Toronto Reference Library Blog

An exciting phase of the revitalization program at the Toronto Reference Library will be coming up – this is the beginning of construction of the new Special Collections Centre on the 5^th floor.  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, a number of collections have to be moved at the library and there will be some service disruptions:

For the week of October 3:

Effective October 5, 28 computers on the main floor will be taken out of service for two weeks to accommodate wiring work due to construction.  There will still be computers on the terrace and also on floors 3, 4 & 5 and the basement.

 The Arthur Conan Doyle Room on the 5^th floor will be temporarily closed. However, the collection is still accessible in the Baldwin Room in Special Collections on the 4^th floor.  Some books will not be available on Oct. 6 and 7 when the collection is being moved.

The 5^th floor Performing Arts information desk has been consolidated with the audio desk in the south-west corner of the floor, to the left as you exit the elevators.

Materials in the 5^th floor Quick Reference area are moved to the north-west corner of the floor beside the ESL material.

The Music Practice Room is 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 mostly complete and the books in the public area are now available.  Stack items from Urban Affairs are not fully accessible.  Periodicals published prior to 2009 are not currently accessible.  Many of these periodicals may be accessible in electronic format.  Please ask staff for assistance.

Items in the TRL Stacks in the following dewey areas are not available:

531 L265 to 576 F78

658.83793 R26 to 660.28449 R59

676 M58 2002 to 697 B128

There will also be intermittent accessibility to other items in the TRL Stacks.  Please call 416-393-7131 for details. 

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.

An exciting phase of the revitalization program at the Toronto Reference Library will be coming up – this is the beginning of construction of the new Special Collections Centre on the 5^th floor.  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, a number of collections have to be moved at the library and there will be some service disruptions:

For the week of October 3:

Effective October 5, 28 computers on the main floor will be taken out of service for two weeks to accommodate wiring work due to construction.  There will still be computers on the terrace and also on floors 3, 4 & 5 and the basement.

 The Arthur Conan Doyle Room on the 5^th floor will be temporarily closed. However, the collection is still accessible in the Baldwin Room in Special Collections on the 4^th floor.  Some books will not be available on Oct. 6 and 7 when the collection is being moved.

The 5^th floor Performing Arts information desk has been consolidated with the audio desk in the south-west corner of the floor, to the left as you exit the elevators.

Materials in the 5^th floor Quick Reference area are moved to the north-west corner of the floor beside the ESL material.

The Music Practice Room is 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 mostly complete and the books in the public area are now available.  Stack items from Urban Affairs are not fully accessible.  Periodicals published prior to 2009 are not currently accessible.  Many of these periodicals may be accessible in electronic format.  Please ask staff for assistance.

Items in the TRL Stacks in the following dewey areas are not available:

531 L265 to 576 F78

658.83793 R26 to 660.28449 R59

676 M58 2002 to 697 B128

There will also be intermittent accessibility to other items in the TRL Stacks.  Please call 416-393-7131 for details. 

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.