"A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert." – Andrew Carnegie During the early 20th century, 125 libraries in Canada were built with grants from the Carnegie Foundation. Of those, 111 were built in Ontario between 1903 and 1922. Many […]
In the summer of 1900, a young poet named Marjorie Pickthall and her family rented a cottage on the Toronto Islands. During her stay at Golden Gate Cottage on Hanlan's Point, she kept a diary. Pickthall recorded her daily activities and fascination with the surrounding natural world. Inspired by passages from the diary, I've paired them […]
Digital literacy is a lifelong learning skill. It is important to know where you can get trusted information and how to protect your privacy. Building digital literacy skills creates a stronger community. Atelier-data-privacy by Djrandyw.com is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Toronto Public Library understands the importance of building digital literacy skills. Toronto Public […]
Image by paguru. Used on a CC license. Photography has become a big part of everyday life. Whether we’re using our smartphones or a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera), we’ve never had such easy access to high-quality photography equipment. All modern cameras offer a host of different automated settings to make the process of taking […]
The staff from our Digital Innovation Hubs and the Pop-Up Learning Labs offer fantastic workshops. They teach classes on web design, photography, electronics, 3D design, coding and more. During our branch closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these teams have been providing instructional online programs. To enhance these programs, we are posting short videos daily […]
Are you a designer, media arts professional or a hobbyist on the search for free and open source software? Do you want to edit photos, video files, create vector based graphics for company logos, and use software for desktop publishing? Image by Christos Pontikis. Used on a CC license. Adobe Creative Suite is the industry […]
Spending lots of time on the computer or using design software? Learn about keyboard shortcuts to help improve your workflow, accuracy and health. Image by Daniel Foster. Used on a CC license. Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of keys that allow users to access menus, tools and functions in an application. You may already be familiar […]
Screenshot of a 3D model of a juice bottle. Image from Wikimedia Commons. 3D printers are playing a role in supporting front-line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, both in Toronto and around the world. Recently, Toronto Public Library lent out 3D printers to a team at Toronto General Hospital (TGH). The 3D printers will be […]
Tucked away in the manuscript collections of the Toronto Reference Library Marilyn & Charles Baillie Special Collections Centre is a treasure trove of letters and manuscripts written by Canada's literary "in crowd" of the early 20th century. There are files of hand-written correspondence, poems and short stories by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Mazo de la Roche, Marjorie Pickthall, […]
Have you ever bought a USB charger and been elated over the good price? The downside is that you may have purchased a device that might damage your phone, laptop or any device that requires a USB. The potential dangers of a faulty USB charger include the following: It could be a fire hazard. Your charger […]