Libraries are a place for the city's innovators, entrepreneurs and creators to come together to collaborate, explore, learn and create. Business incubators, maker spaces, collaborative work environments and quiet study spaces are flexible, and welcoming to everyone, located in branches across the city. We have incorporated new technologies into library services to address the needs of mobile users. Toronto's diverse culture can be experienced and brought to life through our resources, services and programming.
Key Achievements
In 2015, we:
- Opened the Writers' Room at the Toronto Reference Library, offering a quiet and convenient place to work with ready access to collections and librarians for research support.
- Won the Ontario Library Association's Minister's Award for Innovation for Toronto in Literature: Neighbourhood Book Lists, a first-of-its-kind list of books plotted visually on an online map of Toronto neighbourhoods.
- Published Superbrain: The Insider's Guide to Getting Smart, the second collaboration between Annick Press and Toronto Public Library. This book challenges younger students to develop the skills they need to become "lifelong super-learners."
- Opened its first tool library inside Downsview Branch, and started a repair café series at Toronto Reference Library.
- Hosted a two day Maker Festival at the Toronto Reference Library, drawing more than 9,000 visitors of all ages to explore, make and create.
- Hosted our inaugural hackathon at the Toronto Reference Library in partnership with Open Data Toronto, Open Data Institute of Toronto and Wellbeing Toronto. Participants came out for a week to create concepts in response to the question: How can the library make our communities more resilient, more knowledgeable, more connected and more successful?