Children's book lovers of all ages take note! Our new exhibit, I Am Canada: Celebrating Canadian Picture Book Art, opens this Saturday, November 11 in the TD Gallery at the Toronto Reference Library. As always, admission is free and the gallery is open to the public during regular library hours. It runs until January 21. From The Paper […]
You are invited to join us on Monday, December 4 at 7 p.m., in Beeton Hall, Toronto Reference Library, for #CanLit: a Topsy-Turvy History. Elaine Dewar is the bestselling author of Bones: Discovering the First Americans, and Nick Mount is an acclaimed writer and critic. They are appearing as part of the fall 2017 eh […]
UPDATE: With the recent passing of renowned Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama on September 1, 2023, we’re highlighting this blog post from our archives, which explores his unique vision for the Toronto Reference Library. *** Thousands were in attendance when the Metropolitan Toronto Library Board officially opened its new library at 8 pm on Wednesday November 2, […]
The Toronto Reference Library is celebrating 40 years of public service November 2nd. "Metro Library is my perfection" Raymond Moriyama, original architect. "Wow this is a hommage to groovy 70s orange & brown curvilinear goodness" recent user. 1977 photograph second floor stairs – Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library The original Central Library for Toronto was […]
This post was revised November 2, 2017 Come celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Toronto Reference Library which opened November 2, 1977. Forty years of books, technology, lectures, films, music, dance and millions of people using this building. Click on each image to enlarge or Download The November 2017 @ TRL as a pdf […]
Toronto Reference Library is bordered by Asquith Avenue on its south facade; its property there starts at Yonge Street and extends east to Sherlock Holmes Walk, about a half block west of Park Road. All of the buildings shown below once stood on the north side of Asquith Avenue on the site of the present […]
The Toronto Reference Library is located on the east side of Yonge Street between Asquith Avenue and Collier Street. Shown here are some of the buildings on Yonge Street that stood on or opposite this block during the 100 years or so before the library opened on November 2, 1977. 1. Yorkville Town Hall. Stood […]
As the Toronto Reference Library celebrates its 40th anniversary on November 2, we take a backward glance at the changes to the site as the area evolved from dense forest to suburban village to downtown neighbourhood. The present library is bound by Yonge Street on the west, Asquith Avenue on the south, Collier Street on […]
In 1966, twelve-year-old Chanie Wenjack froze to death on the railway tracks after running away from his residential school. There was an inquest, but the four recommendations that were made were never applied. Between 2000 and 2011, seven indigenous high school students have died in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The students were hundreds of miles away […]
You are invited to join us on Monday, November 20 at 7 p.m., in Beeton Hall, Toronto Reference Library, for Apples: The End of an Icon, featuring author Helen Humphreys. Helen Humphreys is a celebrated author of five books of poetry, ten novels and two memoirs. She is appearing as part of the fall 2017 […]