In this post, we’ve featured 10 of the best public libraries in Toronto. Continue reading to learn about what they have to offer.
1. Fairview
Fairview is a public library in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located on Fairview Mall Drive, Fairview is open seven days a week for visitors. The library is conveniently located, offers free parking and is close to the nearby subway and bus. Fairview offers a range of books and computers for borrow and usage at the library by children, young adults and seniors alike.
In addition to being a lending library with ample reading material for readers of all ages, Fairview also hosts different interest-based events at its location. There are embroidery workshops and LEGO building sessions to challenge the mind, as well as themed gaming and board game evenings to kick back and have fun with the community.
Speak to staff at Fairview today.
2. Agincourt
Located on Bonis Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Agincourt is a public library that is proud to maintain the reputation of the Toronto Public Library network. The library has been designed to be wheelchair accessible and also offers free Wi-Fi to visitors. There are a number of parking spaces around the library, including a limited number of accessible parking spaces, and the library is located close to a number of bus stops on major routes.
Young visitors in their teens can enjoy events at Agincourt, learning about stained glass art or creating tissue paper art together with other peers. For families with younger children, check out Agincourt’s Family Time or Pyjama Time, for entertainment during mornings or evenings.
Contact Agincourt today!
3. Bayview
Housed within Bayview Village Shopping Centre, Bayview is a public library that provides visitors to the shopping centre with a convenient location to drop off borrowed library material or join in one of Bayview’s events for children or adults. Bayview’s book drop service allows visitors to return library material at any time of day, regardless of if the branch itself is open.
Individuals living with disabilities can benefit from some of Bayview’s library equipment that is available, including book stands, magnification software on computers, large print keyboards, and magnifiers for books. Young adults and students can take advantage of other technology that is available at Bayview, including computer workstations connected to the Internet and printing and copying machines onsite.
Reach out to Bayview now.
4. North York Central Library
Located above the North York Centre Station, a major station on Toronto’s TTC subway line, North York Central Library is a public library open seven days a week to visitors. One of the larger public libraries in Toronto, Ontario, North York Central Library is managed by library manager Kim Huntley.
North York Central Library provides a wealth of lending and reference material to visitors. It hosts a number of book collections, including a North York History Collection, Ontario Local History Collection, and Native Peoples Collection. For visitors whose native language may not be English, North York Central Library also provides a great selection of reading material in different languages like Chinese, French, Korean and Russian.
Learn more about North York Central Library.
5. Brookbanks
Open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday, Brookbanks is a public library in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The smaller local branch provides a comfortable, cozy atmosphere for visitors wanting to find a quiet corner to enjoy a book or younger students and readers looking for a place to complete a homework assignment. Brookbanks can be accessed by public bus and there is also parking available near the library.
Children will enjoy events offered by Brookbanks, such as magic workshops held on the premises. For seniors and those with disabilities, Brookbanks has page-turners, magnifiers, book stands and computers with the Zoomtext supportive software available. In addition to their large collection of books available for lending and reference, Brookbanks also has a number of CD audiobooks available to visitors.
Find more about Brookbanks here.
6. Don Mills
Don Mills is a public library branch of the Toronto Public Library network that is situated on Lawrence Avenue East, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The wheelchair-accessible library provides free WiFi to visitors and also has other equipment for readers such as computers with Internet access and printing, copying and scanning machines available.
Visitors to Don Mills who may be looking for non-English material can enjoy Don Mills’ assortment of Chinese, French and Japanese books. Don Mills also provides certain specialty collections, such as materials for adult students of English, CD audiobooks, and books printed in large print format.
Plan a visit to Don Mills!
7. Maryvale
Accessible to visitors from within Parkway Mall in Toronto, Ontario, Maryvale is a public library that opened at its current location in 1987. Visitors to Maryvale can access the library by bus or car, as there is ample parking space at Parkway Mall for library visitors.
Guests looking to reserve one of Maryvale’s meeting rooms to gather with a larger group of people should contact Maryvale directly. The 400-square feet meeting room can seat 32 people and has equipment such as tables, chairs, easels and a projector screen available for use.
Take a look at Maryvale’s other services!
8. Locke
Toronto, Ontario is home to Locke, a branch of the Toronto Public Library network of libraries. It is wheelchair accessible and has free Wi-Fi which is available to library visitors. Originally opened in 1949, the library building was restored in 2016 in order to be able to continue offering its services to local visitors.
Locke is open six days a week, closing only on Sundays. It regularly hosts a range of events for participants of all ages, including book club meetings, comic art drawing sessions and events to promote learning and appreciation of French. Families in the area can rely on Locke for their regular children’s programs, including family board game night and “Write On, Kids!”, an event that supports aspiring novelists.
Check out Locke when you have a chance!
9. Armour Heights
Whether it is to participate in their unique events, like Dr. Seuss Day or child-friendly magic shows by local magicians, Armour Heights is a public library that makes it a point to create a welcoming environment for all its visitors. The public library is situated on Avenue Road, in the heart of Toronto, Ontario.
Armour Heights was opened in 1982 to provide library material lending services to the community. In addition to a great selection of both fiction and non-fiction reading material, Armour Heights offers CD audiobooks and a large print collection to those who prefer books printed in larger font size. Students looking for a place to study and learn can go to Armour Heights and take advantage of their computer stations, free WiFi, and printing and copying machines.
Contact Armour Heights today.
10. Victoria Village
Located on Sloane Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Victoria Village is a public library and branch of the Toronto Public Library network. The public library is open every day of the week with the exception of Monday. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible and also offer other assistive technologies, such as computers with screen magnification capability and natural spectrum lamps to enhance visibility for reading.
Opened in 1967, Victoria Village regularly hosts different events geared toward adults and families, including LEGO presentations, group forums on mental health and wellness for adults, as well as baby time, and an opportunity to bring a new-born to the world of reading and books. For locals and visitors looking to put on a presentation or have a larger meeting, Victoria Village offers use of its auditorium, which can seat 75 people. The facility has a number of chairs and tables and includes an attached projection screen, and can be booked through Victoria Village’s phone number by any library card holder.
See what else you can do at Victoria Village.