As the lockdown continues, I find myself fantasizing about shopping. Not online shopping, but leisurely strolling down a busy city street with a friend, popping into small shops along the way. So I decided to do some window shopping in our digital collections. TPL's Digital Archive is our database of...
Discovering your family's past can be as thrilling as any detective work. And now, we have three databases to help you in your quest: Ancestry Library Edition Available from home until June 30, 2021. Ancestry Library Edition is our largest genealogical collection. It covers the United States and the United...
Below are old photos of big crowds in Toronto — plus some trivia about each scene. The images are from TPL's Digital Archive, our database of over 170,000 historical photos, books, maps and more. The idea for this post came from a coworker's reaction to a photo of a crowd...
Happy 50th birthday to TPL's fantastical Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation & Fantasy! Originally called the Spaced Out Library, it was founded in 1970 with the donation of 5,000 books from science fiction writer and editor Judith Merril. The Merril Collection has become a beloved part of the speculative...
Did you know Toronto Public Library has a huge collection of digitized books and ephemera, including commercial catalogues and greeting cards? You'll find 170,000+ of these rare and historical items on our Digital Archive — no library card needed. It is an incredible resource for artists, designers and DIYers looking...
In 1970, science-fiction author and editor Judith Merril donated 5,000 books to Toronto Public Library to found the “Spaced Out Library”. 50 years later, the collection — now known as the Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation & Fantasy — has over 80,000 items and is celebrated as one of...
The Grange was just another manor for Toronto's elite until 1911. It then became the property of the Toronto Art Society — home of the future Art Museum of Toronto, renamed the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in 1965. Let's look back at the history of The Grange with photos...
UPDATE (August 16, 2021): It is with great sadness that I share the news that Lorna Toolis passed away on August 11, 2021. She was the Collection Head of the Merril Collection for 30 years and the impact she had on the Speculative Fiction community in Canada was profound. She...
L'exposition 114 histoires x 114 étages présente les diverses cultures et communautés de notre ville à travers des anecdotes et des images de lieux emblématiques de Toronto, visibles depuis les niveaux d'observation de la Tour CN. Pour l’Halloween, la Tour CN et The Haunted Walk of Toronto ont fait équipe...
The 114 Stories / 114 Storeys exhibit showcases our city’s diverse cultures and communities through stories and images of famous Toronto sites, visible from the CN Tower's observation levels. In the spirit of Halloween, the CN Tower and The Haunted Walk of Toronto partnered to share some of the city’s...