Gloucester Counts Down to Kindergarten!

Gloucester Counts Down to Kindergarten! Citywide family event for incoming kindergarten students and their families! This free event offers many fun activities as children prepare to enter kindergarten: sign up for a library card, meet school staff, enjoy musical ente......More

Gloucester Counts Down to Kindergarten! Citywide family event for incoming kindergarten students and their families! This free event offers many fun activities as children prepare to enter kindergarten: sign up for a library card, meet school staff, enjoy musical entertainment, receive a backpack and much more!  Join in the fun at the Gloucester High School Field House! https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/gloucester-counts-down-to-kindergarten-2/

GHS Field House 32 Leslie O Johnson Rd, Gloucester, MA, 01930

VIRTUAL : Returning to Romance Through Food and Flirty Fun in Fiction with Casey McQuiston

See More and Register Bring an appetite for sizzling drama as we discuss New York Times bestselling author Casey McQuiston's latest romantic comedy, The Pairing. When two bisexual exes accidentally book th......More

See More and Register Bring an appetite for sizzling drama as we discuss New York Times bestselling author Casey McQuiston's latest romantic comedy, The Pairing. When two bisexual exes accidentally book the same European food and wine tour, they challenge each other to a hookup competition to prove they're over each other—except they're definitely not. Theo and Kit have been a lot of things: childhood best friends, crushes, in love, and now estranged exes. After a brutal breakup on the transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, they exited each other's lives once and for all. Time apart has done them good. Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, graduated as the reigning sex god of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It's in the past. All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately. It's not until they board the tour bus that they discover they've both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they're trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It's fine. There's nothing left between them. So much nothing that, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is totally game. And why stop there? Why not a full-on European hookup competition? But sometimes a taste of everything only makes you crave what you can't have. Register now to join our discussion about Casey McQuiston’s spiciest book yet! About the Author: Casey McQuiston is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of romantic comedies, including One Last Stop, Red, White & Royal Blue, I Kissed Shara Wheeler, and The Pairing. Red, White & Royal Blue was adapted into a movie in 2023 and released on Amazon Prime. Casey was recently named on the 2022 Time100 Next List. Their writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Bon Appetit. Born and raised in southern Louisiana, Casey now lives in New York City with a poodle mix named Pepper. Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-returning-to-romance-through-food-and-flirty-fun-in-fiction-with-casey-mcquiston/

Virtual Author Talks

Garden Storytime with the Backyard Growers

Backyard Growers brings a fun outdoor children's gardening program to the library! Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain & harvest a garden at the library all summer in this series of Thursday morning events. Learn about gardening as we share books and stor......More

Backyard Growers brings a fun outdoor children's gardening program to the library! Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain & harvest a garden at the library all summer in this series of Thursday morning events. Learn about gardening as we share books and stories while exploring the process of growing. Located at the library raised garden bed on the Middle Street side of the Saunders House (88 Middle Street.) https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/garden-storytime-with-the-backyard-growers-7/

Saunders House Lawn 88 Middle Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930

Board of Trustees Meeting

Board of Trustees Meeting https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/board-of-trustees-meeting-20/

Conference Room - 105 Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930

VIRTUAL : Managing Money -- A Caregiver's Guide To Finances

See More and Register Learn tips for managing someone else’s finances and preparing for future care costs. Discover how to avoid financial abuse and fraud, s......More

See More and Register Learn tips for managing someone else’s finances and preparing for future care costs. Discover how to avoid financial abuse and fraud, start a conversation about finances, assess financial and legal needs, and find support. Presented by the Alzheimer’s Association. Special Note: Special thanks to the Tewksbury Public Library for providing access and support. Recording Note: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-managing-money-a-caregivers-guide-to-finances/

Virtual Author Talks

Garden Storytime with the Backyard Growers

Backyard Growers brings a fun outdoor children's gardening program to the library! Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain & harvest a garden at the library all summer in this series of Thursday morning events. Learn about gardening as we share books and stor......More

Backyard Growers brings a fun outdoor children's gardening program to the library! Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain & harvest a garden at the library all summer in this series of Thursday morning events. Learn about gardening as we share books and stories while exploring the process of growing. Located at the library raised garden bed on the Middle Street side of the Saunders House (88 Middle Street.) https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/garden-storytime-with-the-backyard-growers-8/

Saunders House Lawn 88 Middle Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930

VIRTUAL : How to Thrive in Constant Chaos with Organizational Psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich

See More and Register Learn how to master the daily grind and become shatterproof in a tumultuous world with key insights by Dr. Tasha Eurich as she talks about her newest book, Shatterproof: How to Thrive i......More

See More and Register Learn how to master the daily grind and become shatterproof in a tumultuous world with key insights by Dr. Tasha Eurich as she talks about her newest book, Shatterproof: How to Thrive in a World of Constant Chaos (And why resilience alone isn’t enough). Are you working too much but feel like it’s never enough? Have you turned the act of pretending you’re “fine” into an art form? Does self-care feel like one more item on your already long to-do list? We’ve been taught that resilience is the secret to navigating life’s most difficult moments. But according to New York Times bestselling author, organizational psychologist, and researcher Dr. Tasha Eurich, there is one problem with this assumption. Scientifically, resilience isn’t an unlimited resource, especially with the growing pressure and uncertainty we’re experiencing today. Whether you’re grappling with work stress, personal challenges, or the chaos of everyday life, Shatterproof offers an urgent alternative to stoic endurance as the only strategy for survival. Combining cutting-edge research, practical tools, and insights from her own struggle with a life-defining health crisis, Dr. Eurich will overturn your beliefs about what it takes to thrive through adversity, offering a scientifically supported system to help you feel better, do better, and live better than before. You’ll discover how to: Reclaim your best self when stress turns you into someone you barely recognize Uncover the unmet needs that keep you stuck in self-limiting patterns Turn stress into strength, exhaustion into energy, and confusion into confidence Find peace in the present and be prepared for what the future holds, and much more! This timely discussion with Dr. Eurich is sure to unlock powerful new ideas about how to show up as our best selves. Register now to be a part of the conversation! About the Author: Dr. Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, researcher, and New York Times bestselling author on a mission to help people and organizations thrive in an ever-changing world. Recognized as the world’s leading self-awareness coach (Marshall Goldsmith Coaching Awards) and communication expert (Global Gurus), she’s spent over two decades teaching people practical strategies to supercharge their self-awareness, sanity, and success. Her work has been featured in outlets like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, NPR, CNN, NBC, and Fast Company, as well as peer-reviewed journals. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, rescuing dogs, and is a proud and unapologetic musical theater nerd. Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-how-to-thrive-in-a-world-of-constant-chaos-with-organizational-psychologist-dr-tasha-eurich/

Virtual Author Talks

VIRTUAL : On Writing Darkly Charming Villainous Love with Hannah Nicole Maehrer

See More and Register Embrace your dark side (and your best evil laugh) and join us in conversation with Hannah Nicole Maehrer, creator of the New York Times bestselling Assistant to the Villain series. Ev......More

See More and Register Embrace your dark side (and your best evil laugh) and join us in conversation with Hannah Nicole Maehrer, creator of the New York Times bestselling Assistant to the Villain series. Evie Sage didn’t mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom’s most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised “light paperwork and occasional beheadings,” and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss. Now, with a magical prophecy unraveling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious amount of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire―or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread. Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again…neither was falling for The Villain. Full of humor and heart, this magical office comedy about a sunshine assistant and her grumpy evil boss is one you won’t want to miss out on. With the third book in the series, Accomplice to the Villain, out August 5, 2025, you need to register today to learn what tricks are up this author’s sleeve! About the Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer—or as TikTok Knows her, @hannahnicolemae—is a fantasy romance author and BookToker with a propensity for villains. When she’s not creating bookish comedy skits about Villains and Assistants, she’s writing to Taylor Swift songs. Her biggest passions in life include romance, magic, laughter, and finding ways to include them all in everything she creates. Most days you can find her with her head in the clouds and a pen in her hand. Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-on-writing-darkly-charming-villainous-love-with-hannah-nicole-maehrer/

Virtual Author Talks

Saunders House Stewardship Committee Meeting

Saunders House Stewardship Committee Meeting https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/saunders-house-stewardship-committee-meeting-24/

Conference Room - 105 Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930

VIRTUAL : Author Heather Wolf Discusses: The Colors of Birds - Beauty and/or Evolutionary Advantage?

See More and Register Join Heather Wolf, author of Find More Birds: 111 Surprising Ways to Spot Birds Wherever You Are and Birding at the Bridge: In Search of Every Bird o......More

See More and Register Join Heather Wolf, author of Find More Birds: 111 Surprising Ways to Spot Birds Wherever You Are and Birding at the Bridge: In Search of Every Bird on the Brooklyn Waterfront as she shares her beautiful images of colorful birds - just in time for the Fall colors! We'll discuss the birds, their colors, the purpose of their colorful feathers, as well as any evolutionary advantages they may have because of their coats.  About the Author: Heather Wolf is a Brooklyn-based birder, photographer, and educator. She works with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as a web developer, teaches birding classes at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and gives walks and talks for various organizations in New York City and beyond. Important Notes: Please register for this event and you'll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails - make sure to check your spam folder for them, the email will be coming from Zoom. This program will be recorded and a video link will be sent to all registrants. We are grateful to the Friends of the Ashland Public Library for sponsoring this program, and we are thrilled to be in partnership with a multitude of MA & NH Libraries in offering this virtual program to our communities.  Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-author-heather-wolf-discusses-the-colors-of-birds-beauty-and-or-evolutionary-advantage/

Virtual Author Talks

Corporate Communications Meeting

Corporate Communications Meeting https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/corporate-communications-meeting-48/

Conference Room - 105 Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930

VIRTUAL : Argue Less and Talk More with Communication Expert Jefferson Fisher

See More and Register Join us (and be ready to take notes) for an afternoon virtual conversation with communication expert Jefferson Fisher, as we chat about his book, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk......More

See More and Register Join us (and be ready to take notes) for an afternoon virtual conversation with communication expert Jefferson Fisher, as we chat about his book, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More. No matter who you’re talking to, The Next Conversation gives you immediately actionable strategies and phrases that will forever change how you communicate. Jefferson Fisher, trial lawyer and one of the leading voices on real-world communication, offers a tried-and-true framework that will show you how to transform your life and your relationships by improving your next conversation. Whether it’s handling a heated conversation, dealing with a difficult personality, or standing your ground with confidence, his down-to-earth teachings have helped countless people navigate life’s toughest situations. Now for the first time, in his book The Next Conversation, Fisher has distilled his three-part communication system (Say it with control, Say it with confidence, Say it to connect) that can easily be applied to any situation. The Next Conversation gives you practical phrases that will lead to powerful results, from breaking down defensiveness in a hard talk with a family member to finding your own assertive voice at the boardroom conference table. Your every word matters, and by controlling how you communicate every day, you will create waves of positive impact that will resonate throughout your relationships to last a lifetime. Everything you want to say, and how you want to say it, can be found in The Next Conversation, the definitive book on making your next conversation the one that changes everything. Register now!  About the Author: Jefferson Fisher is a board-certified Texas trial lawyer and founder of Fisher Firm. With his extensive experience as a trial lawyer, Jefferson understands the art of persuading and communicating effectively in high-conflict situations. He is one of the most sought-after names in functional thinking for modern-day communication. Known for his practical videos and authentic presence, Jefferson has amassed over 9 million social media followers-making him the most followed litigation attorney in the world in less than a year, all from inside his vehicle. Jefferson's followers include high-profile names such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jesse Williams, Dr. Andrew Huberman, Sarah Silverman, Lewis Howes, and many more. Jefferson is on a mission to be a messenger of positivity in the world and help people learn to talk to each other again - one conversation at a time.   Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-argue-less-and-talk-more-with-communication-expert-jefferson-fisher/

Virtual Author Talks

SFL Renovation and Addition Building Committee

SFL Renovation and Addition Building Committee https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/sfl-renovation-and-addition-building-committee/

Conference Room - 105 Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930

VIRTUAL : Our Failed Attempts to Make English Eezier to Spell with Author Gabe Henry

See More and Register Have you ever wondered why the English spelling of words is sometimes… well… just weird? Come on a surprisingly hilarious journey with us and author Gabe Henry through the history of th......More

See More and Register Have you ever wondered why the English spelling of words is sometimes… well… just weird? Come on a surprisingly hilarious journey with us and author Gabe Henry through the history of the English language, while we discuss troublemakers like Mark Twain who broke all the rules. Anyone who has the misfortune to write in English will, every now and then, struggle with its spelling. In our erratic system, choir and liar rhyme, daughter and laughter don’t, and somehow you and ewe can’t agree on a single letter. So why do we still use it? If our spelling is so inconsistent, why haven’t we tried to fix it?  In the comic annals of linguistic history, legions of rebel wordsmiths have died on the hill of spelling reform, risking their reputations to simplify English spelling. This book is about them: Mark Twain, Eliza Burnz, Noah Webster, Upton Sinclair, Emma Dearborn, Theodore Roosevelt, Benjamin Franklin, and the countless other “simplified spellers” who, for a time in their lives, became fanatic about writing kof instead of cough, tung for tongue, and fyzics for physics (and tried futilely to get everyone around them to do it too).  In Enough is Enuf, Gabe Henry humorously traces the “simplified spelling movement” from medieval England to Revolutionary America, from the birth of standup comedy to contemporary pop music, and explores its lasting influence in words like color (without a U), plow (without -ugh), and the iconic ’90s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Finally, Henry brings us to the digital age, where the swift pace of online exchanges now pushes us all 2ward simplification.  Register now for this informative and entertaining conversation to find out why Gabe Henry thinks UR not a bad speller, the English language is.  About the Author: Gabe Henry is the author of three books including the poetry anthology Eating Salad Drunk, a humor collaboration with Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Odenkirk, Mike Birbiglia, Margaret Cho, and other titans of comedy. Eating Salad Drunk was featured in The New Yorker in February 2022 (“A Smattering of Haiku for the Burnout Age”) and ranked one of Vulture’s Best Comedy Books of 2022. Henry’s work has been published in TIME, New York Magazine, The New Yorker, the Weekly Humorist, US News & World Report, and more. He has spent more than a decade exploring the strange and forgotten history of simplified spelling, which, by his own admission, has only made him a worse speller. He lives and works in New York. Learn more at: www.gabehenry.com  Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-our-failed-attempts-to-make-english-eezier-to-spell-with-author-gabe-henry/

Virtual Author Talks

VIRTUAL : "Vacations Can Be Murder" with True Crime in New England Author, Dawn M. Barclay

See More and Register We love local history and true crime so we're thrilled to be chatting with author Dawn M. Barclay about her book, Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Cri......More

See More and Register We love local history and true crime so we're thrilled to be chatting with author Dawn M. Barclay about her book, Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide to New England. Learn all about the haunted happenings in our own New England backyards and, then, plan a trip to visit them all! What could be better as we head into spooky season? Bring your questions because this will be a fast paced Q&A! About the Book: For the true crime lover—finally, a travel guide from an award-winning travel journalist and suspense author that gives you the down and dirty on exactly where the major crimes occurred, and where the bodies are buried. For aficionados of paranormal, prison, and tombstone travel, there’s a goldmine of tourism suggestions for you here as well. Along with summaries of the major crimes committed in New England, you’ll discover where to find the best crime and ghost tours; which hotels and restaurants are former jails, courthouses, or harbor paranormal activity; where infamous criminals are/were jailed, and which venues and attractions might feed your fancy for murder and justice. Reading lists in each chapter will guide you to books expounding on the crimes discussed. Best of all, suggested itineraries bring all the pieces together to help you traverse New England’s criminal landscape in an organized and entertaining way. Up for a true crime road trip? Let Vacations Can Be Murder be your ultimate travel guide. About the Author: Dawn M. Barclay is a veteran travel trade reporter who has served as senior or contributing editor on several magazines, including Travel Agent, Travel Life, Travel Market Report, and most recently, Insider Travel Report. Her book, Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), considered the autism travel bible, won the Lowell Thomas Gold Award in 2023 from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation. It also won Honorable Mention from ASJA's Arlene Awards for Books that Make a Difference, and took first place in the Maxy Awards (inspirational/self-help category.) Dawn offers editing services through SuggestedDevelopment.com and ghostwriting/personal history services through LegacyQuest.net. When not writing about travel, she pens psychological/domestic/romantic suspense and edits crime fiction anthologies as D.M. Barr. Important Notes: Please register for this event and you'll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails - make sure to check your spam folder for them, the email will be coming from Zoom. This program will be recorded and a video link will be sent to all registrants. We are grateful to the Friends of the Ashland Public Library for sponsoring this program, and we are thrilled to be in partnership with a multitude of MA Libraries in offering this virtual program to our communities.   Questions? Contact Meg O'Neill at 978-325-5562 or [email protected] https://sawyerfreelibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/virtual-vacations-can-be-murder-with-true-crime-in-new-england-author-dawn-m-barclay/

Virtual Author Talks