biggest libraries toronto

The 5 biggest libraries in Toronto

Toronto is filled with massive libraries making it easy to see how our city has one of the busiest public systems in the world. With Toronto opening up its 100th branch (Scarborough Civic Centre) and renovating historic spots such as the Wychwood Branch, our libraries - with 10.5 million books, DVDs, ebooks and other materials in circulation - will keep readers happy for years.

Here are the five biggest libraries in Toronto.

See also: The smallest libraries in Toronto

Toronto Reference Library
From hosting celebrities and writers such as Jonathan Franzen, Judy Blume, Lena Dunham and Margaret Atwood (or course) in the Bluma Appel Salon, to allowing visitors to peruse centuries-old newspapers in the basement Toronto Star Newspaper Room, this centrally located library has everything - even 3D-printers and space-age-style study pods.

North York Central Library
As second largest library in the city, you can do some serious research in this monolith near Mel Lastman Square. Though the North York Central Library officially opened in 1957, it moved into its current location -a building by Moriyama and Teshima Architects, the same firm that designed the Reference Library - in 1987.

Northern District
This library has a history dating back more than 100 years as it once was (as its name suggests) Toronto's most northern branch. While this isn't the case today, Northern District still serves the Yonge and Eglinton area with its sizeable collection and recently renovated building

Fairview
One of the most impressive features of this branch, located right beside Fairview Mall, is its theatre. With multiple dressing rooms and a baby grand piano, it seats over 250 people, making it perfect for community productions and recitals. It also costs only $409 per day for non-profit groups.

Richview
The Richview branch in Etobicoke has a dedicated art exhibition space and often features local artists. The library also has a larges collection in French, Polish and Chinese, as well as smaller collections in Italian, Korean, Russian and Ukrainian.

Photo by Loc Nguyen


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