This Thursday, July 27 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the Sawyer Free Librarywill be presenting an author-talk with June Vail, Professor Emerita in the Department of Theater and Dance at Bowdoin College, about her book Folly Cove Sketches: Remembering Virginia Lee Burton.
Vail’s new memoir paints a warm, honest portrait of her great-aunt, Virginia Lee Burton, Author and illustrator of beloved mid-century children’s books. Burton’s beloved books, including Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel and Caldecott-winner The Little House, continue to delight generations of parents, children, and librarians. Offering intimate glimpses into Burton’s wide-ranging artistic projects and everyday life, Vail vividly recounts how living with her great-aunt Jinnee in the Folly Cove, Massachusetts, community broadened her teenage perspectives and inspired some unexpected life choices.
An open Q and A will follow Vail’s informal, illustrated talk. Books will be available for sale and signing following the presentation. The event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library’s downtown location at 21 Main Street in Gloucester.
The Sawyer Free Library is excited to be presenting a series of local authors reading and sharing insight into colorful historical happenings of Gloucester this summer at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. All events are in person and open to the public. The series kicks off this Saturday, July 22 with local author and historian Wayne Soini.
Saturday, July 22, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wayne Soini to present “An Unsuitable Lecture: Thoreau, Walden, and the Gloucester Lyceum” – An unnamed critic for the Gloucester Telegraph declared that Henry D. Thoreau’s lecture was “unique” before he took umbrage and condemned it as “not exactly suitable for a Gloucester audience.” 175 years ago, in December 1848, Thoreau auditioned his upcoming book, Walden, before an audience of Gloucester folks at the Gloucester Lyceum (today, the Legion Hall).
Wayne Soini, a local author, through the lens of Thoreau’s controversial performance in Gloucester of “Economy,” which evolved into Chapter One of his classic book, will share more about the man Henry D. Thoreau and the writing (and rewriting) of Walden.
Thursday, July 27, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., June Vail, Folly Cove Sketches: Remembering Virginia Lee– An author-talk with June Vail, Professor Emerita in the Department of Theater and Dance at Bowdoin College, about her book Folly Cove Sketches: Remembering Virginia Lee Burton. Vail’s new memoir paints a warm, honest portrait of her great-aunt, Virginia Lee Burton, Author and illustrator of beloved mid-century children’s books. Burton’s beloved books, including Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel and Caldecott-winner The Little House, continue to delight generations of parents, children, and librarians. Offering intimate glimpses into Burton’s wide-ranging artistic projects and everyday life, Vail vividly recounts how living with her great-aunt Jinnee in the Folly Cove, Massachusetts, community broadened her teenage perspectives and inspired some unexpected life choices. An open Q and A will follow Vail’s informal, illustrated talk. Books will be available for sale and signing following the presentation.
Thursday, August 3, 5:30 to 6:30 pm, Dan Fuller, Gloucester Gale: The True Story of the Swordfishing Schooner Dorcas– In “Gloucester Gale,” Dan Fuller tells the true story of Captain Joseph Silveira and the swordfishing schooner “Dorcas” during the August Gale of 1924. In this vivid narrative about men battling against a raging force of nature during the bygone age of wooden ships and harpoons, he reconstructs the events of that hurricane and the schooner “Dorcas,” the impact on the rest of the fleet out at Georges Bank, and their loved ones back in Gloucester. Dan is a direct descendant of Captain Silveira, and this story has been part of his family’s folklore for generations. Dan has always been captivated by the sea and is an avid sport fisherman. He currently splits his time seasonally between Cape Cod Bay and Tampa Bay. Books will be available for sale and signing following the presentation.
Thursday, August 24, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Ellen Levy: The Saturday Evening Girls in Gloucester–Author Ellen Levy will relay the story of a Boston library group that created magnificent Arts and Crafts pottery at the turn of the last century. Supported by their benefactor, Helen Storrow, the immigrant girls vacationed at Wingaersheek Beach. In a lively presentation, Ellen will share the stories she gathered while researching for her series of historical fiction books taking place in the 1910s in Massachusetts.
For more information on the Sawyer Free Library’s Author Talks and the complete schedule of summer happenings at the Library, please visit www.sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500, or 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. As always, all events are free and open to the public.
Critically acclaimed local singer songwriter Hayley Reardon to perform at SFL @ 21 Main Street on Thursday evening!
Sawyer Free Library is excited to announce its Sawyer Free Folk Showcase this summer, a series spotlighting local singer-songwriters. The showcase will be held on the first Thursday of the summer months at its 21 Main Street location in downtown Gloucester. The first one is this upcoming Thursday, June 1, with Gloucester-based singer-songwriter Hayley Reardon from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.
Hayley will perform a 45-minute set of her music followed by a brief discussion about her approach to songwriting and lyrical composition. The evening is free and open to all to come and enjoy. No registration is required.
Hayley Reardon is a critically acclaimed folk-pop artist and a storyteller in the truest sense of the word. Her songs are postcards from an artist brave enough to take the road less traveled. Raised in Massachusetts, Reardon dove headfirst into music at 15 and honed her craft for over a decade, sharing the stage with acts like Lori McKenna, Rodney Crowell, and Anaïs Mitchell, among others. Her raw artistry boasts a lyrical and melodic weight far beyond her years. Her music has been described as “brilliantly moving folk/pop with a lyrical depth and soul” (Performer Magazine) and “a melancholy little masterpiece” (American Songwriter Magazine). She recently made a splash with her single, “Losing From Within,” grabbing the attention of Spotify Editorial Playlists like Fresh Folk, Folk Pop, Morning Coffee, and Today’s Singer/Songwriters. Her latest EP, In The Good Light, was recorded in Barcelona with Catalan collaborator Pau Figueres (one of Spain’s finest guitarists). Having recently made her home here in Gloucester, Hayley wowed audiences at the 2023 Singer/Songwriter Challenge at Machaca, winning first prize and making a memorable impression on the Cape Ann music scene.
The Sawyer Free Library is honored to have her perform for its first Sawyer Free Folk Showcase series.
As a part of May’s Local Memoir Series, the Sawyer Free Library is pleased to present Virginia McKinnon as she reads from her newly released memoir, A Fisherman’s Daughter: Growing Up Sicilian-American in the Oldest Fishing Port in America. All are invited to this special evening on Thursday, May 18, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.
At age 93, this first-time author shares short stories of her heritage growing up in Gloucester, spanning her lifetime, including her late husband’s WWII experiences in the Asiatic Pacific. Drawing on her vivid memories from throughout her life as a child when she could hop fishing boat to fishing boat during St. Peter’s Fiesta in Gloucester Harbor to the joyful celebrations of marriage and family life, to her community and public life work as a social worker, eucharistic minister, lector, and writer, Virginia’s book documents a cultural history of a way of life in Gloucester and America.
The event is free and open to the public at Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street, Gloucester. For more information and to register, visit, sawyerfreelibrary.org.
The Sawyer Free Library is proud to present this important community event about stroke health, made possible by Encompass Health and Beth Israel Lahey Health.
Join us on Tuesday, May 2 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street and learn the warning signs of a stroke and how to help prevent one from occurring by knowing the risk factors. The presenter is Chris S. Burke, MD who is a Neurologist and the Stroke Medical Director at Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals. Register at SawyerFreeLibrary.org.
Come and join us at the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester for some springtime literary fun on Thursday, April 20th.
From 5:15 – 6:15p.m. local harpist Moira Kelly will be sharing festive musical entertainment while refreshments are provided.
Then at 6:15 p.m. local Irish author Robert T. McMaster will be introducing his latest novel, Rose of Glenkerry: A County WicklowMysteryvia Zoom, the virtual presentation will be broadcasted at SFL@ 21 Main Street location for all to enjoy.
Though registration is not required, the first three to fill out a registration form HERE will receive a free copy of the book!
Inspired by a true story in Rockport, this charming children’s book about a town’s holiday tradition and a child’s love for her grandfather has been described as “rich in the warmth of family and community connections.”
The author, Jean Woodbury, will read from her book followed by the illustrator, Bonnie L. Sylvester, leading a craft activity based on themes from the holiday story. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase, or people are welcome to bring their own book to be signed.
The Sawyer Free Library’s new downtown location is 21 Main Street in Gloucester.
The family friendly event is free and open to the public. For questions, please visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org or call 978-350-5500.
Cape Ann Reads: The art of children’s literature is strong throughout Cape Ann and is part of its rich cultural history. To mark the 75th anniversary of author and illustrator Virginia Lee Burton winning the Caldecott Medal for her book, The Little House, the four Cape Ann’s libraries (Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester, Manchester by the Sea Public Library, TOHP Burnham Public Library in Essex, and Rockport Public Library) launched Cape Ann Reads. The joint library project with community partners and the Cape Ann Museum aimed to highlight Cape Ann artists and writers and strengthen community connections and family literacy. Special events included a picture book contest for Cape Ann residents, with the Grand Prize being a first-edition hardcover publication by Cape Ann Reads.
The Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library Corporation will be hosting its Annual Meeting on Wednesday evening, November 16, at the Sawyer Free Library located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. All are welcome.
Doors open at 6:00 pm and the meeting will begin at 6:30 pm with welcoming remarks by the President of the Board of Trustees, Mern Sibley. The public is invited to attend this informative evening, during which there will be a presentation by Matt Oudens of Oudens Ellos Architecture detailing updates of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Capital Project.
The annual meeting will offer the community the chance to gather at 2 Dale Avenue one more time before the Sawyer Free Library’s historic renovation and expansion project begins early next year. Attendees will be welcome to take pictures of the spaces that have special meaning to them or just sit and take it all in while learning more about the Library’s busy year.
The Sawyer Free Library recently moved its operations to 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester, in preparation for the construction of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library which is expected to be completed in early 2025.
The meeting will be from 6:30–7:30 pm on the main floor of the Sawyer Free Library. Refreshments from Willow Rest will be served. For more information, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Sawyer Free Library is hosting an evening with Eric Klinenberg, Carnegie Medal-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Palaces for the People, on Thursday, July 14 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Klinenberg’s work tells us about how physical places bind us and libraries — where everyone is welcome — can heal divisions and inequalities in our society.
Library Board Trustee and former City Councilor Jenn Holmgren will make opening remarks about Sawyer Free 2025. The author talk and a dialogue with the audience will be followed by a dessert reception in the Library’s outdoor amphitheater.
This event is free and open to the public.
The Sawyer Free Library is located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. For more information visit, SawyerFreeLibrary.org or 978-325-5500.
Eric Klinenberg, is the author of the award-winning book, “Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life.”
Cape Ann Community 