Lillian H. Smith Branch griffins. Photographer: Ludzer Vandermolen Toronto Public Library has two magical bronze griffin lion sculptures guarding the front doors of the Lillian H. Smith branch. New York Public Library has its lions, but we like ours better! The two creatures gracing the arched brick entrance at Lillian H. Smith branch were designed and constructed by architect […]
Actually, the real Lillian H. Smith (1887-1983) would be turning 128 this year, but we celebrated two decades of Lillian H. Smith branch at 239 College Street on Saturday, October 17. It was a fun and festive day, with good vibes travelling over all five floors of the library. Many people came for the Book Sale. And […]
photo: Christina Wong Do you remember going to the Boys and Girls House, either before 1964 or after? Or the gas station and car park – the site that the Lillian H. Smith branch is built on? Were you at the opening of the library? Have you lived in the Kensington-China Town neighbourhood for a long […]
Did you ever discover the perfect word for something you didn't know you needed to describe? Well, I found one today while combing through the shelves at Lillian H. Smith Branch: Friluftsliv is a Norwegian word that roughly translates as "open air life." In practical terms, it means "get outside and enjoy nature!" which is a perfect command […]
photo credit: Wikipedia Carniolus If you want to see an amazing animated film, borrow Song of the Sea! For the past few days, I have not been able to get the title track of Song of the Sea out of my head. It is beautifully sung by Lisa Hannigan, with music by Bruno Coulais and […]
Doll houses are cute, right? WRONG. Do a quick search for doll house stories, and you are bound to come up with one of the scariest books (of my childhood, at least): The Dollhouse Murders, by Betty Ren Wright. Amy and her sister Louann move to an old farmhouse with their aunt Clare, where the […]
I first picked up this book in the depths of last February, when I was spending a lot of time at home, awake in the middle of the night nursing my newborn son. It was a riveting read for those long dark hours, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Toronto’s medical history, […]
Beloved Canadian author and activist Farley Mowat has died at the age of 92. From Sandra Martin's obituary in the Globe and Mail today: "Mr. Mowat was a trickster, a ferocious imp with a silver pen, an ardent environmentalist who opened up the idea of the North to curious southerners, a public clown who hid […]
The spirit of Maker Culture has permeated our collective consciousness. Call it what you will: Making, DIY, constructivism… it seems to be everywhere these days! And the library is no exception – witness our new Digital Innovation Hubs at the Toronto Reference Library and the soon-to-be-opened Fort York branch. Now that this formerly hidden subculture has made […]
March Break is right around the corner! Struggling to figure out how to spend the week with your kids? Come visit Downsview Library for FREE programs all week long. Limited tickets are available 30 minutes before the program. Here's the line-up of exciting programs: Tuesday, March 11th (2 – 2:45p.m.) Mad Science A spectacular science-themed show where […]