Curious about your family’s past but not sure where to begin?
Join the Gloucester Genealogy Group at the Sawyer Free Library on Saturday, January 10 from 10:30am to 12:00pm for an introductory session designed for beginners to family history research.
Experienced group members will walk newcomers through the basics of genealogy, including how to get started, where to look for records, and how to organize and document what you find. Whether you’re just starting out or have hit a roadblock in your research, this welcoming session offers guidance, encouragement, and a chance to connect with others interested in family history.
Looking for a mid-week creative spark? Join us at the Sawyer Free Library this January for Studio SFL, a visual arts series presented in collaboration with the Gloucester Center for the Arts. This partnership brings together local artistic expertise and our beautiful new library space to help you explore your creative side. Guided by professional artists, you’ll dive into a different medium each week.
January Schedule:
Blockprinting: January 7, we’ll be exploring the basics of blockprinting using materials you can find in your own kitchen: styrofoam! Design your own basic image, “carve” it into styrofoam, and make your very own print in this two-hour workshop. Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org
Found object collages: January 15, play with found objects to design new, original collages. Bring items with you that you want to include –magazines, small tchotchkes, fabric scraps, and other small mostly flat items– or dig through the materials provided. Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org
Quilting:January 21, dive into the world of fabric by making your own experimental quilt squares. Using hand-sewing and found fabric, each participant will be invited to lay out and sew their own individual squares. Try your hand at a more traditional geometric pattern or go free-form with abstract shapes and lines. Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org
Stained Glass:January 28, create an original faux stained glass artwork using plexiglass. Design your work by drawing on paper and then bring it to life with transparent paints and markers. Hold it up to the sun to see the light shine through your new masterpiece. Register here: sawyerfreelibrary.org
Gloucester Center for the Arts (GloArts) is a new vision for a multidisciplinary arts center based in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Our mission is to celebrate and strengthen the creative community of Gloucester by supporting professional artists, providing multidisciplinary arts education and programs, and investing in affordable creative spaces. Learn more at http://www.gloarts.org.
Kick off 2026 with a vibrant celebration of creativity at the Sawyer Free Library.
The Library’s Matz Gallery‘s Winter Exhibition Just Add Color brings brilliant hues and fresh energy to the gray winter months with an inspiring exhibition of original artwork by 30 talented local artists.
On view from January 4 through February 27, 2026, this joyful winter exhibition features nearly 50 unique works of art, all available for purchase. A portion of every sale directly supports education programs at the Sawyer Free Library, making this show a celebration of both art and community.
All are welcome at the Artist Reception on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Meet the artists behind the work, explore the exhibition, and enjoy a vibrant evening of creativity and conversation.
Curated by Pat Alto and Jan Charles, Just Add Color participating artists include:
Pat Alto, Jackie Bennett, Coco Berkman, Linda Lea Bertrand, Ted Bidwell, Charles Browne, Beth Buckingham, Michele Champion, Janice Carragher Charles, Traci Thayne Corbett, Elli Crocker, Denise Delaney, Robert Dwelley, Barbe Ennis, Laurie Flemming, Maya Kline, Mary Lee, Bonita LeFlore, Kelle Louaillier, Lynn Maguire, Allison Moir-Smith, Claudia Morris, Jennifer Pinck, Holly Popeo, Jan Roy, Jim Seavey, Mike Shea, James Sheradin, Mike Storella, Rosemary Sullivan
Traveling Mystery Room with Big Ryan Saturday, December 27 | 1:00–2:30 PM Children’s Program Room | Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester
The Sawyer Free Library is calling all young detectives and adventure-seekers! Kids ages 7–16 are invited to join Big Ryan for an exciting Traveling Mystery Room experience — an interactive adventure filled with teamwork, creativity, and fast-paced problem-solving.
The challenge: You’ve been abducted by aliens along with a group of your peers. Your only hope of escape is to work together, follow the clues, and complete each step needed to charge the escape pod. But act quickly — you have just one hour before the aliens discover you’ve broken free!
Important details:
Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org, and space is limited — please register each child individually.
Designed for kids ages 7–16.
Parents of children ages 7–9 are strongly encouraged to stay and lend a hand with the mystery.
The doors to the newly reimagined Sawyer Free Library are open, and the excitement across Gloucester is undeniable. This extraordinary community space is far more than a beautiful building — it is a reflection of who we are: rooted in tradition, fueled by creativity, and committed to an inclusive and vibrant future.
Inside, visitors will find welcoming areas for children, teens, and adults; expanded digital resources; and a sustainable, accessible design that ensures everyone in our community has a place to learn, gather, and grow. The Library has once again become our civic anchor — a place where curiosity is sparked, connections are made, and democracy is strengthened.
But while the ribbon has been cut, our work is not done.
Thanks to the generosity of our community, we have reached 65% of our $28 million goal. To fully realize this once-in-a-century project, we must raise the final $8 million. One hundred percent of this year’s Annual Appeal supports the Sawyer Free 2025 Capital Campaign, helping us finish what we started and ensuring this remarkable community investment endures for generations.
This is Gloucester’s library. It belongs to all of us.
As we approach the end of the year, we hope the greater Cape Ann community will thoughtfully consider supporting the Annual Appeal. To make a tax-deductible donation, please visitwww.sawyerfreelibrary.org or mail a contribution to:
Genesis of Gloucester Harbor: 1690–1715 Saturday, December 20 | 2:00–3:00 PM Community Room | Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester
Before Gloucester rose to fame as a world-renowned fishing port in the 1800s, the Inner Harbor was already a bustling center of overseas trade. But this transformation didn’t happen overnight. In the 1600s, Riverdale and Annisquam were the centers of activity, while the Harbor remained a quiet, lightly settled corner of town. So how — and why — did the Harbor evolve into Gloucester’s commercial heart?
Join the Sawyer Free Library for an illustrated talk with author and historian Robert Booth, who will explore the people, businesses, and turning points that sparked the Harbor’s development between 1690 and 1715. Booth will also discuss the methods and historical clues that help us understand this pivotal era.
This presentation draws from research for Booth’s upcoming book. A respected local historian educated at Harvard and Boston University, Booth is curator emeritus of the Pickering House in Salem, former director/curator of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, and a consultant on historic restoration and interpretation. He is the author of several acclaimed works, including:
Boston’s Freedom Trail (1982)
Salem: Place, Myth, Memory (2004)
Death of an Empire (2012), a Boston Globe best-seller and “Best Book of New England History in 2012”
Middle Street Walk Saturday, December 13 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM Sawyer Free Library · 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA
Celebrate the 27th annual Middle Street Walk, a beloved Gloucester holiday tradition where “the past is present!” Enjoy a festive day filled with music, art, community events, and FREE horse-drawn wagon rides along historic Middle Street. The Sawyer Free Library is excited to be part of the celebration with special programs for all ages.
Festivities at the Sawyer Free Library
10:30–11:30 AM — Holiday Music & Card Making for Kids Drop in for cheerful music and hands-on card-making fun — perfect for children and families.
12:00–2:00 PM — Walker Creek Saxophone Quartet Performance Enjoy a live performance from this talented saxophone quartet, filling the Library with seasonal favorites and jazzy flair.
1:00–4:00 PM — Tours of the Saunders House Historic WPA Murals Professional conservator Lisa Mehlin will lead 15-minute guided tours of the newly restored WPA murals in the historic Saunders House. Learn about their remarkable history and the intricate conservation process. Registration required at SawyerFreeLibrary.org.
1:00–1:30 PM — Gingerbread Creation Contest Winner Announcement Join members of the Middle Street Walk Committee — including Barbara Catalini of Cakes by Barbara — in the Children’s Room as they announce the winners of the 2025 Gingerbread Creation Contest. All gingerbread entries will be on display!
More details on Middle Street Walk festivities city-wide will be shared soon. We hope you’ll join us for this magical Gloucester tradition!
Staying Healthy Through the Winter: Herbal Program for Health and Wellness Tuesday, December 16 | 1:30–3:00 PM Community Room | Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester
Discover natural ways to support your health through the cold and flu season at the Sawyer Free Library with Rivka Schwartz of Health and Hearth, a local herbal and wellness practice.
In this informative and practical workshop, you’ll:
Explore simple strategies to help strengthen your immune system
Learn about herbs with antiviral properties
Discover how to make herbal teas and long-lasting herbal tinctures/extracts
The program will include samples, take-home recipes, and an information packet so you can continue your wellness journey at home.
Wildlife Out Your Window with Brad Timm Thursday, December 4 | 5:30–6:30 PM Community Room | Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester
Discover the extraordinary wildlife hiding in plain sight! Join the Sawyer Free Library for a lively and educational presentation with author Brad Timm, who brings the natural world to life through surprising insights and engaging stories inspired by his book Wildlife Out Your Window.
During this fun, family-friendly talk, Timm will share fascinating wildlife factoids, including:
Blue Jay feathers aren’t actually blue
Some foxes can climb trees
Certain frogs create their own natural anti-freeze
He’ll also explore simple ways we can support and protect the wildlife that lives all around us — in our yards, neighborhoods, and city green spaces. You’re guaranteed to walk away seeing the natural world with fresh eyes!
After the presentation, Brad will be available to chat with attendees, answer questions, and sign copies of Wildlife Out Your Window, which will be available for purchase.
Ever wonder how Gloucester’s public library came to be? The Sawyer Free Library invites the community to a special evening celebrating nearly two centuries of local history, innovation, and civic spirit. On Thursday, November 20 from 5:00 to 6:30 PM, the Library will present a film screening and panel discussion of Timeline Cape Ann: Sawyer Free Library in its Community Room.
Produced by Kory Curcuru of1623 Studios, Timeline Cape Ann: Sawyer Free Library traces the remarkable story of Gloucester’s public library—from its 19th-century beginnings in the Gloucester Lyceum to its role today as a vibrant civic and cultural hub. The short documentary explores how a small-town vision grew into a cornerstone of learning, access, and community connection.
The film situates the Sawyer Free Library within the broader story of American public libraries—beginning with Benjamin Franklin’s 1731 subscription library, which sparked a movement for shared knowledge and free access to books. By the early 1800s, the “Lyceum movement” swept New England, bringing citizens together for lectures, debate, and education. Gloucester quickly joined in. In 1830, residents established the Gloucester Lyceum, which merged Franklin’s ideals with this new spirit of civic learning.
The Library’s evolution accelerated under the leadership and generosity of Samuel Elwell Sawyer, a Gloucester native and philanthropist who made access to books free for all. His lasting legacy includes the donation of the Saunders House, which remains part of the Library campus today, and the 1872 incorporation of the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library, with a charter promising it would remain free forever.
Timeline Cape Ann also highlights the Library’s continued resilience and innovation—surviving fires, embracing technology, and expanding services through the 20th and 21st centuries. From WPA murals and children’s programs to its newly completed, state-of-the-art renovation and expansion, the Sawyer Free Library remains a living institution shaped by generations of readers, learners, and citizens.
Following the screening, Curcuru will be joined by Sawyer Free Library Local History Librarian Julie Travers and local historian and author Wayne Soini for a panel discussion and audience Q&A exploring the Library’s enduring role in Gloucester’s civic life.
This free public event offers a fascinating look at how one man’s generosity and a community’s shared commitment helped shape the heart of Gloucester.
Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Thursday, November 20, 2025 5:00–6:30 PM Sawyer Free Library, Community Room (Ground Floor), 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA
Cape Ann Community 