Toronto Public Library Foundation was established in 1997 as a registered charity. Our mission is to provide essential resources for the enhancement of Toronto Public Library and to allocate funds to priority needs not supported by municipal funding.
The Foundation believes in the social benefits of a strong and healthy public library system. As a registered charity, we foster relationships with people of vision to provide Toronto’s Library with improved and expanded collections, enhanced programs and services, and revitalized community spaces.
In its short history the Foundation raised over $47 million in support of Toronto Public Library priority needs. Innovative partnerships established by the Foundation include the Toronto Star Newspaper Room, a $2.5 million cash and in-kind commitment, and the TD Summer Reading Club, a multi-year $1.2 million cash commitment that has grown from a local to a national initiative.
The Foundation's long-term goal is to build an endowment fund that will generate sufficient income to support enhanced library programs, collections and services in perpetuity.
Charitable Number: 886554476RR0001
Toronto Public Library Foundation | t. 416.393.7123 |
| Janet McKelvey, Chair | Former Executive Director, Canadian Tire Foundation for Families |
| Richard Boxer, Acting Vice Chair | President, Buckingham Capital Corporation |
| Tim Pinnington, Treasurer | Head of Wealth Management, HSBC |
| Sarah Fulford | Editor, Toronto Life |
| Steve Garmaise | Corporate Director |
| Donna Hayes | Publisher & CEO, Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. |
| Gillian Hewitt Smith | Executive Director & CEO, Institute for Canadian Citizenship |
| Wendy Pitblado | Corporate Foundation |
| Jane Pyper | City Librarian, Toronto Public Library |
| Donna Shea | Senior Vice President, Finance & Chief Finacial Officer, Creststreet Asset Management |
| David Strom | Chief Financial Officer, Whitecastle Investments Ltd. |
The year 2004 marked the Toronto Public Library's 120th anniversary. With this landmark, the Library's Foundation launched an initiative to enlist the support of leaders from within the community to join Governors' Council.
The Toronto Public Library Foundation recognizes the importance of seeking the advice and support from our friends who are philanthropic leaders. Through their vision and commitment we will succeed in advancing the needs of the Library in our city and communities.
| Gail Rose Appel, Honourary Chair | Thor Edgar Eaton | Anna Porter |
| Margaret Atwood | George Fierheller | Jack Rabinovitch |
| A. Charles Baillie | Dr. Murray Frum | Bob Ramsay |
| Avie Bennett | John Honderich | Richard Rooney |
| Joe Berridge | The Hon. HNR Jackman | Edward Sorbara |
| Alan Broadbent | The Hon. Margaret N. McCain | |
| David Crombie | Dr. John Polanyi |
The Literary Circle is a dedicated group of individual donors who give $1,000 or more annually to the Toronto Public Library Foundation in support of annual operations. The Literary Circle Committee raises the profile of the Literary Circle Membership program and provides leadership and support to increase the membership within the program.
Members:
| Kirsten Hanson, Commitee Chair | Chair, George Cedric Metcalf Foundation Editor, HarperCollins |
| Wendy Cecil | Brookmoor Enterprises Inc. |
| Wendy Pitblado | Corporate Director |
| Julie Powers | Designer |
| David Stones | Corporate Director |
| John Williams | President, J. C. Williams Group Ltd. |
The Book Lover's Ball Committee raises the profile of the Foundation's premiere fundraising gala and provides leadership and support to increase event revenue in support of Toronto Public Library Foundation.
Members:
| Chair: | |
| Kerry Mitchell | VP, Rogers Consumer Publishing |
| Committee Members: | |
| Lisa Charters | Senior VP, Director Digital, Random House of Canada |
| Susan Donlan | VP , Corporate & Public Affairs, TD Bank Financial Group |
| Donna Shea | SVP, Finance & CFO, Creststreet Asset Management |
| Amanda Virtanen | VP, Cohn & Wolfe |
The purpose of the Corporate Committee is to raise the profile of the Toronto Public Library in the corporate world through advocacy, spreading the word and fundraising. The committee seeks to provide leadership and support for the library among firms and individuals in the corporate community in Toronto, and to further the Toronto Public Library’s corporate giving program.
| Chair: | |
Donna Hayes | Publisher & CEO, Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. |
| Committee Members: | |
| Gillian Hewitt Smith | Executive Director & CEO, Institute for Canadian Citizenship |
| Kerry Mitchell | VP, Rogers Consumer Publishing |
| Tim Pinnington | Head of Wealth Management, HSBC |
| David Strom | CFO, Whitecastle Private Equity Partners |
The purpose of the Community Task Force is to raise the profile of the Toronto Public Library Foundatin throughout the many diverse and overlapping communities of Toronto. Reporting to the Board of the Toroto Public Library Foundation, committee members will serve as ambassadors of the Library to their social and work circles, ethnic and religious communities, volunteer and other groups.
| Chair: | |
| Steve Garmaise | Corporate Director |
| Committee Members: | |
| Amalda Ada | Program Analyst, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Province of Ontario |
| Ashmead Ali | Civil Engineer |
| Anne Baumann | Managing Director and C.O.O., Global Research, RBC Dominion Securities Inc. |
| Israel Ben-Ishai | Vice-President of Engineeering, SRM, Novell |
| Esther Enkin | Executive Editor of News Operations, CBC |
| Mona Q. Feng | Senior Consultant, Anom Kids Education Enterprise Ltd. |
| Catherine Heddle | Principal, Lamplighter Communications |
| Dayo Kefentse | Press Secretary, Ontario Minister of Education |
| Jonathan Lau | In-House Counsel, TVO |
| Teo Salgado | Manager, Regional Programs, University of Toronto |
| Heather Rumball | President hrumball@torontopubliclibrary.ca | 416.393.7134 |
| Julie Flynn Still | Director, Development & Strategic Partnerships jflynn@torontopubliclibrary.ca | 416.393.7225 |
| Liza Fernandes | Associate Director, Community & Legacy Gifts lfernandes@torontopubliclibrary.ca | 416.397.5924 |
| Mitzi Reinsilber | Development Associate mreinsilber@torontopubliclibrary.ca | 416.393.7227 |
| Liana Colacci | Development Assistant lcolacci@torontopubliclibrary.ca | 416.393.7123 |
| Brinda Goswami | Database Coordinator | 416.393.7047 |
| John R. Farrell | Manager, Major Gifts and Capital Campaign jfarrell@torontopubliclibrary.ca | 416.397.5977 |