The New Toronto Public Library Website
Starting July 14th, we began the process of migrating our website users to our new website - the latest step in a multi-year, multi-phase project of enhancements to the library's online services.
Over the last several months, over 100,000 customers have tried out and tested the new site, and hundreds of you have provided feedback on the beta version. Today, we begin the task of moving you over to the new site permanently.
The new site has many improvements, including:
- Greatly improved search
- Improvements to Place Hold and Sign In
- One site and search for everything
- Up-to-date web features
- A platform for future improvements
If you are used to browsing lists of author names, titles, or subjects or searching by call number, then rest assured – all those features are still available through the old catalogue and will remain available for your convenience.
Click "Old Catalogue" from the home page or Advanced Search.
Learn more about the new website
Why did the library change its website?
The new website was developed in response to feedback from you, our customers. Through email, blog comments, surveys, and usability tests, we heard what you like and don’t like about the old website and catalogue. The new site addresses many of your requests for changes, and also lays the groundwork for us to make more improvements in the near future.
Greatly improved search
The new website's search engine is both simple and powerful. Start with a basic keyword search for a title, author, or topic. The results will appear with the most relevant items at the top. You can then narrow your results using the options on the left.
See only items you can take out
We're happy to be able to introduce this frequently-requested option: you can now narrow your search results to show only items you can borrow (excluding the reference-only materials that have to be used in the library).
Improvements to Place Hold and Sign In
In the new site, entering your barcode and PIN on the Place Hold screen will sign you in. You will not be prompted to sign in again when you try to place a hold on a second item.
One site and search for everything
Everything the library offers (materials, programs, services, and branches) has been brought together in one site and can be searched from one place.
Up-to-date web features
The new site has been built to current web standards, making it more accessible for people who rely on assistive devices. This also means we're able to offer features like RSS feeds for search results.
A platform for future improvements
The launch of the new site is just the beginning. We look forward to beginning work on other improvements and new features you have asked for, including:
- A "wish list" feature
- A "Remember Me" option when signing in
- A mobile version of the site
- An online purchase request form
- Online registration and fine payment
Follow these and other upcoming developments on the Web Team Blog.
