By Victoria Webster
When I was asked to chair a new fundraiser for the Toronto Public Library in 2016, I was all in. Libraries matter to me. As a child, libraries were places of solace — quiet spots where I would read, reflect, and learn. Of course, I have memories of test anxiety, navigating the microfiche, and being shushed by librarians, but I simply loved these places.
It had been many years since I had a reason to visit a library, but when I entered the Toronto Reference Library for my first meeting with the Toronto Public Library Foundation (TPLF), I could see so much had changed. People had their coffees and were chatting quietly. The banks of computers were filled. A family was meeting with a settlement worker at the newcomer information desk. Students were in a digital innovation hub marveling at their project on the 3D printer. Teens were in the recording studio producing a podcast. And all this happened before I even reached the TPLF office. I knew then that I was decidedly in the minority: 70 percent of people in our city visit their local library, giving Toronto the busiest urban library system in the world. Impressive.
Toronto Public Library is publicly funded but relies on generous people to amplify the important work it does. When you support TPL, you are supporting every neighbourhood in Toronto. When you give back to the library, you are strengthening and educating your community , and investing in the city we all call home. T ere are 100 branches, many in high-needs neighbourhoods, and these free public spaces are vital to those who rely on TPL’s programs, services and public spaces. I learned that TPL is so much more than books — it offers safety and outreach to some of our city ’s most vulnerable residents. It provides digital access and job-skills training to those in career transition. For absolutely everyone, from toddlers to the seniors in our community , TPL is there for all. Yes, you can still borrow any book you wish, in person or online. It turns out Torontonians are still reading…a lot! Nearly 1.2 million people have library cards and last year, TPL became the first system in the world to reach 50 million digital checkouts on OverDrive.
All this is made possible by the amazing library staff TPL employs. They work tirelessly to ensure community members find what they need, whether it’s the new Claudia Dey book, a free pass to the Toronto Zoo, a rare first edition or even a sushi-making class. The library is a hub and oft en the first stop for a new family sett ling in Canada. With 40 languages represented in library materials, it’s easy to see why immigrants feel at home at TPL and look to the library for help in navigating their new lives in our country.
As I’ve gotten more involved in the work TPL does, I continue to be surprised and amazed by its immense importance, especially for the most isolated and vulnerable in our midst. For example, community librarians visit seniors’ residences to teach digital literacy; the Bookmobile brings essential library services to under-served neighborhoods; and TPL’s Mobile Library Service delivers books to residents who are homebound and unable to physically get to a branch. They even have a service called Dial-A-Story where parents can call a number and a bedtime story is read out loud to a sleepy child, in one of 16 languages.
I am proud to live in a city that values free public spaces that are safe, comfortable, and welcoming. As our population and urban density continue to grow, these areas are even more essential. There is truly something for everyone at Toronto Public Library and it has been an honor to be a small part of it.
Victoria Webster chaired the inimitable Biblio Bash fundraiser from 2017 to 2023, helping to raise more than $4.2 million for TPLF. She lives in Toronto with her three boys and is currently launching goldenafternoon.clinic in Los Angeles.