Toronto Reference Library: Architecture, Exhibits, Free Programs

Walk in off Yonge Street and the Toronto Reference Library does something rare for a place full of books: it makes you look up.

The Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library, now known as Toronto Reference Library, opened in 1977 at 789 Yonge Street and replaced the Central Library on College Street. Its stepped brick walls and skylit atrium are a good reason to visit even if you leave the stacks for another day.

Who designed the Toronto Reference Library?

The architect was Raymond Moriyama, a well-known Toronto architect who also designed the Scarborough Civic Centre and the Ontario Science Centre. Construction began at the end of 1974, and the library officially opened on November 2, 1977.

The design story has a twist worth knowing. Revised plans, proposed by Moriyama in April 1974 and accepted by both levels of municipal government and the Library Board, replaced glass with large expanses of warm reddish orange brick and swapped a solid square shape for recessed step backs. The main construction is steel-reinforced concrete with a red brick facade. The first level is about 45 feet high, relating to the neighbouring buildings on Yonge, and the higher levels step back from the street to decrease the mass.

What does the atrium do?

Quite a lot. Glass sections facing Yonge Street and Rosedale break up the brick, and the pyramid shape brings in natural light plus urban and Rosedale views from the windows. The central atrium, topped by a skylight, lets air circulate freely, and the building was designed without a conventional boiler or furnace.

There is water, too. Moriyama designed the foyer with one of the building’s three water features, a waterfall and pool. The original waterfall, ponds and fountains were intended to mask street noises. Our pick: pause by the water for a moment before you head upstairs.

The original art was bold. Ten large banners once hung from the ceiling identifying the subject on each floor. Aiko Suzuki’s fibre sculpture Lyra measures 45 by 23 feet; it took her eight months to complete and three days to install. Toronto Public Library’s own history post says that, according to writings at the time, Lyra was the largest fibre sculpture ever commissioned in Canada.

What exhibits and free programs does the library offer?

The TD Gallery is Toronto Public Library’s main exhibit space, and it curates multiple free exhibitions each year, showcasing Special Collections and beyond.

On now: A Legacy in Motion: The National Ballet of Canada at 75, running from September 26, 2026 to January 10, 2027. It offers an up-close look at original costumes and sketches from TPL’s Special Collections and The National Ballet of Canada Archives, including stageworn costumes from Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, over 40 original costume designs by nine designers and a visual timeline.

For talks and readings, the library’s Salon Series invites you to connect with Canadian and international authors, artists and thinkers at literary and cultural events, with free tickets to reserve. The Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, a premier event space for Toronto Public Library’s cultural and heritage programming, opened in the building in 2009. In 2011 a new glass entrance cube opened as part of the building’s five-year revitalization.

What are the special collections?

The Marilyn & Charles Baillie Special Collections Centre is a large reading room on the 5th floor, giving access to four collections. The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection is one of the world’s leading collections devoted to the author of Sherlock Holmes, in a cozy room styled as Sherlock’s study. The Baldwin Collection of Canadiana holds historical manuscripts, books, ephemera, newspapers, maps and documentary art, including over a million Toronto Star photos. Those press photographs came from Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd., which donated its photographic archive of more than one million photographs from 1900 to 1999 to the library in 2015.

TPL says that, due to renovations, access to materials in the Baillie centre is currently by appointment only and some items are inaccessible. Check TPL’s special collections page before you plan a research visit.

What should you know about the renovation?

TPL is replacing the building’s windows, and its own wording is worth reading closely. The library’s renovation page states: “Starting August 15 to end of October, the Toronto Reference Library will undergo intermittent closures, limited access to computers and reduced hours, services and seating to replace the skylight windows. Some floors and collections will be inaccessible during this time.”

The upside: the new windows can better control heat from the sun and, ultimately, the temperature during all seasons. They use Toronto Green Standard bird-friendly fritted glass to help prevent birds from flying into the glass. TPL says the total windows replacement project is scheduled to be finished by November 2026.

The same page lists what remains available: floors 1 to 2 with limited seating and access to public computers and study rooms; library-run programs and events, including Salon programs, as scheduled; exhibits in the TD Gallery, as scheduled; and the Youth Hub and Digital Innovation Hub. Check the Toronto Reference Library page on tpl.ca for current hours and open floors before you go.

Where is it and how do you get there?

The branch is near Yonge and Bloor, one block north of Bloor Street on the east side of Yonge Street. Toronto Public Library labels it wheelchair accessible with free wifi. Plan your visit with our Toronto architecture guide, then keep going: the Toronto City Hall architecture feature covers another civic landmark, the downtown Toronto walking tour and the Toronto architecture walk fill the afternoon, and Yorkville is a short way north.

Send this to the friend you would bring to look up at the skylights with.