Reading and writing are the core of most curriculums, but how students learn the basics varies. Historical children’s books can help us understand how education has changed over the centuries. Our Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books at Lillian H. Smith Branch has interesting examples of educational books and teaching aids from the 14th century…
Learn About One of the Oldest Books at Toronto Public Library — And How We Preserved It
Did you know that some of TPL's special collections have books that are centuries old? You may not be able to borrow them — but they're available for researchers or curious visitors to examine in person. Our conservators recently treated one of TPL's oldest books: a religious publication from the 15th century. It's part of…
Toronto Islands in the Early 1900s: Postcards, Pictures and a Poet’s Diary
In the summer of 1900, a young poet named MarjoriePickthalland her family rented a cottage on the Toronto Islands. During her stay at Golden Gate Cottage on Hanlan's Point, she kept a diary. Pickthall recorded her daily activities and fascination with the surrounding natural world. Inspired by passages from the diary, I've paired them with postcards…
A Book of Speculative Fiction by a BIPOC Author: Staff Picks for the TPL Reading Challenge 2021
Back in February 2021, we had a fantastic online discussion for "a book of speculative fiction by a BIPOC author" along with "a book set in the future". BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. It's an umbrella term that, while definitely not perfect, is a way to highlight work by creators that…
Snapshot of Swimming History in Ontario
As the summer heats up, Ontarians cool down in the water. To find out where swimmers of the past made waves in the province, let's turn to Digital Archive Ontario. It has over 100,000 digitized photos, maps, postcards and other items related to Ontario's past. Swimming as sport While there’s evidence that humans have…
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