Groundbreaking Ceremony for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Announced

The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to announce the highly anticipated groundbreaking celebration for its historic renovation, modernization, and expansion project, a momentous event marking the commencement of an ambitious project that will transform the heart of the community

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library groundbreaking celebration will occur on Friday, September 29, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester, taking place rain or shine in the tented parking lot.

The community is invited to attend this exciting local history-making event as we symbolically break ground and set the foundation for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library. All ages are welcome. The festive afternoon will include a speaking program with local elected officials and Library leaders, the first ceremonial shovel hitting the ground, and refreshments and music for everyone to enjoy.

"I am truly excited about this groundbreaking and what it means for our community. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be an asset for every resident of Gloucester and beyond," said Mayor Greg Verga. "This is a fantastic way to round out our 400th anniversary as we look forward to the next century. "

"For nearly a decade, the Sawyer Free Library has been planning to transform our historic facility into a reimagined space that better meets the community's needs. Now as we prepare to officially break ground on this wonderful public project, you can feel the excitement,” said Mern Sibley, president of the Library's Board of Trustees. “The Sawyer Free Library 2025 will be a source of pride worthy of our heritage and future – reflecting the essence of the city and where technology, community engagement, and a commitment to learning come together.” Adding, "We are grateful for the tremendous engagement, support, and investment from everyone who have helped us reach this historic milestone and continue to work with us to bring the City of Gloucester the 21st-century Library it so needs and deserves."

“We are so proud to reach this milestone, celebrate the kick off of this transformative project with our community and begin the next chapter of the Sawyer Free Library’s history,” said Jenny Benedict, the Library's Director. “The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be a welcoming and comfortable community space for all people to connect with our community’s storied past, enrich their current lives and feel empowered to face an ever-changing future. Its new community spaces amplify opportunities for involving people, as we have for more than 140 years, in public forums that foster a spirit of community and participation.”

The visionary design, created collaboratively by a team comprised of Oudens Ello Architecture and Dore + Whittier Architecture, Construction Management Firm W.T. Rich and Library project leaders, along with the vital input of the citizens of Gloucester, integrates three distinct structures with complete interior renovations of the Library's existing 1976 and 1913 buildings and a new 14,000 sq. ft. addition. The architecture of the Library will seamlessly blend the old and the new, creating a structure that harmoniously combines tradition with innovation.

As a LEED Gold building with advanced sustainability features, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library will also serve as a leading example of actions that can be taken in designing and operating a building to protect climate and nature based on design principles that put people first. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library is the first of its kind on Cape Ann--a next generation public building with an all-electric heating and cooling system powered by renewable clean energy generated onsite. The renovated and expanded Library will optimize natural resources and light, ensure excellent air quality, prioritize public safety, and promote accessibility for all community members.

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will offer current and emerging public technology, diverse collections, engaging programs, and new dedicated spaces for collaboration, learning, and relaxation. It will feature a digital maker space, audio and video recording studios, a 100-seat community room with state-of-the-science media presentation equipment, a research center for Gloucester history, a dedicated teen room, a beautiful expanded children's room with an early literacy center for toddlers, study rooms for individual and group study, a 16-seat conference room, and much more. With its modern and sustainable design, the Library will provide an inspiring environment for library patrons, staff, the community, and beyond.

"Sawyer Free Library is one of Cape Ann's treasured gems, and this groundbreaking represents both a monumental milestone and a cause for celebration," said John Brennan, president of the Sawyer Library Foundation. "But this community's work isn't done. The philanthropic capital campaign is still $11 million dollars away from fully funding this project, so anyone who is able should do their best to contribute whatever they can to help remake our beloved institution."

The Sawyer Free Library is committed to securing the funds for the $29 million transformational project and, to date, has over $17.5 million committed, including approximately $10.3 million in grants from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP) and Green Library Incentives. The Sawyer Library Foundation will continue to seek funding through individual and corporate donors, federal, state, and municipal government grants, and nonprofit foundations. To learn how you can donate or get involved, visit www.sawyerfree2025.org.

The 2025 Sawyer Free will be constructed by W.T. Rich Company of Beverly, MA. Scheduled to begin in mid-October, the project is expected to take eighteen months and be completed in mid 2025. The Library is currently operating at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.

For more information about the 2025 Sawyer Free Library project and the groundbreaking ceremony, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978.325.5500.

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The Sawyer Free 2025 campaign is grateful for the tremendous engagement and investment at every level from all parts of the community but we still need the community’s help. To learn how you can be a part of making the new Sawyer Free Library a reality, visit www.sawyerfree2025.org.