Dufferin/St. Clair

Closest major intersection Dufferin Street and St. Clair Ave. West. Located on the east side of Dufferin Street, 1/2 block south of St. Clair Ave.

Public Transit
TTC streetcars from St. Clair subway station or from St. Clair West subway stations. All stop at Dufferin and St. Clair intersection, walk south to the library.
TTC Dufferin bus routes from Wilson subway station and from Dufferin subway station. All stop at Dufferin and St. Clair intersection, walk south to the library.

Parking
Paid - parking lot - 1 block north of St. Clair Ave. on the west side of Dufferin.

General Features

• KidsStop Early Literacy Centre
• Quiet Study Space
• Seating for 100
• Teen Zone

Equipment for persons with disabilities

• Computer(s) with screen magnification software (Zoomtext)

Technology

• Internet/Microsoft Office workstations (23)
• Wireless (Wi-Fi)

Collections

• Audiobooks/Books on Tape or CD
• Career Information Collection
• CD-ROMs - Children
• English as a Second Language Materials - Adult
• English as a Second Language Materials - Children
• Government Publications
• Language Learning Kits
• Large Print Collection
• Parenting Collection
• Local history collection|http://wwwold.torontopubliclibrary.ca/localhistory/dufferin_collection.html

Language

• Large collection in Italian
• Small collection in French, Portuguese, Spanish

1911	Deputations from Earlscourt, annexed to Toronto in 1910, ask the Toronto Public Library Board "for the extension of library privileges."
1913	Earlscourt Branch opened 19 December. Named for its local community, the library and reading room are located in rented premises, 48 x 32 feet, in the old Boon Avenue Methodist Church, Boon Avenue, northwest corner of Ascot Avenue.
1919	Toronto City Council provided funds "by a special appropriation of $100,000 for the purchase of sites and the erection of library buildings for the districts of Earlscourt and East Toronto". (TPL Annual Report 1919)
1920	Present site acquired. Construction began 13 July.
1921	Opened, 27 January. Charles J. Gibson, Architect. Total cost of the library, including site, building and equipment was $78,864.
1925-1932	Interior murals painted by George A. Reid, principal of the Ontario College of Art, and by two of his former students, Lorna Claire and Doris McCarthy.
1954	Toronto Public Library Board receives consent from City Council to sell southernmost 20 feet of land flanking Dufferin Street at the site of Earlscourt Branch Library (retaining 55 feet of open space) to the Salvation Army for the sum of $4,000 and use proceeds to repair the roof in the main library building, 28 June.
1964	Renovation planned by Toronto Public Library staff begins 6 January. Murals painted out.
1973	Renamed Dufferin/St. Clair Branch to indicate more clearly its location, 27 January. Sunday service started.
1979	Renovation and expansion. Baird Sampson Architects. Officially opened 17 March.
1990	Closed 11 June for carpet replacement and asbestos removal. Reopened 24 June.
1992	Closed 6 July for HVAC retrofit. Reopened 14 September.
1999	Sunday opening discontinued, 25 April.
2004	Mural panel, The Family by G. A. Reid, restored through the leadership of local residents, spearheaded by the Regal Heights Residents Association, 21 April - 12 May.
2006	Included on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties (PDF) adopted by City Council, 23, 24, and 25 May
2007	New open hours, 8 January. Number of open hours per week unchanged. Closed for renovation and expansion 7 July, Makrimichalos Cugini Architects. G. A. Reid and Doris McCarthy murals restored.
2008	Reopened, 28 October, with public presentation of Heritage Toronto plaque commemorating Earlscourt Branch. Plaque text (PDF)

Meeting Room

For booking please call: 416-397-5969.

Rental costs and payment information

Program Room

• 818 sq. ft.
• Seats 60 lecture style. Seats 30 classroom style. Maximum occupancy: 80.
• Equipment:
  • film projection screen (ceiling mounted)
  • kitchenette

Program Room and wheelchair access washrooms are on the main floor.