Lillian H. Smith

239 College Street,
Toronto, ON M5T 1R5

Hours

Monday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Tuesday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Wednesday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Thursday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Friday	9:00 am	to	8:30 pm
Saturday	9:00 am	to	5:00 pm
Sunday	1:30 pm	to	5:00 pm

Lillian H. Smith on Twitter

Wheelchair Accessible
Free Wifi

General Inquiries

To speak directly with staff at Lillian H. Smith Branch during branch hours, please call the number listed above.

For general questions about Toronto Public Library, your account, and quick reference help, email Answerline using the link below.

Email Answerline

Directions, TTC & Parking

View on map

Closest major intersection College Street and Spadina Ave.

Public Transit

TTC College streetcar from College subway station west to Spadina.
TTC College streetcar from Queen's Park subway station west to Spadina.
TTC Harbourfront streetcar from Union to Spadina then Spadina streetcar north to College.
TTC Spadina streetcar south from Spadina subway station to College.

Parking

Paid - Meter parking along Huron Street, more parking at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health on north side of College. BIXI bicycle stand on Huron St., along the east wall of the library.

Featured Services

Upcoming Programs

Featured Programs

Fri, May 17

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

An Evening with Martha Wells

Join us for a talk with author Martha Wells on her first visit to Toronto! She'll be talking about her career from Books o...

Wed, May 29

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Asian Heritage Month: Japanese Tea Ceremony

Experience the traditional art of the Japanese tea ceremony. Learn about Japanese culture and the important philosophy be...

Wed, May 29

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

After School Craft: Origami

Make a take-home craft! This month we'll be making origami for Asian Heritage Month. Ages 6-12. Drop-in. If yo...

Regular Programs

Wed, May 15

10:30 am - 11:00 am

Baby Time

Bouncing and tickling rhymes, songs and stories for babies from birth to 18 months with their parents or caregivers. Drop-...

Wed, May 15

1:00 pm - 1:00 pm

After School Gaming

Show us your skills on the PS4, Nintendo Wii and Switch. Challenge your friends! Ages 6-12. Drop-in. If your ch...

Sat, May 18

10:30 am - 11:00 am

Family Time

Stories, songs, rhymes and activities for children ages 5 and under with their parents or caregivers. Drop-in....

All Branch Programs and Events

Branch Features

General Features

Book Drop - 24 Hours
Express Checkout
Free Menstrual Products
Public Phone (inside)
Seating for 110

Equipment for persons with disabilities

Book stand
Computer with screen magnification software (Zoomtext)
Large print keyboard
Large trackball mouse
Magnifier
Natural spectrum lamp
Page turner

Technology

Collections

Adult Literacy Materials
Audiobooks on CD
Career Information Collection
English as a Second Language (ESL) Collection
Large Print Collection
Local History Collection
Marguerite G. Bagshaw Collection (puppetry resources)
Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation & Fantasy
Newcomer Information Service
Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books

Language

Large collection in Chinese
Medium collection in French
Small collection in Vietnamese (DVDs only)

Meeting Rooms

For booking information call 416-397-5969.

Meeting Room A

640 sq. ft.
Seats 30 lecture style. Seats 12 classroom style. Fire Code Occupancy: 64.
Equipment:
- 30 chairs
- 3 tables
- lectern (upon request)
- projection screen (ceiling mounted)

Auditorium

1,100 sq. ft
Seats 70 lecture style. 28 classroom style. Fire Code Occuancy: 132.
Equipment:
- 80 chairs
- 8 tables
- lectern (upon request)
- portable video projector
- projection screen (ceiling mounted)

Kitchen

Equipment:
- microwave
- refrigerator
- stove

Direct access to the kitchen from Auditorium; for renters in Room A, access is available through the Rotunda.

Meeting Rooms and wheelchair accessible washrooms are on the basement level.

All bookings finish 15 minutes before the branch closes.

History

Year	Details
1922	Boys & Girls House Library opened 27 September. First library in the British Empire devoted exclusively to children.
1928	Enlarged "to provide a little theatre for dramatic and story-hour purpose." (TPL Annual Report 1928).
1951	An extension designed by Beck and Eadie Architects opens on 30 May. It houses a children’s library and a story-hour room (replacing the demolished "Little Theatre"). The Osborne Collection of Children’s Books is housed in the old Boys and Girls House. The new entrance features an owl sculpture attributed to the architects’ design; it is now installed on the north façade of Lillian H. Smith Branch.
1963	Original Boys and Girls House demolished.
1964	New building designed by architects Murray and Fliess opens on 7 May. It includes a new Boys and Girls House (with the 1951 additional retained) and branch headquarters.
1992	Land acquired on College Street southwest corner of Huron Street for a new branch building designed by Phillip H. Carter Architect.
1993	Construction of new facility began.
1995	Boys & Girls House branch closed on 1 April. Library Board votes on 24 May (motion 95/107) to name the replacement branch in honour of Lillian Helena Smith (1887-1983), who was the head of children's services at the Toronto Public Library for 40 years, 1912-1952. Lillian H. Smith Branch opens on 16 October. Phillip H. Carter Architect.
1999	Sunday opening initiated 17 October.
2003	Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) - Outstanding Achievement in Building Award.
2007	Hours open per week increased on 8 January from 58 to 63.
2017	Third floor Le@rning Centre is closed on 17 January for renovation and relocation. New Le@rning Centre on second floor opens 1 June.
	Lillian H. Smith Branch history panel (PDF 64.5 MB created 2015).

Land Acknowledgement

Lillian H. Smith is on Indigenous land. This is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee (ho-den-oh-sho-nee) Confederacy (aka. the Six Nations Confederacy), the Wendat, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Toronto Public Library gratefully acknowledges these Indigenous nations for their guardianship of this land. We'd also like to remind and reaffirm, as Torontonians and Canadians, our accountability to these Indigenous nations, and to all Indigenous peoples and communities living in Toronto.

This land is also part of the Dish with One Spoon territory, a treaty between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (aka. The Six Nations Confederacy), the Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-nah-bek) and allied nations, to peaceably share and care for this land, its waters, and all of the biodiversity in the Great Lakes region. All those who come to live and work here are responsible for honouring this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship, and respect. About Land Acknowledgement Statements