City of Libraries: The Impact of the Urban Reform Movement on the Toronto Public Library by Jennifer K. Hann A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Graduate Department of Leadership, Higher, and Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Jennifer K. Hann 2012 City of Libraries: The Impact of the Urban Reform Movement on the Toronto Public Library Jennifer K. Hann Master of Arts Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education University of Toronto 2012 Abstract This research explores the impact of Toronto’s urban reform movement of the 1970s on the Toronto Public Library (TPL) system. The TPL is the largest public library system in Canada, with 98 branches located in neighbourhoods across the city. These highly visible, accessible, and dynamic local branches promote social inclusion and community engagement through the provision of a range of programs and services. Public participation in the library planning process through citizens’ advisory groups resulted in the “equalization” of library services across the city, a renewal of the local branch system, and the restructuring of programs and services to meet community needs as defined by communities themselves. This research also discusses the possibility of creating new opportunities for patron participation at the TPL in the context of the recent resurgence in civic engagement on library issues. ii Acknowledgments This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Jack Quarter, my supervisor, for his extraordinary generosity and kindness to me throughout my time at OISE, and for his encouragement with this thesis. I am also grateful to Dr. Daniel Schugurensky, my second reader, for his support for this research. I would also like to thank Dr. Priscila Uppal (York University) and Dr. Jeanette Neeson (York University). Their early support made it possible for me to pursue this project. I am very grateful to Marilyn Scott, Chief of Staff, Centennial College, for her mentorship and encouragement over the past several years. Volunteering as a tutor in the TPL’s Adult Literacy Program has allowed me to experience the transformative impact of libraries firsthand. Many thanks to the incredible library staff who make the program so enriching for tutors and learners alike. Thanks to my friend, Shafi Azizi, for inspiring me to find meaning in my reading, writing, and research. An extra special thanks to my friend and fellow thesis student, Kate Bojin, for providing moral support and comic relief throughout this process. I appreciate my parents’ unwavering support for my endeavours more than words can say. Thanks to my father for introducing me to libraries and to historical research as a child with that first, awe-inspiring trip to the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Thanks to my mother for her many helpful suggestions. Finally, thanks to Richard di Santo for giving me the confidence to finish what I started and begin the next chapter of my life with hope, courage, and a sense of adventure. iii Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ....................................................................................................... iv List of Figures ............................................................................................................ vi Chapter 1—Introduction ........................................................................................... 1 1.1—Background ............................................................................................. 1 1.2—Research Focus ...................................................................................... 6 1.3—Overall Research Aim and Individual Research Objectives ................. 8 1.4—Implications of this Research ................................................................ 10 1.5—Outline Structure ................................................................................... 14 Chapter 2—Issues of Agency and Power in Public Library History and the Role of Public Libraries in Civic Life ............................................................................... 17 2.1—Introduction ........................................................................................... 17 2.2—Issues of Agency and Power in Public Library History ........................ 17 2.3—The Role of Public Libraries in Civic Life ............................................ 27 2.4—Conclusion ............................................................................................. 46 Chapter 3—Research Methods ................................................................................. 48 3.1—Introduction ........................................................................................... 48 3.2—Research Strategy .................................................................................. 48 3.3—Data Collection ...................................................................................... 52 3.4—Framework for Data Analysis ............................................................... 53 3.5—Limitations and Potential Problems ....................................................... 59 Chapter 4—“Citizen Participation” and Urban Reform in Toronto .......................... 62 4.1—Introduction ........................................................................................... 62 4.2—Themes in the History of the Urban Reform Movement ....................... 62 4.2.1—The Emergence of Citizen Participation ................................... 65 4.2.2—The Impetus for Urban Reform ................................................. 68 4.2.3—The Composition of the Urban Reform Movement .................. 73 4.2.4—The Legacy of Urban Reform ................................................... 76 Chapter 5—Urban Reform-Era Library Activism and the Evolution of Patron Participation at the TPL ............................................................................................. 79 5.1—Introduction ............................................................................................ 79 5.2—Themes in the History of the Urban Reform Movement ........................ 79 5.2.1—The Emergence of Library Activism ......................................... 79 5.2.2—The Impetus for Library Activism ............................................. 82 5.2.3—The Identity of the Library Activism ......................................... 90 5.2.4—The Legacy of Library Activism at the TPL ............................. 94 5.3—Conclusion ............................................................................................. 109 iv Chapter 6—Discussion: “Deepening Democracy” at the TPL .................................. 112 6.1—Introduction ........................................................................................... 112 6.2 —Recent Resurgence in Civic Engagement on Library Issues ................ 112 6.3—Discussion .............................................................................................. 120 Chapter 7—Conclusion ............................................................................................. 146 7.1—Introduction ........................................................................................... 146 7.2—Research Objectives—Summary of Findings and Conclusions ............ 146 7.3—Recommendations for Future Research ................................................. 157 7.4—Limitations ............................................................................................. 158 7.5—Self-Reflection ....................................................................................... 159 References ................................................................................................................. 163 v List of Figures Figure 1—“Public Involvement Continuum” ............................................................ 162 Figure 2—“Ladder of Citizen Participation” ............................................................. 162 vi Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background Public libraries are highly accessible, inclusive, and dynamic public institutions that enrich the imaginative inner lives of patrons and strengthen civic life in neighbourhoods and communities. UNESCO (1994) defines the public library as a “living force for education, culture and information, and […] an essential agent for the fostering of peace and spiritual welfare through the minds of men and women” (emphasis added, n.p.). This statement brings to mind the relatively recent phenomenon of “living libraries” (or “human libraries”), a popular learning activity in which people (or “living books”) represent a specific facet of their identity and make themselves available “on loan” to engage in a discussion about their experiences with borrowers (http://human-library.org/index.html). The “living library” concept is not directly connected to public libraries (although local branches often organize and host the event). However, the exercise mirrors the evolving role of public libraries, from imposing, often inaccessible scholarly spaces into lively, communal sites of interaction and exchange. In many ways, the “living library”