Toronto Public Library
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Toronto Public Library is the largest public library system in Canada and the second busiest (by number of visits) in the world after the Hong Kong Public Library. It can trace its roots back to 1830. The Toronto Public Library consists of 99 branch libraries and has over 11 million items in its collection. In 2005, the TPL loaned over 30.4 million books, CDs, and videos. In terms of circulation, the TPL is the largest in North America - over 1/3 busier than Queens Borough Public Library in New York (19 million circulated items).
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[edit] History
In 1830, a library was established in the Mechanics' Institute of what was then the town of York. In 1884, this collection became the Toronto Public Library.
Between 1907 and 1916, 10 libraries were built with funds from the Andrew Carnegie trust. Several of these Carnegie libraries continue to be used by the public library; one, the original Central Reference Library, is now the Koffler Student Centre at the St. George Campus of the University of Toronto.
When, in 1997, the Government of Ontario amalgamated the six former constituent municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto into one city, the five peripheral public libraries (Etobicoke Public Library, North York Public Library, York Public Library, East York Public Library, Scarborough Public Library) in the area were merged into the Toronto Public Library. In 1998, the Toronto Public Library became the largest library system in North America serving a population of 2.3 million people with 98 branches and a collection of over 9 million items.
In 2004, a new library was opened in the St. James Town neighborhood of Toronto, bringing the total number of branches to 99.
[edit] Getting a library card
A Toronto Public Library card can be used for more than just borrowing books. It will let you take full advantage of the many free services and resources that the library has to offer. Getting a Toronto Public Library card is free if you live, work, go to school or pay property taxes in Toronto. To get your own card bring two pieces of ID with your name and address to the nearest branch. If you do not qualify for a library card, you may apply for an In-Library Access card.
[edit] How to use it
Patrons can borrow items from the Toronto Public Library by visiting a branch in person or by placing holds via the library's website. When placing a hold, patrons can choose the branch where the hold will be delivered to. When a hold is ready for pick-up, patrons are notified via an automated call, and have one week to pick-up the item. Patrons can borrow up to 50 items on their card and place up to 50 items on hold.
Patrons with multiple holds or those going on holidays can control the status of their holds and avoid having all the items come in at once; or missing a pick-up altogether - by changing the status of their holds to inactive on the library's website. When they are next in line to receive the hold, they can choose to re-activate its status and the item should come to them in roughly a week or so. However, holds will expire if more than two years pass after they are ordered.
It is not possible to take or order anything from the central Reference Library - all of the items in it must be browsed, viewed or listened to within the confines of the building. This is also the case for some items in other branches. However, one can use the photocopying machines that are present within most libraries to copy the pages that you need, and there are also printers that can print information which is stored on film (the North York Central Library, for example, has a large collection of historical Canadian newspapers stored on rolls of film going back to, in some cases, the late 1800s).
[edit] Loan Periods
Borrowed materials can be returned to any Toronto Public Library branch, but some items must be returned to the branch they were borrowed from. If this is the case, staff will inform you during check-out. In general, the borrowing periods are as follows:
• 3 weeks for most items
• 7 days for most videos and DVDs; 3 weeks for language learning and literacy videos
• 7 days for Best Bets books
Patrons can renew most items two times, provided that the items are not on hold for somebody else. Renewals can be done on the library's website, or by phone at 416-395-5505.
[edit] Book Ends Bookstores
The Toronto Public Library currently has two bookstores, Book Ends and Book Ends South, which are run by volunteers from the Friends of the Library organization. The bookstores sell materials donated to the library, and gently used items that have been withdrawn from circulation - most for no more than a dollar. All proceeds from the sales go to support programs and services offered by the library to the community.
| Book Ends | Book Ends South |
|---|---|
| Location: North York Central Library 5120 Yonge St. Hours: Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10:00 to 16:00 |
Location: Toronto Reference Library 789 Yonge St. Hours: Wednesday: 12:00 to 17:00 Thursday: 12:00 to 20:00 Friday & Saturday: 12:00 to 17:00 |
[edit] Special collections
- The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection [1]
- The Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy [2]
- The Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books [3]
- The Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection[4]
- There are other several specialized branches in the Toronto Public Library system who cater to the many language needs of Toronto's diverse cultural mosaic.
[edit] Bookmobile Service
Wheelchair accesible and complete with online catalogue and database access, the TPL's Bookmobiles truly are branches on the go. The TPL operates two Bookmobile buses, targeting children, seniors and at risk communities who lack easy access to a neighbourhood branch. Currently there are 32 regular Bookmobile stops in Toronto, including one on Ward's Island.
The bookmobile concept was previously used in the library systems of the former cities of North York, Ontario, Scarborough, Ontario and Toronto as far back as 1955.
- Ford E350 or E450 mobile bus libraries
[edit] Bibliography
- Penman, Margaret (1983) A Century of Service. Toronto: Toronto Public Library. ISBN 0-919486-73-8
[edit] See also
- George Locke and Charles Sanderson, former chief librarians
- Ontario Public Libraries
- Ottawa Public Library
