David

              Download Merril Collection of Science Fiction Speculation & Fantasy – Colouring Book (1)

All the signs of support in our city during the pandemic have been truly inspiring. Also, they made me think of the many wartime posters held in our Baldwin Collection of Canadiana in Special Collections. Both today's signs and these vintage posters capture key moments in history. We turned to the Toronto subreddit (a social […]

Archives and museums not only preserve knowledge — they support learning. For example, Digital Archive Ontario — our database of 170,000+ historical items from Toronto Public Library — has sets of primary sources for educators (e.g. The War of 1812, Prohibition in Ontario, Canadian WWI Posters, Canadian WWII Posters). Below are online lesson plans and […]

One of the items with enduring appeal among the holdings of Toronto Public Library’s Special Collections Department is The Cook Not Mad, the first cookbook published in Canada. Published in Kingston in 1831, this charming, palm-sized book includes recipes and household tips. It was written for early settlers from Britain, and the recipes reflect that […]

Your library card now gives you free access to Ancestry Library Edition — from anywhere! Remote access to Ancestry Library Edition ends as of December 31, 2021. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to offer at-home access as an option for this service. As of January 1, 2022, access to Ancestry Library Edition will continue […]

This post reproduces parts of the exhibit, You, Me, Us: Outstanding Books For and About Young People with Disabilities. Below is the main wall-panel text from the exhibit, a small sample of exhibit items and one of the exhibit videos. You can also listen to a described audio tour on the main exhibit page.  The exhibit is […]

This reproduces parts of the exhibit, For the Record: An Idea of the North (with a small sample of exhibit items). Below are the four main wall text panels from the exhibit. The exhibit was displayed in TD Gallery at the Toronto Reference Library from February 16 to April 28, 2019. Produced in partnership with Northside Hip Hop Archive, the […]

This post reproduces part of the exhibit, Alice Opens the Door. Below is the introductory wall panel from the exhibit (and a small sample of exhibit items). The exhibit was displayed in the TD Gallery at the Toronto Reference Library from February 16 to April 28, 2019. Many of the showcased items came from our Osborne Collection of Early […]

Note: This article includes historical materials from the collections of Toronto Public Library. Who tells the story, and how the story is told creates tensions when trying to present content written by settlers about Indigenous people. These materials can reflect offensive historic attitudes, and in some cases, were created by individuals directly involved in acts […]

This post reproduces parts of the exhibit, Plum Blossom from the Bitter Cold: Selections from the Chinese Canadian Archive. Below is the main wall text from the exhibit and a small sample of exhibit items. The exhibit was on display in TD Gallery at the Toronto Reference Library from August 17 to October 27, 2019.      Plum Blossom From […]