North York Central Library

5120 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M2N 5N9

Contact North York Central Library

Hours

Monday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Tuesday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Wednesday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Thursday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Friday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Saturday	9:00 am	to	5:00 pm
Sunday	1:30 pm	to	5:00 pm

North York Central Library on Facebook

Wheelchair Accessible
Free Wifi
TTY Not available due to renovation - alternate location is Toronto Reference Library
Branch has Telephone Typewriter Service

Directions, TTC & Parking

View on map

Closest major intersection Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue. Located on west side of Yonge Street on the north side of Mel Lastman Square beside the North York Civic Centre.

Public Transit

TTC subway station North York Centre. Walk to library located in the mall.

Parking

Paid - parking lot on Beecroft Road, meter parking on side streets, paid parking lots in vicinity and underground.

North York Central Library Manager

Kim Huntley

khuntley@torontopubliclibrary.ca

416-395-5550

Featured Services

Toronto Reference Library subjects by floor

Book a librarian for research or technology help.

Rare books and special collections

Visit TD Gallery
Showcasing art, artifacts, manuscripts and more.

Upcoming Programs

Featured Programs

Thu, Jan 24

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Excel Basics 2

Learn to freeze panes, create charts and tables and sort your data. Excel Basics Part 1 or a basic knowledge of Microsoft ...

Thu, Jan 24

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Architectural Steel or the Case of the Disappearing Right Angle

A new range of projects that use structural steel in an exposed, expressive and highly dynamic, visual way has come into f...

Thu, Jan 24

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Intro to 3D Printing

Learn how 3d printers work and how you can print at the Toronto Public Library's Digital Innovation Hubs. This class inclu...

Regular Programs

Wed, Jan 23

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

English Conversation Circle

Practise your conversation skills, make new friends, and learn about the library. You must be at least 18 years of age and...

Thu, Jan 24

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

North York Writers

Members of the North York Writers meet regularly at North York Central Library in an informal, supportive atmosphere to re...

Fri, Jan 25

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

After School Club: Junior Explorers

Join us for fun activities and challenges. Try new things, make new friends and have fun! For ages 4-7. ...

All Branch Programs and Events

Branch Features

General Features

Art Exhibit Space
Automated Checkin
Book Discussion Group: contact the branch for more information
Book Drop - 24 Hours
Express Checkout
Individual Study Rooms (16)
Language Lab (CD player, CD-ROM station, Gaming Room)
Microform Reader
Public Phones (inside)
Quiet Study Rooms (4 enclosed-Bookable)
Seating for 758
Teen Zone

Equipment for persons with disabilities

Book stand (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Braille writer (Perkins Brailler typewriter) (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
CCTV (closed circuit TV also called print magnifier) (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Cassette players - in-library use or for loan (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Computer with Kurzweil 1000 software and scanner (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Computer with Kurzweil 3000 software and scanner (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Computer with screen reader software (JAWS) (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Computers with screen magnification software (Zoomtext) (2)
FM Amplification System (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Kurzweil Personal Reading Machine (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Large print keyboard
Large trackball mouse (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Magnifier
Microfilm/microfiche reader/printer machine with at least 29" clearance under the table top (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Natural spectrum lamp (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Page turner (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
TTY telephone (Not available due to renovation - alternative location is Toronto Reference Library)
Wheelchair accessible furniture

Technology

Collections

Adult Literacy Materials
Audiobooks on CD
Children's Literature Resource Collection
Genealogy
IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities
Large Print Collection - Adult and Children
Native Peoples Collection
North York History Collection
Ontario Local History Collection
Signed English Books
Teen Historical Fiction

Language

Large collection in Chinese, French, Hindi (DVDs only), Korean, Persian, Russian, Spanish (DVDs only)
Medium collection in Japanese, Tagalog
Small collection in German (DVDs only)

Meeting Rooms

For booking information call 416-397-5969.

Auditorium

1,764 sq. ft.
Seats 203 lecture style. Seats 84 classroom style. Fire Code Occupancy: 220.
Equipment:
- chairs
- coat racks
- flip chart stand *
- Heintzman piano with 2 piano benches
- 2 microphones (with cords) *
- 2 microphone floorstands
- 1 microphone tabletop stand *
- 2 extension cords (various lengths)
- podium
- projection screen (ceiling-mounted)
- ceiling mounted video projector
- tables
- whiteboard stand *
* Equipment available for sign out from Security Office.

Room 1

868 sq. ft
Seats 87 lecture style. 52 classroom style. Fire Code Occupancy: 95.
Equipment:
- chairs
- coat racks
- flip chart stand *
- lectern (table top)
- projection screen (ceiling-mounted)
- tables
- whiteboard
* Equipment available for sign out from Security Office.

Room 2/3

608 sq. ft
Seats 64 lecture style. 40 classroom style. Fire Code Occupancy: 80.
Equipment:
- chairs
- coat racks
- flip chart stand *
- lectern (table top)
- tables
- two screens (ceiling-mounted)
- whiteboard
* Equipment available for sign out from Security Office.

Kitchen

Equipment:
- coffee urns: two 55-cup, two 42-cup *
- microwave
- kettle
- refrigerator
- sink
* Equipment available for sign out from Security Office.
Kitchen is shared if two or more group have made a booking and must be booked separately.

History

Year	Details
1950	A library opens on the ground floor of the North York Memorial Hall, located on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Park Home Avenue, on 30 September. The North York Public Library Association Board, established that year, operates the library.
1956	North York Public Library Board, established as a municipally-supported board by North York Township Bylaw 9612 passed on 3 January 1955, is allotted property on Yonge Street at the southwest corner of Park Home Avenue by North York Council in January 1956.
1957	The library’s adult and children’s departments are relocated from Memorial Hall to three rented stores at 5188, 5190 and 5192 Yonge Street, a block north of Park Home Avenue, opening there on 9 May. North York Township Council passes Bylaw 12412 on 12 August formally selling the 1.573-acre (.64 ha) property at the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Park Home Avenue to the Library Board for $52,000.
1959	The Gladys Allison Building is opened by the North York Public Library Board on the site on 8 July. Designed by architects James Murray and Henry Fliess, the building includes adult and children’s libraries, an auditorium/art gallery, two meeting rooms, and, on the second floor, offices for library administration and technical services. It is named in named in honour of community activist Gladys Allison (1901–1979), the driving force behind the establishment of a public library system in North York, who served on its Library Board from 1950 until 1966.
1985	The Gladys Allison Building is closed on October 5. A temporary branch called Central-on-Sheppard is opened to serve the community until the new North York Central Library is ready.
1987	New North York Central Library, in the North York City Centre, opened on May 13. Moriyama & Teshima Architects.
1996	Opening of new Gateway Services Department on April 15.
2001	LINK closed 29 June. Services now provided by Society and Recreation and Business & Urban Affairs Department.
2007	New hours, 8 January. Hours open per week increased from 59 to 59.5. Renovated Learning Centre reopened in January.
2009	New Performance space on Concourse level with seating for 200.
2010	New hours, 4 January. Hours open per week increased from 59.5 to 65.5. Implemented Express Checkout on 5 March. Auditorium renovated with seating for 203.
2011	Automated checkin as of 12 December.
2012	Teen Zone reopened, February. Urban Affairs Collection dispersed to appropriate departments at NYCL and TRL. Business and Urban Affairs Department renamed Business Department to reflect the change.
2013	Gaming Room opened March 2013.
2014	IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities opened 27 February.

North York Central Library is on Indigenous land. This is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee (ho-den-oh-sho-nee) Confederacy (aka. the Six Nations Confederacy), the Wendat, and the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. Toronto Public Library gratefully acknowledges these Indigenous nations for their guardianship of this land. We'd also like to remind and reaffirm, as Torontonians and Canadians, our accountability to these Indigenous nations, and to all Indigenous peoples and communities living in Toronto.

This land is also part of the Dish with One Spoon territory, a treaty between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (aka. The Six Nations Confederacy), the Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-nah-bek) and allied nations, to peaceably share and care for this land, its waters, and all of the biodiversity in the Great Lakes region. All those who come to live and work here are responsible for honouring this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship, and respect. About Land Acknowledgement Statements