Below is my report for the April 2026 Toronto Public Library (TPL) Board meeting. This report covers items that are not part of the Board agenda package.
Spaces
North York Central Library opens new teen space
On March 16, North York Central Library opened its newly renovated teen space after a year-long closure, just in time for March Break. Beautifully refreshed with new flooring, shelving and furniture, the modernized space offers clean sight lines and integrates nicely with the building’s architecture. It houses the branch’s teen collection and includes a teen programming area, a gaming room, a new Learning Centre, a customer service desk, printing services and a study area.
From Monday to Friday, between 3:30 and 7 pm, the area transforms to offer Youth Hub service—a drop-in service for teens, providing opportunities for them to connect with staff, have a snack, study, access free printing, use technology and participate in daily programs and activities.
To celebrate its opening, Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Lily Cheng visited North York Central Library on April 8. The new space and Youth Hub were brimming with teens, and many were excited to meet and take photos with the Mayor. When the Mayor asked what they appreciated most about the space, popular responses included the healthy snacks, the gaming room and the study area.
Many thanks to everyone who worked with such care and commitment over the past year to design this welcoming and inviting space for the community. Customers are already enjoying the area and sharing positive feedback.
Collections
Retail Retrospective exhibition
The Retail Retrospective exhibition held in the Toronto Reference Library’s TD Gallery made media headlines, resulting in improved reach and awareness of TPL’s Special Collections and a 13% increase in exhibition visitors compared to the previous post-COVID attendance record.
The Special Collections team delivered five media interviews on the exhibition, which ran from October 11 to January 11 and showcased vintage shopping bags, most dating from the 1960s. Retail Retrospective was featured on CBC Radio’s Fresh Air, Global News, Toronto Life, social media and other platforms. Feedback received through in-gallery surveys showed that 56% of visitors were first time gallery visitors.
Multiple free exhibitions are available throughout the year, engaging the community and spotlighting unique themes and materials from TPL’s Special Collections. Loops, Swoops and Curlicues, an exhibition exploring several hundred years of handwritten words on items, is currently featured in the TD Gallery through May 10. It showcases a variety of formats of handwriting, including a surah of the Quran, petition signatures for the first public libraries in Toronto, and TPL's oldest item—a cuneiform tablet from Southern Mesopotamia, 2000 BCE.
Staff expertise
Celebrating International Transgender Day of Visibility
March 31 marked International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDoV), which celebrates the joy and resilience of Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary and gender diverse people, while also drawing attention to the disproportionate levels of discrimination and violence faced by trans communities.
To commemorate the important day, TPL’s 2SLGBTQ+ Services Committee, Pride Alliance community of inclusion and Human Resources staff planned a supportive in-person gathering and discussion focused on Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary and gender diverse lived experiences. More than 70 staff from across TPL gathered for “Standing Together: Commemorating Trans Day of Visibility,” an event held at North York Central Library.
Staff joined the session to listen, learn and brainstorm ways to ensure continued trans visibility and inclusion year-round. They were also joined by acclaimed Indo-Canadian trans femme author, multidisciplinary artist and former TPL Writer in Residence, Vivek Shraya. Vivek delivered an engaging book reading of People Change and facilitated a powerful fireside Q&A.
Programs
March Break fun for kids and teens
From March 16-20, children and their families attended more than 350 in-person programs where they got messy with science, explored robotics, made music with ukuleles, watched dazzling magic shows, created art, enjoyed culinary creations and more. Additionally, over 30 French children’s programs were offered, including musical performances, craft workshops and hands-on STEM activities.
Families also engaged with TPL online, attending two live virtual programs—Mr. Eric’s Musical Adventures and Atelier Explorum virtuel: Physiques en fleur. During the week, the TPL Kids website received 14,129 visits as kids solved bookmark puzzles, played a book connections game, watched past programs, and shared jokes and riddles.
For teens, branches across the city hosted more than 125 programs to help them decompress, connect with others and get creative. Programs ranged from gaming tournaments and crochet classes to journalling workshops and animal visits. Teens also visited their local Youth Hubs to relax, make new friends and have a snack.
TPL’s March Break programs and experiences create exciting opportunities for children and their families to connect, learn and grow, and offer teens a place to unwind and explore new interests.
Urban forest programs and local tree tours with NatureTO
Presented as part of TPL's Our Fragile Planet program series, NatureTO offers year-round presentations and tours, helping customers identify and appreciate the trees in their local community, while raising awareness of their importance and positive health impacts.
Torontonians and their appreciation of trees did not stop this past winter, as attendees continued to embrace nature by attending NatureTO Urban Forest presentations and local tree tours with the City of Toronto's Environment, Climate & Forestry team. In 2025, more than 50 programs were offered by branches across the city, providing over 70 hours of tree identification talks and tours in Toronto communities.
This year, the NatureTO team is excited to offer more than 75 programs to branches, contributing directly to TPL's environmental efforts and increasing environmental literacy throughout the year.
Technology
AI Learning Kits now available to borrow
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Learning Kits are now available for customers of all ages to borrow at each of TPL’s 13 Digital Innovation Hub locations. A kit can be borrowed for three weeks at a time and includes an mBot2 robot that can learn by looking at pictures, listening to voices and even move on its own.
Customers can explore AI concepts like machine learning, image recognition and voice recognition through self-guided activities included with each kit. Activities are suitable for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners and support experimentation and skill development.
AI Learning Kits are part of TPL’s AI Upskilling Initiative which seeks to provide free access to AI tools, training and programs to help residents build essential skills to use AI responsibly. Visit tpl.ca/learnai to learn more and unlock the world of AI from home.
TPL's AI Upskilling Initiative is made possible with support from Google.org.
Specialized services
TPL celebrates Social Prescribing Day
Social Prescribing Day is an annual celebration of the people, organizations and communities who implement, advocate for and raise awareness of social prescribing. Social prescribing helps health care and social service providers connect people to community programs and supports—such as library services, social groups, and activities—that can improve their health and wellbeing and address individual and community needs based on the social determinants of health, as defined by The Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing (CISP).
This year, Social Prescribing Day fell on March 26. TPL joined the celebration with several opportunities for staff and the public to learn more about social prescribing, including a Social and Community Connection booklist and an online program with Dr. Kate Mulligan, titled “Fostering Connection, Belonging, and Wellbeing Through Social Prescribing.” 130 people attended Dr. Mulligan’s program and asked many questions during the Q&A portion.
TPL is committed to raising awareness of social prescribing efforts in Toronto and beyond and developing a social prescribing service model to ensure healthcare providers are equipped to connect their patients to TPL programs and services that can help improve overall health and wellbeing. This work is supported by a generous grant from The Waltons Trust as part of a larger initiative to reduce social isolation in seniors.