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Monday, April 8th and 22nd

Yonge/Bloor Subway Station

12pm – 6pm

Upcoming Events

Past Events

CBC  BOOKS OPEN HOUSE FESTIVAL

Each year, the CBC Books Open House Festival brings together some of the most prominent writers, artists, and thinkers to celebrate Canadian creativity and to engage in discussions about issues of social and political importance.

All proceeds from both events will support the Toronto Public Library Foundation and Frontier College.

Torn from the Pages - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Attend a night of live music and prose celebrating Steven Heighton's acclaimed story collection The Dead Are More Visible in support of the Toronto Public Library Foundation and Frontier College. Featuring Angie Abdou, Tanis Rideout, Dave Bidini, The Billie Hollies, and many more guests!

When: Saturday, April 27 at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario

For reservations, please phone (416) 531-6604.

Get Up! Stand Up! - Saturday, May 4, 2013

Join several respected thinkers and visionaries as they discuss the importance of our country's democratic voice. Featuring Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, Margaret Atwood, Wade Davis, Chris Hedges, John Ralston Saul, Micah White, and moderators Gillian Findley and Carol Off of the CBC. Proceeds from this event go to the Toronto Public Library Foundation and Frontier College.

When: Saturday, May 4, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Where: Convocation Hall, 31 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased through www.ticketweb.ca

Please also visit www.openhousefestival.ca for more information.

TORONTO CHALLENGE 2013 - Sunday June 9th

As a part of the Toronto Challenge, enjoy a timed 5k run, 5k walk or 1k walk through downtown Toronto. As a participant, you will receive a team t-shirt, a chance to win prizes and you'll be invited to the post-race ceremony in David Pecaut Square. Encourage others to take the Challenge by inviting family and friends to join you!

Funds raised at the Toronto Challenge go directly to community programs that contribute to independent living and home support for seniors and Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services. You can designate your support to Toronto Public Library! All proceeds designated to the library, will be directed to support Home Library Services - a service available for Toronto residents who are homebound due to age, illness or disability. A variety of library materials, including books, paperbacks, large print books and talking books, are selected and delivered free of charge.

Please contact Liana Colacci (416. 393. 7123) to find out more about how to register.

Events by Friends of the Merril Collection

Events by Friends of the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection

Events by Friends of Osborne and Lillian H. Smith Collections

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The inaugural Bluma Lecture on March 7, 2013 featured Pulitzer prize winners Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas Kristof. They spoke about "our era's most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world," and how it is apparent, through the stories they portray in their book and documentary series "Half The Sky", "that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women's potential." The Lecture was moderated by Ellie Tesher.

The Bluma Lecture is a new annual lecture at the Toronto Public Library dedicated to the discussion of important issues by some of the world's most thoughtful opinion-leaders. Named in honour of Toronto philanthropist Bluma Appel, the Bluma Lecture has been made possible by an extraordinary gift from the Bluma Appel Community Trust.

Fifty two celebrity authors. Over five hundred book lovers. An evening of literary discovery in support of Toronto’s Library. On February 7th, the Toronto Public Library Foundation hosted the eighth annual Book Lover’s Ball at the Fairmont Royal York.

Presented by Sun Life Financial, the black-tie gala brought together book lovers and Canada’s top literary talents including Conrad Black, Gretchen Rubin, Andrew Pyper, Neil Pasricha, Meg Tilly, Jian Ghomeshi, Arlene Dickinson and Amanda Lang. Hosted by Tracy Moore, the night included spectacular novel-inspired entertainment featuring dance, burlesque and live art interpretations of five literary works. The evening included a cocktail reception with delectable hors d'oeuvres and a dinner menu inspired by Chatelaine recipes.

The 2013 Book Lover’s Ball raised $530,000. Guests participated in the almost live and silent auctions to bid on items including trips to China, Bermuda, Banff and Las Vegas. Book lovers showed their support of Toronto Public Library by adopting a library branch, program or book in the Adopt A Branch fundraiser, where donations were matched by TD Bank Group (up to $25,000) and raised over $75,000 this year! For more information and pictures from the event, visit www.bookloversball.ca!

On Sunday, September 23rd at the Word on the Street Festival, acclaimed authors created literary portraits (a prose description of their subjects) in a frameable format. Proceeds from this event raised $800 towards supporting the Leading to Reading program. The fundraiser, which was thought of and organized by Siri Argell and Dave McGinn, was a tremendous success. Authors included Katrina Onstad, Joe Fiorito, Elizabeth Ruth, Stuart McLean, Pasha Malla, Manjusha Pawagi and Terry Fallis.

Check out the amazing "sketches" on the TypeFace tumbler.

On June 21st, 2012 the City of Toronto Legal Department held their annual book sale in support of the Library’s Leading to Reading program. The sale raised $1363.35 this year. The Leading to Reading program instils a life-long love of learning and reading and helps develop essential literacy skills in those who need it most.

The Leave a Legacy Series has finished for the year. The 2013 Series and branch sessions will begin again in May 2013. Please join us then to discover more about creating a will, choosing executors, and the importance of leaving a legacy to charity and how it affects you, your estate and your loved ones. If you have any questions in the meantime please call Liza Fernandes, Associate Director of Community and Legacy Gift at 416-397-5924 or email her at

lfernandes@torontopubliclibrary.ca

Check back in December for dates and session topics.