| Toronto Reference Library | |
|---|---|
 Entrance of the Toronto Reference Library from Yonge Street and Asquith Avenue in 2023 | |
 | |
| 43°40′18″N 79°23′12″W / 43.671752°N 79.386697°W | |
| Location | 789 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario M4W 2G8, Canada |
| Type | Public reference library |
| Established | 8 September 1909[note 1] |
| Architect(s) | Raymond Moriyama[note 2] |
| Service area | City of Toronto |
| Branch of | Toronto Public Library |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | 375,830 (2018)[1] |
| Other information | |
| Director | Gillian Byrne (manager) |
| Public transit access |   Bloor–Yonge |
| Website | www |
The Toronto Reference Library is a public reference library in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the corner of Yonge Street and Asquith Avenue, within the Yorkville neighbourhood of downtown Toronto and is the largest and most visited branch of Toronto Public Library (TPL).
Established in 1909, the Toronto Reference Library initially operated from another building on College Street. In the late-1960s, management of the library was assumed by the Metropolitan Toronto Library Board. Believing the space in the original structure to be inadequate, Raymond Moriyama was tasked to find a new site, and was later commissioned by the board to design a new building for the site. The new building was opened to the public in 1977 as the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library, and the library continued to operate under that name until 1998, when it reverted to its original name. The building underwent renovations and expansion from 2009 to 2014.
The library is the largest public reference library in Canada with an extensive collection of books, manuscripts, microfilm, and other items. Most items in its collection are designated for reference-use only; the public is unable to borrow these items for use outside the library. In addition to providing access to its collection, the library also hosts a number of public reading events, as well as provide technical access and services to the public.
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- ^ "2019 Annual Performance Measures and Benchmarking" (PDF). www.torontopubliclibrary.ca. Toronto Public Library. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2021.