The New Sawyer Free Library Gloucester MA

All across the country, libraries are leading from the front with regard to improving energy efficiency and combating climate change. As part of Sawyer Free 2025, both the new and renovated buildings will be a LEED Gold Certified, Net-Zero-Ready building—a status achieved by minimizing energy demand, generating as much electricity on site as possible, primarily via solar, and securing a 100-percent renewable source for additional electricity to achieve net-zero emissions.

The current library building presents severe limitations of space, navigation and mobility-device access. There are no bathrooms on the first or second floor; no restrooms are fully ADA compliant. The floor plan presents glaring public-safety concerns, including poor sightlines on the children’s floor and outside adult bathrooms, in addition to stairwells that are concealed behind closed doors. The front entrance, stack widths and elevator are not ADA compliant

Restricted or burdensome access to physical environments is a barrier that prevents many people from fully exercising their right to participate in social, cultural and professional life on an equitable basis. The Sawyer Free Library 2025 building plan anticipates the diverse needs of people of different ages and abilities and exceeds accommodations required for ADA compliance. The design principles facilitate dignified, equal and intuitive use by everyone via multiple sensory formats. The library is committed to creating a building that will set new accessibility standards for public buildings in Gloucester.

New features will include build-outs like: a Children’s Programming Room (in addition to a Children’s Room), a Digital Makerspace, a dedicated Teen Room, a dedicated Teen-creation Room, a Film Recording Room, an Audio Recording Studio and a 110-seat Community Room with state-of-the-science tech, which will be open to reservation by members of the public.

Additional features will include: a new atrium entrance, a Library History Center with an atmospherically controlled archival space, a Quiet Reading Room, a 16-seat reservable Community Conference Room and a renovation of the existing Matz Gallery along with fully ADA/OSHA and state/local building-code compliance.

Being literate today is about being able to navigate, evaluate and communicate in the modern world. The 21st century learning environment requires a public library that has the space and technology resources to deliver on these needs. Together, digital access, self-directed learning, exploration and community engagement will be an anchoring function of the Sawyer Free Library 2025 renovation and expansion.

The project’s design principles are grounded in the human experience and a mission to put people first. The newly renovated and expanded Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library will stand as an exemplar of what a 21st century educational, cultural, civic and community hub can and should be in terms of architecture, accessibility, sustainability, the use of natural resources and light, layouts, lines of sight, air quality and public safety. The interior will comprise three, seamlessly navigable floors featuring multimodal wayfinding, state-of-the-science embedded technology and customized acoustical elements.

Today, the Sawyer Free Library is one of the most visited public buildings in Gloucester. It is a welcoming, safe place where people of all backgrounds and ages feel valued and included in our community.

The new library will feature new and emerging technologies along with a digital lab for media creation and coding activities. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library plan realizes our vision by respecting our history and modernizing our building for technological advancements, new methods of learning, and new ways of sharing ideas and information. It is a vision that fosters the values of place, belonging and connection in the Gloucester community.

Over half of children in our schools qualify for free or reduced cost lunch, nine percent of families live below the poverty line and the city’s median household income is $72,574, well below the state median of $81,215. Wealth is pooled disproportionately in our oceanfront neighborhoods. The library’s location downtown within a low-income census tract along with growing immigrant populations and centrally located for all residents, offers the institution an optimal place to support the city’s well-being.

Gloucester is experiencing a significant change and the library is vital in the transition. As the fishing industry evolves, Gloucester has become a growing biotechnology and tourism hub to boost our economy and attract visitors and residents. Gloucester needs to retain its talented young adults and future workers, attract businesses that will strengthen the economy, foster community connectedness and support families who will build a life here. Strengthening the library—a community hub located in the literal and symbolic heart of the city—is a cause worth all our attention.

The library maintains programming partnerships with more than 100 North Shore nonprofit and civil service providers, including Wellspring, Pathways for Children, The Open Door, The Cape Ann Museum, the Cape Ann YMCA and the City of Gloucester, among many others.

The completion of the campaign will result in a 25-percent increase in annual visitors, a 25-percent increase in the number of public programs offered each month and a 50-percent increase in the number of programs hosted at the library by partner agencies.