Self-Guided Tours of Toronto Libraries

Conference attendees are welcome to visit the libraries listed below to browse and explore.  No formal tours are being offered.  These libraries are affiliated with the University of Toronto or are branches of the Toronto Public Library.

Career Centre (University of Toronto Libraries)
214 College Street West, Toronto
Phone: 416-978-8002
Hours:  Mon – Tues 9:45am – 7:00pm; Wed – Fri 9:45am – 4:00pm
Map & Directions

Established in 1947, the Career Centre offers career education to students and recent graduates of the University of Toronto. Materials includeoccupational profiles,  self-assessment and job search materials, business & service directories, market surveys, educational directories and calendars.  The building in which the Career Centre is located was originally the site of the Toronto Public Library’s Central Reference Library, and is one of Toronto’s Carnegie Libraries.

Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
130 St George St, 8th Floor, Toronto
Phone: 416-978-3300
Hours: Mon – Thurs 9:00am – 7:00pm; Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm
Map & Directions

A major resource for East Asian studies in North America, the collections of this library include materials in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The Cheng Yu Kung East Asian Library was founded in 1933.

EJ Pratt Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
71 Queen's Park Crescent East, Toronto
Phone: 416-585-4470
Hours: Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

The E.J. Pratt Library collection emphasizes Canadian Studies; History; Classics; English, French, and German literature; Near Eastern Studies; Philosophy; Political Science and Religious Studies. Special collections include works by and about E.J. Pratt, Northrop Frye, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Virginia Woolf / Bloomsbury and John Wesley.

Emmanuel College Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
75 Queens Park Crescent East, Third Floor, Toronto
Phone: (416) 585-4550
Hours: Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

Considered to be one of the is one of the most beautiful libraries at the University of Toronto, the Emmanuel Library holds materials in Theology and Religion, the Bible, History of Christianity, Worship, Pastoral Studies, Preaching, Christian Education, Church Music, Christian Ethics, the United Church of Canada, and the World Council of Churches.

Engineering & Computer Science Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
10 King's College Road, Rm 2402, 2nd Floor, Sandford Fleming Building, Toronto
Phone: 416-978-6494
Hours: Mon – Thurs 8:30am – 7:00pm; Fri 8:30am – 6:00pm; Sat 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

Serving students in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and the Faculty of Computer Science, this library features materials on aerospace, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical & computer engineering, ergonomics, metallurgy and robotics.

Faculty of Information Studies Inforum (University of Toronto Libraries)
140 St George Street, 4^th Floor, Toronto
Phone: 416-978-7060
Hours:  Mon-Thur 8:30am - 7:00pm; Fri 8:30am - 5:00pm; Sat 10:00am – 4:00pm
Map & Directions

The Inforum has one of North America’s strongest collections of professional materials in the areas of library and information science, archives, records management and information systems and technology.

Gerstein Science Information Centre (University of Toronto Libraries)
7&9 King's College Circle, Toronto
Phone: 416-978-2280
Hours:  Mon - Thurs 8:30am -10:00 pm; Fri 8:30am - 6:00pm;  Sat 9:00am - 5:00pm; Sun 1:00pm - 6:00pm
Map & Directions

The Gerstein collection holds books, journals and other materials in the areas of science, health science and medicine.

Lillian H. Smith Library (Toronto Public Library)
239 College St, Toronto
Phone: 416-393-7746
Hours:  Mon – Thurs:  10:00am – 8:30pm; Fri 10:00am – 6:00pm; Sat 9:00am – 5:00pm; Sun 1:30pm – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

Opened in the 1995, the Lillian H. Smith Library is one of Toronto Public Library system’s southern district libraries.   Special collections include the Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy and the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books.

Mathematical Sciences Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
Sydney Smith Arts & Sciences Building
100 St George Street, Room 622 (Basement), Toronto
Phone: 416-978-8624
Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

The collection of the Mathematical Sciences Library focuses on mathematics, statistics and computer science.

Noranda Earth Sciences Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
5 Bancroft Avenue, 2nd Floor, Toronto
Phone: 416-978-3024
Hours:  Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

The Noranda Earth Sciences Library holds materials in the areas of Botany, Forestry and Geology.

OISE/UT Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
252 Bloor Street W, Toronto
Phone: 416-926-4719
Hours:  Mon - Thurs 9:00am – 7:00pm; Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm; Sat 9:00 am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

OISE/UT (Ontario Institute for Studies in the Education of the University of Toronto) is one of the largest and most research intensive faculties of education in North America.  The emphasis of the library collection is on education and educational research, psychology, sociology and linguistics.

Peter F. Bronfman Business Library (York University Libraries)
Schulich School of Business
Seymour Schulich Building S237
4700 Keele St., Toronto
Phone: (416) 736-5139
Hours: Mon – Thurs 9:00am – 10:00pm; Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm; Sat 10:00am – 6:00pm; Sun 12:00pm – 8:00pm

The Bronfman Business Library at York University re-opened in its new location, the Schulich School of Business, in the fall of 2003. The library’s collection includes print and electronic materials in the areas of business, finance, economics, accounting, marketing and management.

Pontifical Institute for Medieval Studies Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
113 St Joseph St, 4th Floor, Toronto
Phone: 416-926-7146
Hours: Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

The PIMS Library opened in 1929.  Today it is recognized as the premier collection of research materials on the Middle Ages in North America. 

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) Libraries
100 Queen's Park, 1st Floor, Toronto
Phone: 416-586-5595
Hours:  Mon - Thurs 12pm - 4:30pm
Map & Directions

The ROM Libraryholds materials in areas reflecting the collections of the ROM:  archeology, paleontology, museology, textiles, decorative arts.  To visit the library, go to the ROM Membership Desk in the main Rotunda to receive a special pass.

ROM - H H Mu Far Eastern Library
100 Queen's Park, 6th Floor, Toronto
Phone: 416-586-5718
Hours: Mon - Thurs 12:00pm - 4:30pm
Map & Directions

Founded in 1933, the H H Mu Far Eastern Library is the single most important library in Canada devoted to the art and archaeology of the Orient. To access this library visit the ROM Main Library.

Shore + Moffat Faculty of Architecture, Landscape & Design Library (University of Toronto Libraries)
230 College Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto
Phone: 416-978-2649
Hours:  Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

Collections cover the areas of architecture and landscape architecture.  Established in the mid 1950’s, the library was redesigned and reopened as the Shore + Moffat Library in 1998. 

University of Toronto at Scarborough Library
Academic Resource Centre (ARC)
1265 Military Trail, Scarborough
Phone: 416-287-7482
Hours:Sunday 1:00 - 5:00pm; Mon-Thur 8:45am - 10:00pm; Fri 8:45am - 5:00pm

Map & Directions

Established in its new location in the Academic Resource Centre at the University of Toronto at Scarborough since August 2003, the UTSC Library offers services to its mainly undergraduate population, as well as to its growing graduate student and faculty population. In terms of holdings, UTSC Library is the fourth largest library within the University of Toronto Libraries system.

Urban Affairs Library (Toronto Public Library)
Metro Hall, Mezzanine Level
55 John Street, Toronto
Phone: 416-397-7241
Hours: Mon – Tues 10:00am – 6:00pm; Wed – Fri 10:00am – 8:00pm
Map & Directions

Focuses on subjects such as municipal government, finance and services; urban planning, geography, transportation and sociology. The collection has a special emphasis on materials about the city of Toronto. 

Yorkville Library (Toronto Public Library)
22 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto
Phone: 416-393-7660
Hours:  Mon, Wed, Fri 10:00am – 6:00pm; Tues, Thurs 10:00am - 8:30pm; Sat 9:00am – 5:00pm
Map & Directions

Dating back to 1907, the Yorkville Branch is one of Toronto’s Carnegie Libraries.  Today the library serves the downtown neighbourhoods of Yonge/Yorkville and Rosedale.  Its special collections include Gay & Lesbian materials.