Gloucester’s Library Board of Trustees will host a ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Sunday to recognize the contributions of the late Edwin Joseph, who along with his wife, are credited with rehabilitating Main Street Center and providing an avenue for the Main Street Preservation Trust, according to a release from the library.

The event will take place in the main branch of the Gloucester Public Library, located at Main Street Center.

According to library director Diane Rebertus, Adrianne Ryder-Cook Joseph, his widow, will attend the ceremony.

Also, a bas-relief sculpture of Mr. Joseph, commissioned by Mrs. Joseph and designed by nationally known artist Chas Fagan, will be unveiled. The sculpture will hang in the library.

According to Jenny Crittenden, executive director of the Main Street Preservation Trust, the Josephs saw an opportunity at the old Gloucester Exchange Shopping Center to benefit the county both aesthetically and financially.

The Josephs’ plan was to purchase the shopping center, rehabilitate the property, providing suitable space for a new public library for Gloucester and creating a vehicle that would produce income to be used to enhance and improve Gloucester Main Street. 

The Josephs purchased the center in January 2003 and proceeded with the initial renovation and thus, Main Street Center, and the Main Street Preservation Trust were born.

Business associates of the Joseph family and their friends are also scheduled to speak at Sunday’s ceremony.