Local History & Genealogy

Research history and genealogy in Toronto and beyond. Our largest collections are at Toronto Reference Library, with smaller collections at other locations. We also have many online resources.

• Online research tools
• Research guides
• Local history collections
• Books
• Upcoming programs

Online research tools

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  Digital Archive

  170,000+ historical photos, books and Toronto maps digitized from our collections.

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  Resources by neighbourhood

  Interactive map to explore our photos, books and maps related to Toronto neighbourhoods.

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  City directories

  Digital and print city directories of Toronto from the 19th and 20th century.

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  Fire insurance plans

  Maps that can help you track the history of Toronto houses and other buildings (1858 to 1973).

• Ancestry Library Edition

  Genealogy tool with birth, marriage and death records and Census of Canada records.

• Canadiana Online

  Digitized books, government publications and newspapers on Canada, from European contact to early 20th century.

• Digital newspapers

  Globe and Mail Historical Newspaper Archive

  Toronto Star Historical Newspaper Archive

Research guides

Local history and genealogy collections

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  Local history collections at Toronto Public Library

  Full list of local history collections at our branches and two research libraries.

Upcoming programs

• Cancelled: Past, Present, and Future of Dufferin and Dupont

  Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
  Location: Toronto Reference Library

  Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this event has been cancelled. While we're working to reschedule as many events as possible, no new dates have currently been determined.

• Genealogy for Beginners: A Four Part Introduction

  2:00 pm - 3:00 pm on recurring dates listed below

  This four part series of Webinars will introduce beginning genealogists to this popular pursuit. It will provide an introduction to what genealogy is and demonstrate records available for free using Ancestry Library Edition....

  Upcoming Dates:

  • Thu Jul 16
  • Thu Jul 23
  • Thu Jul 30

• Cancelled Through August 2020: Genealogy Club

  2:30 pm - 4:00 pm on recurring dates listed below
  Location: Morningside

  Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this event has been cancelled. While we're working to reschedule as many events as possible, no new dates have currently been determined. Please confirm the later session dates before att...

  Upcoming Dates:

  • Sat Jul 18
  • Sat Aug 15
  • Sat Sep 12
  • Sat Oct 24