The Toronto Reference Library is located at 789 Yonge Street in Toronto, just one block north of Bloor, and is the largest public reference library in the Canada.  The library opened in November of 1977 and operated independently as the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library until it was incorporated into the Toronto Public Library system in the late 1990s.

 

 

The structure itself is a five-storey building and close to 39,000 square feet.  It was designed by Canadian Architect Raymond Moriyama (who himself has had a very interesting life).

 

 

The interior design of the library is quite unique with the curved atrium at the focal point, and it provides amazing site lines across all floors.  The ceiling of the library is also quite unique as it not only provides an abundance of natural light from the skylights, but also acts a source of natural ventilation.

 

 

Originally, the atrium was designed to resemble the hanging garden of Babylon and had plants located around the edges of all the floors facing into the large open space.  However, these eventually became too costly to maintain and were eventually removed.

 

 

The exterior of the library is primarily red brick and was designed to fit in with the surrounding architecture.  In 2012, a major renovation project for the library was completed with the most notable exterior feature being the glass entrance cube.

 

 

There are many different services and collections available at the library for children and adults alike including 3D printing, a piano practice room, art exhibit spaces, really cool study pods and The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection which is located in a room built specifically to look like the study of Sherlock Holmes.

 

 

Interestingly, while the Toronto Reference Library is the largest public reference library in the Canada, it is one of three of the largest libraries in the city of Toronto.  The other two notable libraries are Scott Library at York University and Robarts Library at the University of Toronto.