READING IN TORONTO the seventy-ninth annual report of the Toronto Public Library Board i~iiiiiiii~iiiiiiiii~iiiii ' GIFTS TO THE TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARIES ! ~J( The Toronto Public Library Board will be pleased to accept gifts ~ ~ and bequests of funds to be applied towards the purchase of i memorial books or toward such other purposes as may be agreed ~ between the donor and the Library Board. Full information con- i ~~ cerning such gifts may be secured from the office of the Chief ~~ ~ Librarian or from the Secretary-Treasurer of the Library Board. ~J( i . i ~ii~~ii~i~iii~iiiii~iii~ii READING :i IN H TORONTO I the seventy-ninth annual report of the Toronto Public Library Board CHAIRMAN: Dr. Edmund T. Guest MEMBERS: John M. Bennett, M.A., Ph.D. Mrs. John W. Falkner Mrs. Peter Sandiford Hon. Mr. Justice Dalton C. Wells Hon. Mr. Justice J. Maurice King W. Harold Male, Q.C. Alan R. Campbell, Q.C. Controller William Dennison LIBRARIES AND FINANCE COMMITTEE: CHAIRMAN: Mrs. John W. Falkner CHIEF LIBRARIAN: Henry C. Campbell, M.A., B.L.S. ASSISTANT CHIEF LIBRARIAN AND SECRETARY-TREASURER: Newman F. Mallon, B.A., M.L.S. The general management, regulation and control of the Toronto Public Libraries are vested in the Toronto Public Library Board, composed of the Mayor of the City or a member of the City Council appointed by him as his representative, three per­ sons appointed by the City Council, three by the Toronto Board of Education, and two by the Separ­ ate School Board. The representatives from the City Council and Board of Education hold office for three years, and those from the Separate School Board for two years. REPORT by the CHAIRMAN Toronto Public Library Board 1962 •))) )))(<(• <«· Dr. Edmund T . Guest A library is more than a building; it is more than a collection of books; it is more than a staff dedicated to the custody and circulation of those books. A library in a large metropolitan centre, established over many years, is an institution. It is the custodian and storehouse of much of the wisdom of the ages. It is a record of history, past and present, and especially the history of its own constituency. It must be a tool-chest, a work­ shop, a centre of inspiration and light for every facet of com­ munity life - Art, Literature, Music, Theatre and Drama, Business, Finance, Technology, Science. It must be prepared to serve every interest of its community. The larger its community, the wider and more varied are the interests that it must serve. A library serving a large city in the midst of an even larger metropolitan area has demands and responsibilities that never arise in smaller places. Therefore it has always been one of the facts of life in the world of library that the larger units, be they big city, provincial, state, national or international, must be prepared to serve any and all who need and use what they have to offer. Furthermore, modern library practice shows that the best service is provided by a good Central Library that combines Reference and Circulating materials in one integrated collection but is divided into separate subject departments. This makes for easier and better access to the materials by users and makes 2 possible organization and direction by people who are specialists in the various departments. The facilities of such a central library are, of course, supple­ mented by local branches that provide live and current cir­ culating collections and basic reference materials close to where the people live and work. Toronto now has 18 such neighbourhood branches in addition to 7 specialized libraries or collections within the Central Library; 2 special departmental libraries not located within the Central Library complex~ the Music Library and the Foreign Language Department; 4 libraries for boys and girls only, in addition to children's rooms in most adult branches and a a number of Boys and Girls libraries in schools; 6 libraries in hospitals, and 17 travelling libraries or deposit libraries, located in various institutions. ~ CENTRAL LIBRARY SERVES METRO The Toronto Public Library Board has always recognized its responsibilities for those who do not live within the actual city limits. The Central Library has for many years served the people of the whole Metropolitan area. Until five years ago the cost of this unrestricted service was borne entirely by the taxpayers of the City of Toronto. In 1958 the Metropolitan Council recognized that the Central Library is indeed a metro­ politan facility and made a token grant of $25,000 towards its cost, pending the completion of the study then being made by Dr. Ralph Shaw of Rutgers University. This grant of $25,000 was repeated in 1959; in 1960 and 1961 it was raised to $100,000. In 1960 Dr. Shaw made his report in which he recommended that the Central Library should be accepted as a Metropolitan operation and that the cost should be assumed by Metro. In that same year the Shaw Report was referred to a Special Library Committee, appointed by the Metropolitan Council. Pending the completion of the consideration by this committee, the grant to the Central Library continued to be given the status of "token" or "interim", although in 1962 it was increased to $250,000. It is hoped that quite soon the Central Library will be fully accepted by Metropolitan Council for it is in fact, a Metro 3 facility, serving the whole area, and should be financed entirely by the body that represents all the people that use it. ~ A LIVING LIBRARY: BASIC NEEDS In order that a public library continue to be a living institution it is necessary that the book stock and collections be maintained and kept up to date, that the buildings and other physical facilities be kept in good repair and above all that the service offered be of a type to meet today's needs. Toronto carries on a systematic programme of maintenance of properties with complete rehabilitation or renewal as may be required and as funds are available. But the purchase of books and materials must be continuous and carried out on the basis of sound policies of book selection. Books must be bought when they are published and when our readers want them. Above all, the purchasing of books can not be done in fits and starts as funds are available. There are some things that can be postponed if the budget must be pared. But if books that are needed this year are not bought this year they never will be bought. Next year's funds will be needed to buy next year's books. Similarly, a living library must provide new facilities as needs and demands arise. For example, over the years Toronto has established its Foreign Language Section to meet the needs of a rapidly growing non-English-speaking population. Today, in addition to nearly one million books in English, our users can choose from 32,000 volumes and periodicals in 62 languages. The one-language library of yesterday would be as out of place in Toronto as a transit system using horse-cars or Model T's. ~ BOYS AND GIRLS HOUSE The headquarters of the Boys and Girls Division and the world­ famous Osborne Collection of Children's Books have been located in an old house at 40 St. George Street, adjoining the Central Library. During the past year it was discovered that this old building is literally falling to pieces. It was reported by the City Building Department that it constituted a menace to those using it and involved serious risk of loss or damage to the irreplaceable volumes housed in it. Therefore it is to be replaced with a new building that will be a part of the complex of library buildings at College and St. George Streets. 4 ~ IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF BRANCHES Annette and Danforth Branches: these two libraries were re­ modelled in 1962 to provide more efficient working accommoda­ tion and better facilities for users. New Parkdale Branch: A site was purchased and plans approved for a new library at the corner of Queen Street and Cowan Avenue, to be known as the Parkdale Branch. This will take the place of the Queen and Lisgar and High Park Branches. The New Jones Avenue Boys and Girls Library, opened in Novem­ ber at the corner of Jones Avenue and Dundas Street, will serve a large area in the East End previously not well provided with library facilities. This unit, for boys and girls only, will supple­ ment existing and future school libraries but will not compete with them. Music Library: The phenomenal success of the Music Library at Avenue Road and St. Clair Avenue and its development as a growing centre of music activities has made it necessary to provide larger and better facilities. The property, which had been rented by the Toronto Public Library, has been purchased out­ right and an extension of the building is planned. ~ LIBRARY LEADERSHIP Toronto is fortunate to have at the head of its library system Mr. Henry C. Campbell. His training and experience not only enable him to bring to us the best of library operations from the entire western world but he is young enough and has enough vision to look ahead and plan continuously for the growth, development and change that is essential if the Toronto Public Library is to continue to be a living institution. His enthusiasm and leadership combined with a high degree of executive ability have enabled him to work with a staff of heads of departments so as to make each division an outstanding activity.