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If you have questions, come visit us at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester, give us a call at 978-325-5500 or check out sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Healthy soil, sanitary tools, and cooperation with other life forms are the keys to our most effective approach to pest management in your vegetable garden: prevention! In this online workshop, Backyard Growers will walk you through how to minimize human, microbiological, and plant risk by using the ecosystem as the starting point to diagnose pest issues threatening your harvest.
Backyard Growers is a Gloucester-based 501(C)3 nonprofit organization committed to cultivating healthy, connected, resilient communities by empowering people to grow their own food.
“With so many remarkable GEF powered opportunities returning to our schools this year, it has been wonderful for our community to once again experience the full impact of GEF’s support.”
~Superintendent Ben Lummis
With the 2022-23 school year wrapping up tomorrow, the Gloucester Education Foundation (GEF) has released their FY23 Impact Report. Built around the theme of “Discover, Connect, Belong”, this year’s report is full of images, stats, and stories from current GPS students and alumni; teachers and administrators; GEF supporters and champions. This was a big year for GEF, with the return of The Power of Play and Gloucester Student Arts Festival, continued growth in arts, STEM and vocational investments, and the integration of their new Student Advisory Committee. See below for lots of images from this school year and the incredible array of learning opportunities supported by GEF.
And don’t miss the remarkable (and long!) list of donors, volunteers, and in-kind gifts at the end of the report that made this work possible – GEF is so thankful for the Gloucester community’s support for our schools, educators, and students. Look for your friends’ and neighbors’ names, and join them by donating to GEF’s spring campaign!
Sawyer Free Library (SFL) is thrilled to announce 2023 summer reading program, “Find Your Voice” and invites the community to embark on a summer-long journey of creativity, self-expression, and exploration.
Summer at the Sawyer Free Library officially kicks off this month with an overflowing calendar of free events and programs to inspire, educate, and entertain patrons of all ages. From innovative reading challenges and interactive workshops to book discussions, author talks, live music, field trips, and much more, the Sawyer Free Library is the ultimate destination this summer for kids, teens, and adults to unleash their imaginations and find their unique voices.
“Our voices have the power to share stories, express ourselves and spark change,” said the Sawyer Free Library Director Jenny Benedict. “The Sawyer Free Library’s summer long program, “Find Your Voice” is designed to inspire individuals of all ages to discover the joys of reading, unlock their creativity, and connect with others through the power of words. With a wide range of dynamic programs, activities and resources the Library offers something for everyone to get creative and express themselves all summer long.”
Kids of all ages can make their voices heard loud and clear at the SFL through an exciting lineup of fun programs, innovative incentives, and educational activities to encourage them to stay active, engaged, and read for fun.
To get started, young people and their families can pick up their Summer Reading Information and Activity Log at the Library, which has program information, the event calendar, and reading log. Children can stay on top of their summer reading with their “Find Your Voice” time-tracking reading logs. Register from June 13 to August 1, and then read (or be read to) for at least 500 minutes throughout the summer to earn prizes, including tickets to the Topsfield Fair. People can register in person or online for the program.
Children and families looking for things to do need not look further than the Sawyer Free with its busy summer schedule. Younger library goers will be moving and grooving during musical story time with Ruthanne Paulson on Friday, June 16, engaging with puppet friends reading stories and singing songs during an interactive storytime on June 28, and dancing with Creative Movement in the Library’s Amphitheater on July 29.
Kids will get the chance to get an up-close look at rainforest reptiles on Friday, July 7, presented by Conservation by Education, learn about the snakes of the world with Rick Roth and the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team on Saturday, July 15, and meet a variety of insects, bugs and more with Professor Bugman Entomology Adventureson Tuesday, August 8.
Throughout the summer, everyone can get their hands dirty on Thursday mornings while sharing stories and gardening in the Library’s raised gardens with Backyard Growers. Then on select Tuesday afternoons, young poets can try out rhymes, personification, haiku, and more in workshops led by young Gloucester poet Willa Brosnihan.
The Library will also host fun local field trips for children and their caregivers, including a visit to Hammond Castle on Tuesday, July 18, and Maritime Museum on July 24.
It is also a big summer for Tweens and Teens. Students entering grades 6-12 are encouraged to track their “Summer Reading and Library Adventures” on the official form available on the Library’s website to qualify for weekly prize drawings including treats from Bravo, Turtle Alley and more.
Middle and high schoolers are encouraged to check out the Library’s full summer schedule of weekly programs, including creative workshops with local paper artist Katherine Morrison on bookmaking on June 23 and building wire trees with Local Sculptor & Wire Artist Ryan Kelley in July. Young Gloucester Scientist Club will host a series of field trips, including a whale watch in June, a community garden scavenger hunt with Backyard Growers in July, an adventure on the water with Maritime Gloucester in August, and more, with the summer anchored by the exciting author visit in July by Taylor Tyng of the celebrated graphic novel series Clara Poole and the Long Way Round.
SFL also knows that summer reading is for everybody, whether you read at the beach or on your commute to work so it is giving adults a chance to get in on the summer fun, too, with Adult Book Bingo 2023. From now until September 1, 2023, those 18 and older can keep track of the books they read on the Library’s downloadable custom bingo card by writing the title and author in the matching square. Each completed horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line enters you into a raffle to win $25, $50, or $75 Cape Ann Gift Certificates.
In addition to the myriad of resources and programs the Library offers adults—technology training, job search help, historical resource assistance, and more – there will also be summer-themed special programs and reading lists available from local author talks, live music, and much more.
Thanks to the generous support of the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and the Gloucester Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, program participation is free. Registration is now open for all children, teens, and adult programs.
The summer programming will run from June 5 to September 1. To discover the complete schedule and register for events, please visit the Sawyer Free Library website at www.sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500, or the Library 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.
Sawyer Free Library’s summer operating hours beginning on June 3, will be Monday 8am to 6 pm, Tuesday 8 am to 6:15 pm, Wednesday 8 am to 6 pm, Thursday 10 am to 7 pm, Friday 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 1 pm, and 24/7 at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Fun was had by all fourth graders last week at East Gloucester Elementary School first ever “Battle of the Books,” a challenge where students read books and then came together to test their book knowledge in a game show-style competition. This fun literary competition was between three teams of East Elementary School fourth graders.
With the students’ parents and families cheering them on, the fourth graders competed by answering questions about books on the “Battle of the Books” list. It was a competitive until the end, with the final score being: Team 1: 27 points, Team 2: 29 points and Team 3: 27 points.
Over the past four months, from April 3 through June 7, East Gloucester Elementary School fourth graders have been reading an assortment of children’s book titles — from a designated list of 15 books — to equip themselves with knowledge about plots, characters, and themes for the school’s first-ever “Battle of the Books.” Organized by the school’s Fourth Grade teacher Ruth Flaherty, who served as the host of the event, with support from Sawyer Free Library’s Tween Librarian, Marisa Hall, the aim is to make this an annual event and expand to include all fourth graders across the school system.
This “Book Battle” was meant to encourage reading for pleasure, reward the development of comprehension skills and encourage teamwork among young readers. The titles selected vary from easy to more difficult within the 4th-grade reading level. Each participating student was assigned a book to begin the “Book Battle.” They were encouraged to read other book titles if they completed the book. They could read as many as they liked and were able to read over the four months.
Mrs. Flaherty asked questions to the teams one at a time, and they had one minute to discuss the answer. Teams receive 1 point for each correct answer and 0 for incorrect or incomplete answers. The opposing teams had the opportunity to answer a question that was incorrectly answered.
Sawyer Free Library was honored to participate in this event. The Library believes in the power of reading to ignite young minds. SFL Tween Librarian Marisa Hall was a part of the program kick-off, visited the students regularly to discuss the books, hosted after-school study sessions in preparation for the big day at the SFL, and served as guest host of the Book Battle!
As part of the Gloucester 400+ celebrations, on Saturday, June 10th from 1:00-2:00PM, Melissa & Russell Hobbs’ cemetery tour, “Families of Lanesville” will be held at the Victorian Langsford Cemetery (32-34 Langsford Street, Gloucester, MA). The tour will cover the families of Munsey, Langsford, Duley, Sargent, and Haraden. There will be a reading of the Veterans names listed on the cemetery’s Civil War Monument by Veterans. The Hobbs will discuss the Lanesville Veterans of the War of 1812 and the “Battle of Gloucester 1814” which occurred at Folly Cove. There will also be a demo on “How to Clean a Gravestone”, (https://www.gloucesterma400.org/event/cemetery-walk-series-families-of-lanesville/). The cemetery is not handicapped accessible, and the terrain is uneven. This particular free cemetery tour does require an Eventbrite registration, https://www.gloucesterma400.org/calendar/list/page/2/
Limited parking is available on Washington Street and Langsford Street. On Saturday there is a CATA bus to Lanesville leaving the Rose Baker Senior Center (6 Manuel F. Lewis St, Gloucester, MA 01930) at 9:25AM & 11:25AM. See the CATA link for the times the CATA bus leaves Lanesville and returns to the Rose Baker Senior Center, https://canntran.com/routes/lanesville/
Lanesville is a buzz on Saturday, June 10th with 400+ Gloucester celebrations. After the free Cove Hill Cemetery tour (https://www.gloucesterma400.org/event/cemetery-walk-series-5/), visitors can grab some lunch from the Lanesville merchants and make their way to Lane’s Cove to visit the free Pocket Museum Open House at the small Fish Shack between 11:30AM – 1PM. There will be a free 30-minute presentation, History of Lane’s Cove, at the large Fish Shack at 12:00PM. These cove events are sponsored by the Lane’s Cove Historical Association (https://www.gloucesterma400.org/event/pocket-museum-open-house/).
There is limited parking on Washington Street. A Saturday CATA bus to Lanesville leaves the Rose Baker Senior Center (6 Manuel F. Lewis St, Gloucester, MA 01930) at 9:25AM & 11:25AM. See the CATA link for buses leaving Lanesville and returning to Rose Baker Senior Center. (https://canntran.com/routes/lanesville/)
As part of the 400+ Gloucester celebrations, a free 10:00 -11:00 AM cemetery tour, “Cove Hill 1720” will be given on Saturday, June 10th at Cove Hill Cemetery (1052R Washington Street, Gloucester, MA) by Walter and Joyce McGrath. The cemetery tour will discuss the early settlers of Flatstone Cove and the evolution of the village of Lanesville. The tour will cover the families of Duley, Lane, Gott, Sargent, and Young, pauper stones, different types of headstones (slate, marble, and zinc), orientation of headstones, and Veterans of the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars. There is limited parking on Washington Street. On Saturday there is a CATA Lanesville bus leaving the Rose Baker Senior Center (6 Manuel F. Lewis St, Gloucester, MA 01930) at 9:25AM with a returning Lanesville bus heading back to the Rose Baker Senior Center around Noon. For more details visit, https://www.gloucesterma400.org/event/cemetery-walk-series-5/
The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to announce that the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), in collaboration with the Executive Office of Administration and Finance of the State of Massachusetts (A&F), has devised a comprehensive plan to address the escalating costs for current public library construction projects within the confines of its regulations and annual cap. As part of this plan, the MBLC has approved a maximum one-time additional grant payment of up to $999,963 to the Sawyer Free Library to mitigate the impact of cost escalation for its renovation and expansion project. These funds supplement the just over $9 million construction grant awarded by the MBLC Construction Grant program to Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library for its comprehensive renovation, modernization, and expansion.
“The Sawyer Free Library would like to extend its deep appreciation to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance for recognizing the importance of our historic renovation and expansion project and taking proactive measures to assist us in overcoming the financial challenges associated with cost escalation,” said Mern Sibley, President of the Sawyer Free Library’s Board of Trustees. “We are also especially grateful to our local elected officials including Senator Bruce Tarr, Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante, and Mayor Greg Verga, for advocating on our behalf, leading us to secure this funding and their unwavering support and commitment to our public library. This additional grant payment brings the City of Gloucester closer to realizing its vision of the 21st-century Library it so needs and deserves.”
The supplemental funding of $999,963 from the MBLC will tremendously help offset the negative impact of pandemic-fueled cost escalation. In fall 2022, the appropriation for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library project was set at a total cost of $29M, including fixtures, furnishings and equipment. Current cost estimates remain on track to be under budget.
This extraordinary additional one-time grant payment is a crucial boost to the Sawyer Free Library’s fundraising efforts to modernize and expand Gloucester’s Public Library. The Library is obligated to raise the total amount for Gloucester’s revitalized and reimagined Library. Public support for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library continues to be great and grow, evident in the funds it has raised to date. The Sawyer Free 2025 fundraising campaign, now with this grant, has over $17.5 million in committed funds, with more each day.
The Library is grateful for the tremendous engagement and investment at every level from all parts of the community. While the campaign is now over half way to its goal, the Library project still need everyone’s support. For those interested in learning more or for ways to donate to this historic project, visit www.sawyerfree2025.org
When doors open at the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, the building will exemplify what a 21st-century public library can and should be in terms of architecture, sustainability, accessibility, use of natural resources and light, wayfinding, lines of sight, air quality, and public safety. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library project will preserve the original exterior, housing an entirely redesigned interior, and will also double the size of the existing Library’s footprint with a 14,000-square-foot addition.
The Library will be designed for collaboration, creativity, and life-long learning featuring a digital makerspace, audio, and video recording studios, a 100-seat community room with state-of-the-science media presentation assets, a climate-controlled center for Gloucester history, a dedicated teen room, a beautiful expanded children’s room, study rooms for individual and group study, a 16-seat conference room, and much more.
The Sawyer Free Library Board will officially break ground on the 2025 Sawyer Free Library this Fall. The project will take approximately eighteen months. The Library is currently operating at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. For more information on the Sawyer Free Library’s services and summer programming, visit, sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Shop for vintage-style home décor, housewares, linen, art, furniture, jewelry, and clothing!
WHEN: Saturday June 10 and Sunday June 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Second Glance, Thrift Store of The Open Door, at 2 Pond Road Gloucester MA 01930
WHAT: Don’t miss the vintage shopping event of the season!
Revenue at Second Glance supports the hunger-relief programs of The Open Door.
In 2022, The Open Door helped stabilize the lives and health of 8,486 people (4,872 households) through the distribution of 1.78 MILLION pounds of food. Learn more at FOODPANTRY.org
Cape Ann Community 