Toronto Reference Library Blog

Welcome to the Toronto Reference Library new cube entrance and the renovated Browsery on the main floor! 

The revitalization program at the Toronto Reference Library will be entering an exciting new stage with the completion of these two key elements.  There is still work to be done in the new TD Gallery (opening date to be confirmed).   The next phase, the construction of the new Special Collections Centre on the 5^th floor has just begun.  When completed, this will include a spectacular two-storey Rotunda to bring increased accessibility to the library’s vast Special Collections.

As part of the construction, there may be some service disruptions:

For the week of January 16:

The Toronto Star Newspaper Room is temporarily closed until further notice. Current newspapers are available on the 4th floor and newspapers on microfilm can be retrieved from this location.

Periodicals on microfilm are not accessible temporarily because they are being moved.  Please check with staff to see if there are alternate ways of accessing periodicals.

Three ranges of books on the 2nd floor in the 900's travel and history area have been temporarily moved toward the elevator due to the construction.  Ranges are a little out of sequence, please ask staff for assistance.

As part of the move of periodicals into the subject departments, periodicals on the humanities and social science subjects have been moved to the 2nd floor from the 4th floor and periodicals in the business and science & technology area have been moved to the 3rd floor.  There are lists of these titles at the service desks.  Please ask staff for assistance. 

Some computers (28)  on the main floor remain out of service to accommodate wiring work due to construction. There are computers on the terrace and also on floors 3, 4 & 5 and the basement.

The Arthur Conan Doyle Room on the 5^th floor is temporarily closed. However, the collection is still accessible in the Baldwin Room in Special Collections on the 4^th floor.

The Music Practice Room has been moved to the 4^th floor, in Room 401 beside the washrooms.

The move of the Urban Affairs Collection from Metro Hall to the Toronto Reference Library is  complete and the books in the public and stack areas are now available.  Periodicals published prior to 2009 are not currently accessible.  Many of these periodicals may be accessible in electronic format.  Please ask staff for assistance.

In the Centre for People with Disabilities, screen reading (JAWS) and Kurzweil software and the Braille printer are out of service. For assistance, call 416-393-7099.

Welcome to the Toronto Reference Library new cube entrance and the renovated Browsery on the main floor! 

The revitalization program at the Toronto Reference Library will be entering an exciting new stage with the completion of these two key elements.  There is still work to be done in the new TD Gallery (opening date to be confirmed).   The next phase, the construction of the new Special Collections Centre on the 5^th floor has just begun.  When completed, this will include a spectacular two-storey Rotunda to bring increased accessibility to the library’s vast Special Collections.

As part of the construction, there may be some service disruptions:

For the week of January 16:

The Toronto Star Newspaper Room is temporarily closed until further notice. Current newspapers are available on the 4th floor and newspapers on microfilm can be retrieved from this location.

Periodicals on microfilm are not accessible temporarily because they are being moved.  Please check with staff to see if there are alternate ways of accessing periodicals.

Three ranges of books on the 2nd floor in the 900's travel and history area have been temporarily moved toward the elevator due to the construction.  Ranges are a little out of sequence, please ask staff for assistance.

As part of the move of periodicals into the subject departments, periodicals on the humanities and social science subjects have been moved to the 2nd floor from the 4th floor and periodicals in the business and science & technology area have been moved to the 3rd floor.  There are lists of these titles at the service desks.  Please ask staff for assistance. 

Some computers (28)  on the main floor remain out of service to accommodate wiring work due to construction. There are computers on the terrace and also on floors 3, 4 & 5 and the basement.

The Arthur Conan Doyle Room on the 5^th floor is temporarily closed. However, the collection is still accessible in the Baldwin Room in Special Collections on the 4^th floor.

The Music Practice Room has been moved to the 4^th floor, in Room 401 beside the washrooms.

The move of the Urban Affairs Collection from Metro Hall to the Toronto Reference Library is  complete and the books in the public and stack areas are now available.  Periodicals published prior to 2009 are not currently accessible.  Many of these periodicals may be accessible in electronic format.  Please ask staff for assistance.

In the Centre for People with Disabilities, screen reading (JAWS) and Kurzweil software and the Braille printer are out of service. For assistance, call 416-393-7099.