GET INVOLVED IN OUR ANNUAL BOOK SALE!

Planning for the 2026 book sale has begun, and we hope you will participate! The sale will run from June 9-13, with book drop off and room set-up June 1-6. We are having a kick-off meeting on Tuesday, April 21 at 6:30 pm in the classroom next to the Children’s Room.

At the meeting, we’ll:

• Discuss what worked in the past and what can be improved
• Circulate the schedule for sorting and sale shifts

The book sale is the primary source of fund-raising for the Friends. Money raised enables us to underwrite the cost of 21 museum passes – enjoyed by kids and adults alike –as well as select library programming and our own cultural and educational events. It’s a VIP event for us!

Please let us know if you will be joining us on April 21, and if you are unable to attend the kick- off but want to participate. Contact Anne Casey with your RSVP or volunteer availability at acasey1058@aol.com or 978.766.5242.

And remember to save your books for donation in June!!

THERE’S STILL TIME TO BECOME A 2026 MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS!

Become a Friend now with an easy-to complete online application or print application.

And join us at a  Friends meeting , which is open to the public and usually held on the third Wednesday of the month. We welcome anyone interested in the workings and the welfare of the library to attend and learn about us.

The Friends of the Peabody Institute Library is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to
enriching the community’s cultural and educational life and enhancing the activities of our
library.

The Friends sponsor the following:

• Museum passes to 21 different institutions
• Varied musical, dramatic, and educational programs for children and adults
• In-person and Zoom lectures
• Community-based events
• Library initiatives and improvements

Recent offerings from the Friends include:

• Spirituals, The Songs of Enslaved Africans: A Program to Celebrate Black History Month
• Carving Out Your Story: An Oral History Workshop
• An Afternoon of Classical Music for Violin and Piano
• A family-friendly Open House
• Annual book sale (Members can shop early at a preview night!)

New This Month

MONTHLY MEETING

Friends’ meetings are open to the public and are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month. We welcome anyone interested in the workings and the welfare of the library to attend and learn more about what we do.

Our March Meeting was held on January 14, 2026 at 10:30 AM in the Classroom. Read the minutes here.

Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 25, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the Classroom.
Please join us!

SPECIAL EVENTS

(Bitter)sweet history: Exploring 18th Century Chocolate from Bean to Beverage!

Thursday, April 16 6:30 p.m. The Peabody Institute Library of Danvers, Gordon Room

Free and open to the public! Register here!

Historian and educator Michele Gabrielson will lead a journey into the world of 18th-century chocolate. Her interactive program explores the fascinating history of chocolate during the 1700’s, when this once-exclusive beverage became a beloved delicacy across the world. And she will trace the origins of chocolate, from Mesoamerica to Europe and back to the American colonies. The trip will end with a sampling of chocolate that would have been enjoyed by colonial New Englanders!

Michele Gabrielson is an award-winning, local history teacher and historic interpreter of the 18th century. She serves on several historical committees dedicated to helping preserve the history of colonial America, and received the 2025 Teacher of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers and is supported in part by a grant from the Danvers Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council.

Become a Friend!

When you become a Friend of the Peabody Institute Library,
you enable us to enrich the community’s cultural and
educational life and to enhance the activities of our library.
All our activities are free and open to the public.

Your contribution funds:

• Museum passes to 21 different institutions
• Varied musical, dramatic, and educational programs for children and adults
• In-person and Zoom lectures
• Community-based events
• Library initiatives and improvements

Annual membership levels are:

• Friend                                 $20
• Supporter/Family              $30
• Sponsor                              $50
• Benefactor/Corporate     $100 and above

Become a Friend now with an easy-to-complete online application or print application.  You may drop your print application at the library circulation desk or mail it to Friends of Peabody Institute Library, 15 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923.

The Friends is  a vibrant, sociable group that warmly welcomes volunteers. Please email us at friends.pil.danvers@gmail.com to let us know your interest in program planning, hospitality, publicity, membership, and/or assisting with the book sale.

The Peabody Institute Library is a beloved and vital Danvers institution, and your membership contribution will sustain its impact in the coming year, and beyond. Thank you!

Give

Beyond membership, you can support the Friends with a gift or memorial donation here or by sending a check  written to Friends of the Peabody Institute Library and mail to Friends of Peabody Institute Library, 15 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923.

If you would like to become a local business sponsor or corporate patron, please contact us at friends.pil.danvers@gmail.com.