I bought a homeless man socks, gloves and a headband from the dollar store yesterday. "M" is a daily user of the Toronto Reference Library – friendly, well spoken and good natured. Thinking about the cold snap Monday I brought a spare pair of gloves from home for him. He's already wearing a wool sweater one of the […]
Last week we had someone doing research on the early Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. She was a ground breaking photographer, equally important for her gender as her unique vision of stark profile and full face close ups and repeatedly revisiting the same subjects (her family, children, servants and famous friends who patiently sat for her time after […]
Did you know the Toronto Reference Library has an extensive vintage postcard collection? Not surprisingly, it's strong in geographic tourist type cards, but it also has holiday collections including Thanksgiving. Postcards in the early 1900s played a much bigger role than today as telephones were not widespread and they didn't have the advantage of texting, […]
While you may already use the main floor Broswery DVD collection at the Toronto Reference Library, did you know there is also a huge and wonderfully diverse collection on the 4th floor? It's strong in documentaries, Canadian content – including NFB, arts performances, history, biography, how to, cooking and gardening, travel, health and exercise. […]
The Friends of the Library – South Chapter are having a giant two day clearance sale at the Beeton Auditorium of the Toronto Reference Library that ends today at 4:00 pm. If you haven't already read it, then you may enjoy Joe Fiorito's interesting article on the sale and the Friends in the Toronto Star. Prices are very reasonable […]
We had an interesting question the other day on altars from a user who wanted to build a home altar. Several great books came from the stacks / storage but these two in particular seemed to show the depth and breadth of the collection. Home Altars of Mexico is a newer book published in 1997 […]
The other day I was reading Review of Historical Publications Relating to Canada 1910 Vol 15. I feel deeply for poor Frederick Neal, the author of The Township of Sandwich Past and Present c. 1909, who is severely put in his place by the editors: Unfortunately Mr Neal's account of the Township of Sandwich is […]
Stella Adler on America's master playwrights, an extremely handsome and authoritative book on the great Stella Adler, recently arrived. It reminded me of my youth when everyone I knew or dated was a starving wannabee actor and their book collections always included works on Uta Hagen, Stanislavski system and Method Acting and sometimes, if they […]
We're doing it old school today and it was fun. I just helped someone find Canadian Architect and Builder Magazine from 1905 on microfilm. Did you know we have reader / printers where you can look at microfilm and microfiche and as well make copies? Why not visit the Arts Dept on the […]
Not only have the Friends of the Library – South Chapter successfully reopened their used bookstore but they're having a clearance sale this week at the Beeton Auditorium of the Toronto Reference Library. Join us on Thursday March 15 from 10-8 pm, Friday March 16 from 9:30-5:30 pm and Saturday March 17 from 9-4:30. Prices […]