Sawyer Free Library Reopens Its Doors with Soft Opening Ahead of Grand Opening Celebrations
TheSawyer Free Library is excited to announce the soft opening of its newly reimagined and revitalized historic building at 2 Dale Avenue. As final touches are completed, the Library will be open to the public during limited hours in the coming weeks.
Soft Opening Hours:
Week of August 18: Wednesday–Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Week of August 25: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Week of September 1:
Tuesday–Wednesday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Thursday, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
Friday, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
Closures: Wednesday, August 27 and Monday, September 1
All are invited to visit the transformed space and experience the exciting new features of the Library. During this soft opening period, the Library also warmly welcomes the return of any books and materials patrons have been patiently holding onto during the temporary closure for the move.
To celebrate the completion of this major renovation, the community is warmly invited to join Sawyer Free Library’s Grand Opening Events:
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony: Friday, September 5
Community Open House: Saturday, September 6
Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.
🎉 Please join us in celebrating the grand reopening of the newly renovated and expanded Sawyer Free Library — an inspiring, inclusive space created for our whole community. 🎉
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Friday, September 5 | 3:00 PM Celebrate the official opening of your newly transformed Sawyer Free Library! Remarks | Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting | Refreshments Performance by Cape Ann Youth Chorus Open to All | Rain or Shine
Community Celebration & Open House “A Library for Everyone” Saturday, September 6 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Free and Open to All
Come tour the new library spaces at 2 Dale Avenue and enjoy music, activities for all ages, and more!
Saturday Event Highlights:
Library Card World Record Attempt Help us break the record for most sign-ups in a single day! All new and renewing cardholders receive a limited-edition commemorative library card.
Library Passport Adventure Explore the new Library and collect stamps and win prizes.
Special Guests & Giveaways • Wally the Green Monster from the Red Sox (12–1 PM) • Enter to win a signed 2025 Boston Bruins jersey
Art, History & Design Events • Artist Talk: Leslie Bartlett on the Library’s Cape Ann Quarries mural (10:30 AM) • Expert Talk: GreenScapes in Focus with landscape architect Lisa Giersbach (1:00 PM) • Timeline Cape Ann: Sawyer Free Library by Kory Curcuru of 1623 Studios documentary screening (12 & 2:30 PM) • Inaugural Art Exhibition in Matz Gallery • Zine-making and collaborative art projects
Explore & Discover • Tech demos in the Digital Learning Lab (podcast studio & more) • Local History Treasures exhibit and Gloucester Timeline Demos • “The Librarian Is In” booth (10 AM–12 PM) • Photo Booth for keepsake snapshots (11 AM–2 PM)
Live Music in the Reading Lounge • Highland Avenue Trio (10 AM–12 PM) • Steve Lacey String Duo (12–2 PM)
Family-Friendly Fun • Face painting, LEGO play, and STEM activities • Strega Mama Story Hour (11 AM) • Playful Engineers Program (2:00 PM) • “Teen Zone” Ribbon Cutting (10:30 AM) • T-shirt Dyeing (11 AM–1 PM) • Mario Kart Tournament (2–4 PM, signup required)
Food Trucks On-Site (in Library Parking Lot) • Pizza by Rhea Pizzeria Napoletana • Ice cream from SuperStar Ice Cream
Whether you’re a longtime patron or discovering the Sawyer Free Library for the first time, this celebration is for you!
Come experience YOUR new library—reimagined, renewed, and ready to inspire.
Rhiannon Hurst & Friends Music on Meetinghouse Green, July 25th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Cape Ann couldn’t be more proud of these rising stars who will share their exceptional talent as a quartet in an evening of unforgettable Jazz in front of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church 50 Middle Street.
Rhiannon Hurst earned some serious respect in the Jazz world even before she graduated high school. She was one of four graduating seniors to receive the Excellence in Music Award from the Massachusetts Music Educators Association. She was also the recipient of a prestigious 2021 National Young Arts Foundation award in Jazz voice for her caliber of artistic achievement. Her professional engagements have ranged from Boston’s Symphony Hall and the State Room to the North Shore’s favorite restaurants. Join us for this incredible performance by Rhiannon Hurst and friends!
Your free-will donations tonight will benefit Pathways for Children, who nurtures children and supports families impacted by economic and social inequity through programs that educate, enrich, empower and motivate. The evening’s food vendor will be Crepes Du Jour, offering sweet and savory crepes for all to enjoy! Please bring folding chairs, blankets and extra cash for when the donation buckets go by!
Join the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday mornings for Garden Storytime with Backyard Growerson the Saunders House lawn! Running this Thursday through August 28, the Library’s Garden Storytime is great for kids of all ages. Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain and harvest a garden at the library all summer, while sharing books and stories about gardening and the outdoors. Free lunch is provided for all children by The Open Door.
Thursdays at 11:00am on the Saunders House Lawn located at 88 Middle Street. This program runs from July 10th through August 28th. No reservations required to attend but the weekly program is subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.
Summer is a time for discovery—and at Sawyer Free Library, the adventure is just beginning.
Sawyer Free Library invites the community to celebrate summer with the launch of its 2025 Summer Reading Program:Level Up at Your Library. This year’s theme is all about playful learning—spotlighting puzzles, games, and hands-on fun designed to spark curiosity and creativity in readers of all ages.
With a vibrant lineup of free events–from live animal visits and magic shows to garden story times and interactive challenges–Level Up encourages young readers to power up their imaginations and discover new worlds.
The Summer Reading Program is open to children and teens who can register in person at any Summer Reading Program event or online through August 1. Participants are encouraged to read (or be read to) for at least 500 minutes over the summer. With their “Level Up at the Library” reading logs, kids can earn prizes including Topsfield Fair tickets and a chance to win a signed Boston Bruins hockey jersey courtesy of the Boston Bruins Foundation.
The summer fun kicks off on Friday, July 11 at 10:00 a.m. at Gloucester City Hall with a live animal presentation by Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center. Children and families will meet exotic creatures and learn about their habitats, adaptations, and roles in the ecosystem.
Beginning July 10, Thursday mornings bring gardening and story-sharing with Backyard Growers in the library’s raised beds on the Saunders House Lawn.
A summer highlight comes on Monday, July 28 at 10:00 a.m., when The Poop Museum arrives at City Hall. This interactive science program, led by “poop expert” Susie Maguire, is packed with fun facts, hands-on learning, and plenty of laughs as kids explore the surprising world of human, animal, and insect poop.
The library will also host Ed the Wizard and his Reading is Magic Alchemy Laboratory on Friday, August 8, an interactive magic show that uses storytelling and everyday objects to demonstrate the transformative power of reading. Then, on Tuesday, August 12 at 10:30 a.m., Rick Roth and the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team will introduce kids to real snakes and share fascinating facts about their habitats and behavior.
Tweens and teens have a summer program of their own to look forward to at Sawyer Free. Students entering grades 6–12 can earn a free half pint ofHoly Cow Ice Cream just by reading one book and filling out online form. They’re also invited to special events like the Teen & Tween Whale Watch on July 10 and Henna Tattoos on August 11. Youth are encouraged to get involved in the Teen/Tween Advisory Board (TAB), where they can help shape library programs, earn volunteer hours, and connect with friends and community.
Summer reading isn’t just for kids. Adults can join in by submitting book ratings, earning entries into prize draws for $25, $50, or $75 Cape Ann Gift Certificates. Submissions can be made online or at the library. In addition, the library will host a full schedule of virtual author talks throughout the summer. All adult library programming, in-person services, programs, and special events will resume in September. Library cardholders can also continue to enjoy free or discounted passes to local cultural attractions.
All summer programming is free, thanks to the 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.
The Sawyer Free Library is excited to officially open its newly renovated, expanded, and modernized space this September. In the meantime, the Library’s digital resources are available 24/7 at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
The Gloucester Lyceum is looking for volunteers interested in bringing together national, regional, and local contemporary speakers with community members to explore pressing issues and ideas of our time.
If you are interested in joining the Lyceum Committee, please send a letter of interest to GloucesterLyceum@sawyerfreelibrary.org explaining why you are interested in joining this exciting new chapter of the Lyceum.
In the meantime, stay tuned for the first Lyceum event in October 2025!
Information session about paid opportunity scheduled for Wednesday June 11
This fall, Sawyer Free Library is offering a new internship opportunity for Gloucester High School students in support of its innovative Digital Learning Lab. The Library is hiring student interns as Digital Tutors to assist with the inaugural Computer Basics Course, a community program designed to help adults gain essential digital skills.
Digital Tutors will serve as trusted guides, helping participants navigate internet use, computing devices, and common digital applications. The course includes 15 hours of self-paced, hands-on training. Qualified adult participants who complete the program will receive a free Chromebook and a one-year internet service plan.
“Student interns will gain valuable work experience while making a meaningful impact on closing Gloucester’s digital divide. “Students will be developing two sets of skills,” said Assistant Director Lisa Ryan. “They’ll build hard skills such as setting up and troubleshooting devices, using Google applications, navigating the internet safely, and practicing email and telecommunications best practices.”
“We’ll also focus on soft skills,” Ryan continued. “Through on-the-job experience and a weekly workshop, students will strengthen their communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving—skills that colleges and employers are increasingly prioritizing alongside technical knowledge.”
Interested students should send their application to jobs@gloucester-ma.govor drop them off or mail them to Gloucester City Hall, 9 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930. References may be from a teacher, coach, employer, or guidance counselor—but not family or friends. The application deadline is June 18, 2025, with interviews scheduled between June 23 and 27.
Interns will complete paid training in early September. After training, they may work up to 16 hours per week through December 12, 2025, with shifts available on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoons, and Saturdays. Interns will be paid $18/hour, and those who complete at least 54 hours of tutoring may earn high school credit.
Students interested in pursuing careers in technology, education, psychology, social work, or digital literacy are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to juniors and seniors.
An information session will be held Wednesday, June 11 at 2:10 p.m. in the Guidance Conference Room at Gloucester High School. For more information, contact Assistant Director Lisa Ryan at lryan@sawyerfreelibrary.org with your contact information, a brief summary of relevant experience and interest, and availability.
This first of its kind digital intern program at the Sawyer Free Library is funded through the generosity of an Essex County Community Foundation Digital Equity Partnership Grant.
The wait is almost over! Final touches are underway on the newly renovated and expanded Sawyer Free Library, and we’re getting ready to return to our historic home at 2 Dale Avenue.
Here’s what you need to know:
Our temporary location at 21 Main Street will be closed as of 6 PM on Monday, June 9.
In-person services will pause as we move 70,000 items, install new technology and furnishings, and complete final walkthroughs.
The announcement for when the newly renovated library at 2 Dale Avenue will re-open will be made in mid-July—stay tuned for the exact date!
During the Transition: 🌐 Online resources and virtual programs remain available at sawyerfreelibrary.org 📆 Due dates will be extended—no late fees 📬 Holds can be picked up at other NOBLE libraries 📪 Book drops will be closed—please hold onto items until we reopen 📴 Staff will be unavailable by phone or email during the closure
Need something in the meantime? Visit a neighboring NOBLE library to meet your borrowing and research needs.
All news, events, and service updates will be shared at sawyerfreelibrary.org and on our social media. Be sure to follow us.
Help Us Celebrate Mark your calendars as everyone is invited to the: 🎉 Official Grand Opening & Ribbon-Cutting: Friday, September 5 🎉 Community Celebration & Open House: Saturday, September 6
Support the Final Phase We are deeply grateful to all who have contributed to the project and proud of what your generosity has built so far. But we are not done yet. If you can, please share the news of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library with others, increase your support of the project or make your very first gift. We need your help to fully fund this transformational project and bring it across the finish line. To donate: 2025.sawyerfreelibrary.org
See you soon! We can’t wait to welcome you back to the reimagined 2025 Sawyer Free Library at 2 Dale Avenue. Thank you for being part of this exciting new chapter for Sawyer Free Library and our great community!
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation will present the last concert of our 2024-25 season on Saturday, May 17th at 7:30pm with Charles and Gregory Tompkins, a talented father and son duo that will combine the sounds of the organ, piano and violin. This is a wonderful program you do not want to miss!
PROGRAM:
Concerto in F major after Albinoni…Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748)
Solo in D major, Opus 4 No. 5…John Stanley (1712-1786)
Passacaglia in G minor, “The Guardian Angel”…from the Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas for Violin Heinrich Biber (1644-1704)
Sonata in B-flat, Opus 65 No. 4…Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Capriccio… Naji Hakim (b. 1955)
Adoration… Finale (from First Sonata for Organ) Florence Price (1877-1953)
The future of the Sawyer Free Libraryis rising on Dale Avenue—and it’s breathtaking. On schedule and on budget, our modernized library is nearly complete and set to open its doors to the Gloucester community this fall!
This transformation is about more than a building. It’s about what happens inside, and every floor tells a story of inclusion and innovation.
On the Ground Floor
A cutting-edge Digital Learning Lab 💻
A Local History Research Center with an 85” interactive display and digital archive
A 100-seat Community Room for performances, workshops, and forums
On the First Floor
A warm, inviting Reading Lounge and expanded collection 📚
On the Second Floor – 9,500 square feet devoted to Young Minds
A Light-Filled Children’s Room
An Early Learning Center supporting literacy from the start
A Creative Program Room for hands-on exploration
Gloucester’s only dedicated Teen Space and Creation Studio
We’re building more than a library—we’re creating a future where knowledge, equity, and opportunity can thrive. This is a library for everyone: every age, every voice, every dreamer. But we’re not quite there yet.
To everyone who has supported the Sawyer Free Library project—thank you. Your generosity has brought us this far, and we’re proud of what we’ve built together. Now, as we prepare to open the doors, we invite you to help us complete this transformational project by donating to the 2025 Sawyer Free Library 🌸 Spring Appeal.
💛 Let’s Finish This Together Your gift will help turn this shared vision into reality. It’s an investment in Gloucester’s wellbeing, culture, and future. Please consider donating today at 2025.sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Whether you’ve already contributed, are considering an additional gift, or are giving for the first time—your support matters.
Cape Ann Community 