Toronto Public Library provides opportunities for learning beyond formal education. This year, we provided easy access to the world's knowledge through new collections and programming, especially with premiere events in the Appel Salon, eh List, and On Stage Art Series. We enabled self-directed learning and satisfied curiosity with our TD Gallery exhibits and special collections. We helped learners build information and digital literacy skills with expanded book-a-librarian programs and engaged Torontonians in the history of their city with the launch of the youryongestreet project.
Latest TD Gallery exhibition of the Reference Library's special collections - War Stories: Toronto and the War of 1812-14
March 20, 2013
The newly renovated TD Gallery at Toronto Reference Library offers a glimpse into the library's special collections. The spring 2013 exhibit featured historical documents relating to the War of 1812-1814, on the occasion of the bicentennial of the invasion of the Town of York in 1813. Read more.
Book a Librarian expands to include eight branches around the city and now offers support for e-book borrowing
May 29, 2013
Librarians are available to help you with research, library information, career information, homework help and more. Make a free 30-60 minute appointment with a librarian. Find out how.
Particularly popular with older adults, Thought Exchange offers more programs including an outer space theme
May 29, 2013
The library offers an eclectic range of lectures, discussions and program series, such as the Thought Exchange outer space-themed programs in June 2013, at library branches across the city. Read more.
Flight: A Thrilling History of an Idea
July 4, 2013
This exhibit explored both the real and fantastical elements of flight through library's special collections, featuring a selection of prints from Audubon Birds of America, one of only five known folios in Canada. More info here.
War Stories: Toronto and the War of 1812-14
July 18, 2013
From March 30 to June 22, 2013, the Library's Special Collections exhibited a display on The War of 1812. At the outbreak of the War, "Toronto" was in its infancy and a somewhat isolated community. It consisted of a market, a church, a tavern, shops, parliament buildings and over a hundred houses on a twenty block parcel of land, about to forever be altered by war. Read more.
Toronto Public Library Presents The Gilded Age of Fashion: 1890-1914
October 11, 2013
The Gilded Age of Fashion: 1890-1914 opened on Saturday, October 19, 2013 and ran until January 5, 2014.
The exhibit featured rare and unique items from the library's Special Collections, this period when the famous Parisian fashion houses firmly established tailors and dressmakers as couturiers. At this time, Paul Poiret was crowned "The King of Fashion". His avant-garde designs sparkle in the Art Deco illustrations of Georges Lepape. Read more about it here.
Library's On Stage Theatre Arts Series Provides an Insider's View into Toronto's Fall Theatre Season
October 21, 2013
The Fall 2013 On Stage Theatre Arts Series at the Toronto Reference Library provided library customers with a unique insight into four upcoming Toronto theatre productions presented by Factory Theatre (a co-production with Obsidian Theatre), Studio 180 Theatre (OFF-MIRVISH: The Second Stage Series), Crow's Theatre (in association with Canadian Stage) and Theatre Passe Muraille. More info here.
Jonathan Lethem, Jhumpa Lahiri, Chris Hadfield, Michael Ignatieff, Mary Walsh, Ben Heppner at the Library
November 13, 2013
The Bram & Bluma Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library had a great fall season with guests from the world of literature, the performing arts, politics and big ideas. Read more about it here.
youryongestreet project
December 20, 2013
To help foster creativity and innovation in Toronto, the Library launched youryongestreet, an interactive online exhibit of people, places and events along the world's longest street.
Youryongestreet brings together stories, documents, maps, photographs, oral histories, and videos to create a living history.
The site is developed to engage Torontonians in the history of their city, and invite them to share their personal insights, experiences and memories. The site enables people to browse the content by subject (tag) or by following along the map of Yonge Street - all the way from Lake Ontario to Rainy River. Users can comment on pictures and stories, and add to the memory bank, and share content using social media.