yours.
Delicious and inventive recipes that remix the traditional flavors and classic dishes of Southern food and celebrate African-American culinary contributions to tables worldwide—from the host of CLEO TV’s New Soul Kitchen. After growing up in Mississippi, Jernard Wells brought the familiar dishes and bold flavors of the South along his culinary journey to become a chef, restaurateur, and TV host. With Southern Inspired, Jernard continues his journey—retracing the steps of generations of African American cooks whose creations have contributed to global kitchen tables since slavery. Southern food defines American food at large, and Chef Jernard takes it to a whole new level while still honoring its roots. Chef Jernard also brings in flavors from the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, and Europe, always with his signature Southern flair. This cookbook shares 100 recipes that are approachable for both beginners and more experienced cooks.
About the Author: Jernard Wells is an Award Winning TV Host/Celebrity Chef/Bestselling Cookbook Author. He is the host of “New Soul Kitchen” & “New Soul Kitchen Remix” on CLEO TV and is well-known for appearing on numerous cooking shows on Food Network & Cooking Channel over the last decade. Wells has worked with Tyler Perry, NBA Allstar Brandon Ingram, Lady Antebellum, Tom Joyner, New Edition &BBD. He has been featured on “Today Show“, “Good Morning America”, PEOPLE, “Steve Harvey Morning Show“, “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show”, ESSENCE, “Daily Blast Live”, USA Today, Lifetime, Oprah Winfrey Network to name a few. The James Beard House Honored Chef is affectionately called “The Family Chef” because he loves using food to promote positive family images. He and his wife of 25 years have 9 children and live in the Atlanta area.
To receive the link for this free online event register at sawyerfreelibrary.org
Tuesday, March 28, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
New York Times bestselling historical fiction author Pam Jenoff will take us on an exciting trip through time as she shares the details of her newest book, Code Name Sapphire, where a woman must rescue her cousin’s family from a train bound for Auschwitz in this riveting tale of bravery and resistance.
It’s 1942 and Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to escape occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.
Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Mateo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties. How much is Hannah willing to sacrifice to save the people she loves? Inspired by incredible true stories of courage and sacrifice, Code Name Sapphire is a powerful novel about love, family and the unshakable resilience of women in even the hardest of times.
About the Author: Pam Jenoff was born in Maryland and raised outside Philadelphia. She attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Cambridge University in England. Upon receiving her master’s in history from Cambridge, she accepted an appointment as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Following her work at the Pentagon, Pam moved to the State Department. Pam left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. She now teaches law school at Rutgers.
Pam is the NYT bestselling author of The Woman With The Blue Star, The Lost Girls of Paris, The Orphan’s Tale, The Kommandant’s Girl, The Diplomat’s Wife, The Ambassador’s Daughter, The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach, The Winter Guest, The Things We Cherished, Almost Home, and A Hidden Affair. She also authored a short story in the anthology Grand Central: Original Postwar Stories of Love and Reunion. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband, three children, dog, cat, lizard and bird.
To receive the link for this free online event register at sawyerfreelibrary.org
SFL’s Young Scientist Club will be meeting this Friday, February 24th from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at Sawyer Free Library @ 21 Main Street.
This month’s meetings features the work of Kate Sampson, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sea Turtle Stranding and Disentanglement Coordinator and Sphero Robots. The program is suitable for students 4th – 8th grade. Register HERE.
Cape Ann Community 