Come Together to Create a Digital Exhibit of the World’s Longest Street
Library crowdsourcing initiative asks Torontonians to contribute their memories to youryongestreet
TORONTO (Tuesday, December 3, 2013) –Toronto Public Library invites Torontonians to participate in youryongestreet, an interactive online exhibit of people, places and events along the world’s longest street. youryongestreet brings together stories, documents, maps, photographs, oral histories and videos to create a living history. Everyone can comment, add to the memory bank and share content using social media.
“We created youryongestreet to engage Toronto residents in the stories of their own city in an innovative and fun way. Whether it’s contributing their personal stories, looking at content from the Library’s collections or reading about other people’s memories, this crowdsourcing initiative gives everyone a chance to become part of the living history of Yonge Street”, said Mary Rae Shantz, Manager of Special Collections at Toronto Reference Library. “We’re very much looking forward to seeing more contributions to youryongestreet from Torontonians.”
The public can browse some of the content that is already available on the digital exhibit, including content from the library’s unique collections:
- Read about how you could be sitting in infamous bank robber John Dillinger’s chair anytime you watch a show at the Elgin/Winter Garden Theatre.
- See the government notice issued in 1798 that describes the duties of settlers who received grants of land facing Yonge Street.
- Enjoy an aerial view of Yonge Street from King to Queen Streets, taken in 1912.
- Check out the sign from Tim Horton’s Restaurant at 353 Yonge Street featuring $0.25 hot dogs. Before Tim Hortons found his niche in donuts, he made several attempts at a full-service restaurant.
- Learn about the York General Burial Ground that lies beneath the CIBC on the northwest corner of Yonge and Bloor.
Toronto Public Library fosters innovative and creative spaces that bring people and ideas together for co-creation, learning and discovery. youryongestreet, the library’s first crowdsourcing initiative, builds on this idea and expands the digital frontier.
Torontonians are encouraged to submit their memories to tpl.ca/youryongestreet.
Toronto Public Library is one of the world's busiest urban public library systems. Every year, 19 million people visit our branches in neighbourhoods across the city and borrow 32 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131. To get the most current updates on what's happening at the library, follow us on Twitter @torontolibrary.
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Media Contact:
Michelle Leung, Communications Officer
416-397-5936
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