For Immediate Release (Gloucester, MA) May 30, 2025 – As the final touches are placed on the newly renovated and expanded Sawyer Free Library, excitement is building for the long-awaited return to its historic home at 2 Dale Avenue.

To prepare for the move, library services at the Sawyer Free Library’s 21 Main Street temporary location will no longer be available as of 6 p.m. on Monday, June 9. In-person services will be paused while the 70,000 items collection is brought back, technology and furnishings installed, and final construction walkthroughs completed. The Library will announce when in-person library services will resume at 2 Dale Avenue in mid July.

Library Services During the Transition
Library resources and online programming will remain available through sawyerfreelibrary.org. Due dates for physical materials will be extended, and no items will be considered overdue. The Library’s book drops will not be availableand cardholders are kindly asked to hold onto their borrowed materials during this transition. Items placed on hold may be picked up at other NOBLE libraries. The Beverly Public Library and the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers are the closest NOBLE libraries to Gloucester.

Additionally, Sawyer Free Library staff will be unavailable to respond to library-related inquiries via phone or email during this period. SFL encourages people to visit neighboring libraries to meet their needs during the transition. 

The annual Summer Reading Program will take place in July and August with off-site special events, ensuring young people stay engaged throughout the summer. Information about the special events will be posted on the Library’s website calendar.

“The past two years have been a whirlwind of transformation. Completion of this project is a huge accomplishment and we are extremely thankful for our entire design and construction team of WT Rich, Oudens Ello, Dore & Whittier and CMS Construction Monitoring,” said Library Director Jenny Benedict. “Our Main Street temporary location served us well and we appreciate the Gloucester community’s patience and unwavering support. Our staff is eager to occupy the new space and prepare for the day we can welcome everyone inside our awe-inspiring, thoughtfully designed new Sawyer Free Library.”

Grand Opening
The Grand Opening will be marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, September 5, followed by a Community Celebration and Open House on Saturday, September 6. Please mark your calendar for these dates as everyone is invited to attend. 

Full library programming will resume after the Grand Opening in September.

A Library for the Future
The transformation of the Sawyer Free Library is a once-in-a-generation investment in Gloucester’s future, providing modernized and inspiring public spaces designed for 21st-century learning, collaboration, and innovation. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library sets the stage for modern library services, blending traditional collections and one-on-one research assistance with technologies and group activities that foster connection. 

Spaces soon to become community destinations include an expanded children's room, an early learning center for toddlers, a children's program room, a dedicated teen room with a creation space, a digital learning lab, a 100-seat community room, a local history research center, individual and group study rooms, a 12-seat conference room, an enhanced Matz Art Gallery, a spacious reading lounge with comfortable seating, a quiet reading room, ample space for the Library’s carefully curated collections of fiction, nonfiction, and multimedia materials, and much more. These spaces will attract over a hundred thousand people a year, connecting people of all ages to local culture, digital learning, and community life.

The Library’s state-of-the-art technology, environmentally sustainable design, and modern accessibility and safety features will ensure a welcoming space for the greater Gloucester community for generations to come.

A Community-Driven Transformation
“As we prepare to reopen and mark a milestone in the Library’s history, the vision of a revitalized Sawyer Free Library is becoming a reality—thanks to the generosity of our greater community,” said Mern Sibley, President of the Library’s Board of Trustees. “However, our fundraising work is not yet done. To fully fund this transformational project, we need additional support. We invite everyone to help bring this project across the finish line. Together, we can realize the full promise of a library that will educate, connect, and inspire generations to come.”

As construction nears completion on the $29 million renovation and expansion of the Sawyer Free Library, fundraising efforts remain in full force. Thanks to the generosity of individual and corporate donors, nonprofit foundations, and federal, state, and municipal grants, 62% of the fundraising goal has already been met. A key supporter, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), has awarded over $10 million to the project, with the City of Gloucester serving as both the financial and project administrator.

Community members and businesses are encouraged to invest in the Library’s future by visiting 2025.sawyerfreelibrary.org.