The Toronto Public Library
The Toronto Public Library is Canada’s largest library system. Its 99 branches house 11 million holdings that are free to local users or through interlibrary loan. Patrons of all ages are eligible to apply for a library card that provides borrowing privileges for books, videos, audiotapes, magazines, and other types of resources. If you like to read, you are sure to find something of interest. If you don’t like books, coming to the library may change that, so stop by and give it a try. Originally opened in 1830 as the York Mechanics’ Institute, the library later acquired its present name when the city was renamed Toronto. Today the Toronto Library offers multicultural connections for the diverse people groups that live in or near Toronto. There are materials printed in Yiddish, German, Russian, and other languages for people who have emigrated from those nations and wish to read books in their native languages. In 2003 the Toronto Library hosted the American Library Association Conference, providing an indicator of its growing prominence and importance to North America. The institution’s Web pages are kept up to date and offer information both in English and