Library Storytime at 21 Main with Tricia!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Every Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:15 am

The Sawyer Free Library is thrilled to bring storytime back to 21 Main Street! Starting August 28th, join the Library every Wednesday morning from 10:30 to 11:15 am for a fun and interactive experience with the new Children’s Librarian, Tricia Balsan. Children of all ages, along with their caregivers, are welcome to participate in this engaging session where everyone moves, sings, plays, and shares stories together. Tricia, a picturebook enthusiast, will share some of her favorite books and introduce both kids and adults to the unique art and design elements that make these stories special.

No registration is required. If you have questions, call 978-325-5500 or visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.




Rarified Air: One Passionate Birder’s Big Year Quest with Gino Ellison 

~ Sawyer Free Library

Thursday, August 29, 5:00 to 6:30 pm: Big Year Birder, Gino Ellison at Sawyer Free Library

How many different bird species could you dream of seeing, capturing a sound recording of, or photographing, from January 1 to December 31 of any given year? Have you ever considered doing an ABA (American Birding Association) Birding Big Year? How about a county or statewide Big Year? Why would you want to even do one? How does one plan out all the logistics to ensure that each of the important states are visited at the most opportune times? Can you do this alone, or do you need to seek out help? If you find yourself asking any of these questions, or are just interested in birds and birding, read on!

On August 29th from 5:00 to 6:30 pm, the Sawyer Free Library will host Rarified Air – One Passionate Birders’ Big Year Quest, with Gene (Gino) Ellison.

Come and meet Big Year Birder, Gino Ellison, and see tons of beautiful bird photographs, while also hearing one birder’s tale about a 12-month quest of a life time. Learn about the mishaps, the successes, the lessons learned along the way, the hilarious birding stories, the new life-time friends made on the journey, and the joy of reporting 801 bird species during 2023! 

Be warned… if you attend, you just might get the urge to plan a Big Year yourself! 

This will be a 1 hour presentation, followed by a brief question and answer session*.

More about Gino:

Eugene (Gino) Ellison, is a lifetime resident of Massachusetts. He is happily married to his wonderful wife Kate (38 years) and they have three fun kids and four active grandkids. Gino is now retired from the investment business as well as the Professional Bass Fishing Tournament circuit. Gino has been affiliated with Bass Pro Shops for over 25 years and still makes several store appearances each year. Gino is a hunter, fisherman, conservationist and passionate birder who leads dozens of walks in Massachusetts. He greatly enjoys volunteering with Mass Wildlife and with Mass Audubon at their family birding and fishing events. Gino just completed a successful ABA Birding Big Year in 2023 and is scheduled to speak at birding festivals and clubs around New England and nationwide.

The event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street located in downtown Gloucester. No registration is needed. All are welcome to attend. If you have questions, visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

Culture Splash Spotlight: “Fishermen’s Ballads and Songs of Sea 150 Years On” at Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

Sawyer Free Library is thrilled host Discover Gloucester’s Culture Splash spotlight event on Thursday, August 22, 5:00 to 6:30 pm. Gloucester singer and song-searcher Michael O’Leary will share a talk and performance based on pieces in the book Fishermen’s Ballads and Songs of the Sea, published in 1874 by the Procter Bros. of Gloucester. It is a collection of 120 pieces by a wide array of authors, both women and men, a few known widely, many known only locally or not at all, and some anonymous or pseudonymous. It’s a literary, musical, and folkloric time capsule of Gloucester, and 2024 is the 150th anniversary of its publication.  Registration for this special event is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org

This program is supported in part by grants from the Gloucester and Manchester Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Registration for this special event is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500 or email jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Rockport PTO Holiday Fair Vendor Sign Up

~ rebsly

Rockport PTO Holiday Fair

Saturday, November 16, 2024

To be a vendor at the Rockport PTO Holiday Fair, please fill out the information in the link below and submit it with your payment of $60.00 for a 6 or 8-foot table. It is $60.00 per table that you order and payment upon this form filled out is highly encouraged to guarantee your spot for the fair and of course, placement is on a first paid basis. We will provide tables, tablecloths, and chairs. You will be able to set up the night before or the morning of the fair. We will have all raffles, bake sales or used items in the main entry way of the school.

You must donate one handcrafted item for a fundraising raffle for the PTO. We will collect your item when you are setting up your table.

We cannot guarantee special requests but will do our best to accommodate them.

Tables will only be reserved with full payment.

For more information and any questions please email rockportptoholidayfair@gmail.com.

We accept payment via Venmo: Rockport-PTO Or a check made payable to Rockport PTO.

Please mail the check to: Rockport PTO, P.O. Box 837 Rockport MA, 01966

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLmzsClBmXCn8uB7kIdyOdBUgM_PhdKPCMxBhzI64MiiU18Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

50+ Job Seekers Networking Group – this week’s topic: “Career Story: Tell Me A Bit About Yourself”

~ Sawyer Free Library

VIRTUAL MEETINGS: Wednesday, August 21

The Massachusetts Library Collaborative’s 50+ Job Seekers Group meets via Zoom on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30am to 11:30am. Informal networking takes place from 9am to 9:30am and 11:30am to noon. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your “Encore Career,” this networking group program is perfect for you! Remember, 85% of jobs are found through networking! Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Join us in a professional forum for networking with peers in a safe and comfortable environment conducive to developing new relationships and developing skills and strategies to help in your career transition. Each meeting features a new topic. Meetings include a presentation and interactive workshop on topics relevant to career transition, guest speakers, access to hiring managers, small group breakout rooms to network, and 1-on-1 coaching guidance. Participating on a regular basis will give job seekers the many tools and strategies needed for a successful job search.

Each biweekly meeting is facilitated by Deborah Hope, MBA, PCIC, an experienced executive career coach. Deborah is a former Fortune 500 executive, investment banker and entrepreneur. She transitioned to executive coaching over 12 years ago. Deborah has coached with Harvard Business School Executive Education programs and the Massachusetts Conference for Women. She has been trained or certified in a variety of coaching models and assessment tools. Deborah has facilitated 50+ job seekers networking groups since 2016.

The August 21 the topic is Career Story: “Tell Me A Bit About Yourself.” This group is sponsored by approximately 50 Massachusetts public libraries.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. Register HERE

Questions? Contact Meg O’Neill at 978-325-5562 or moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org

Digging into Gardening at the Library with Cheryl Rafuse of Plant Magic Gardens

~ Sawyer Free Library

On Wednesday, August 21 from 4:30 to 5:30 pm join the Sawyer Free Library for “Digging into Gardening with Cheryl Rafuse of Plant Magic Gardens” at 21 Main Street in Gloucester.

Are you interested in planting native plants to support local ecosystems? Would you like insight into what’s a weed and what you should leave and not pull? North Shore native plant gardener Cheryl Rafuse will share all about the bees and butterflies, flowers and shrubs, and the easiest ways to start incorporating keystone species into your gardens during this hands on presentation.

Registration required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. The first 20 attendees will receive free gardening supplies. 

If you have questions, contact: moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500 or visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Celebrate the growing season at the Great Gloucester GrowDown

~ backyardgrowersgloucester

Join Backyard Growers at the 9th annual Great Gloucester GrowDown to celebrate another successful season growing fresh food in our community!

Enjoy farm-fresh food & libations by Oak to Ember, live entertainment, and a fund-a-need auction in support of Backyard Growers’ work connecting communities to the resources, knowledge, and space they need to grow their own food.

Learn more & purchase tickets here.

Gloucester Genealogy Group: On the Trail of Your English Ancestors

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join genealogist Linda MacIver on Saturday, August 17, 10:30 to 11:30 am at the Sawyer Free Library as she takes you through the path of research in the U.S. that prepares you to “hop the pond” to find civil registration and census records in England from 1837 to 1939. 

Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited.

Linda B. MacIver is an educator, lecturer, librarian and genealogy researcher.  She retired from a 27-year career at the Boston Public Library where she inaugurated the BPL patron genealogy classes.  She taught the multi-week beginners genealogy course, organized two extremely popular seasons of the Local and Family History Lecture series and developed the Intermediate Genealogy Summer Lecture series.   Linda is the past Secretary and Director for Federal Records of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC), a member of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists (MSOG) and the Essex (MA) Society of Genealogists (ESOG) and the Essex (Eng.) Society for Family History (ESFH.) She serves as the New England Representative for the Essex (England!) Record Office.  Linda has a BA in History from the University of New Hampshire, an MEd from Boston University and earned her MLIS at Simmons College. Linda was presented the 2018 Lackey Scholarship award for attendance at the week-long Genealogical Institute for Federal Records (GEN-FED) at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Linda was also the inaugural recipient of the 2019 “Senior at the Center of Excellence Award” sponsored by Xerox Corporation and the City of Boston.

If you have questions, email jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

Community Creations: Wire Tree Sculptures

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Sawyer Free Library on Wednesday, August 14 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for the next Community Creations at Cape Ann Lanes with local sculptor Ryan Kelley who will present the unique art of sculpting trees from wire. These bi-monthly workshops celebrate art by inspiring creativity and building community.

Well known for his distinctive wire tree sculptures, Byfield, Massachusetts-based sculptor Ryan Kelley’s art transcends a variety of media to include his recognizable wire trees growing from stone bases, large-scale metal sculptures, custom metal wall art, 3-D art installations, and much more.

All materials and complimentary pizza dinner provided. For ages 18+. Registration required. For questions, email lryan@sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

This series is a collaboration between Cape Ann Lanes and the Sawyer Free Library.