Before there was a New City Hall in Toronto, there was Old City Hall... but of course, nobody called it Old City Hall until there was a New City Hall to compare it to. And when Old City Hall was just City Hall, there was already an "Old" City Hall located in what we know as…
Seven Science Fiction and Supernatural Books by Early Ontario Writers (Free Downloads)
Toronto Public Library's Digital Archive has all kinds of rare materials — from department store catalogues to fire insurance plans. One of the Digital Archive's best-kept secrets is its growing collection of digitized books. These are full-length, hard-to-find books available for instant access as PDFs — no library card required! Below is a list of…
The Legacy of Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018)
This world of wildest dreams we devotees call fantasy will never be the same. News of the passing of Ursula K. Le Guin on Monday evening has deeply touched the community of science fiction and fantasy fans, and countless others who have been inspired by her writings. Le Guin was a multi-award-winning author, having won several Locus, Hugo and…
Owen Sound: Rare Vintage Photographs
Toronto Public Library's Digital Archive gives you instant access to bits of history from across Ontario — not just Toronto. Hot off our scanners are 50+ historic photographs of Owen Sound. They are from a rare book, "Souvenir of Owen Sound, Canada" (open as a PDF). Published around 1900, the small book contains at least one photo…
Conserving the Treasures of Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver
To celebrate the completion of conservation work on Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver's invaluable illustrations, this post gives a brief overview of Cleaver and how Toronto Public Library has preserved her art.
Stunning Art by “Canadian Audubon” Added to Digital Archive
William Pope (1811-1902) was born in Kent, England. He journeyed to North America in 1834, "perhaps by the news of abundant game and no hunting restrictions." Hunting was not his only interest — he also had an interest in arts and received a formal arts education. After travelling through parts of the United States and…
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