Lillian H. Smith

Location

239 College Street, Toronto, ON
M5T 1R5

416-393-7746
Branch is Wheelchair Accessible Wireless Access Available at Branch
*Sunday hours in effect from September to June
Branch Hours
Day Opening Time Closing Time
Monday 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m.
Thursday 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 8:30 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m.

Directions

Closest major intersection College Street and Spadina Ave.

Public Transit


TTC College streetcar from College subway station west to Spadina.
TTC College streetcar from Queen's Park subway station west to Spadina.
TTC Spadina streetcar from Union subway station north to College.
TTC Spadina streetcar south from Spadina subway station to College.

Parking


Paid - Meter parking along Huron Street, more parking at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health on north side of College. BIXI bicycle stand on Huron St., along the east wall of the library.

Features


General Features

  • Book Drop - 24 Hours
  • Express Checkout
  • Pedometer Lending
  • Public Phone (inside)
  • Seating for 110

Equipment for persons with disabilities

  • Computer with screen magnification software (Zoomtext)
  • Magnifiers (hand held or stand)

Technology

Collections

  • Adult Literacy Materials
  • Audiobooks on CD
  • Career Information Collection
  • English as a Second Language (ESL) Collection
  • Large Print Collection
  • Local History Collection
  • Newcomer Information Service
  • Special Collections: Children's Literature Resource Collection
  • Special Collections: Marguerite G. Bagshaw Collection of Puppetry Creative Drama and Theatre for Children

Language

  • Large collection in Chinese
  • Medium collection in French (children), Vietnamese

Branch History


Year Details
1922 Boys & Girls House Library opened 27 September. First library in the British Empire devoted exclusively to children.
1928 Enlarged "to provide a little theatre for dramatic and story-hour purpose." (TPL Annual Report 1928).
1951 Addition for library and Little Theatre opened 30 May.
1963 Original Boys and Girls House demolished.
1964 Boys and Girls House rebuilt, 1951 addition retained. Murray & Fliess Architects. Opened 7 May.
1992 Land acquired on College Street southwest corner of Huron Street for a new branch building designed by Phillip H. Carter Architect.
1993 Construction of new facility began.
1995 Boys & Girls House branch closed on 1 April. Library Board votes on 24 May (motion 95/107) to name the replacement branch in honour of Lillian Helena Smith (1887-1983), who was the head of children's services at the Toronto Public Library for 40 years, 1912-1952. Lillian H. Smith Branch opens on 16 October. Phillip H. Carter Architect.
1999 Sunday opening initiated 17 October.
2003 Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) - Outstanding Achievement in Building Award.
2007 Hours open per week increased on 8 January from 58 to 63.

Directions

Closest major intersection College Street and Spadina Ave.

Public Transit

Closest major intersection College Street and Spadina Ave.

Parking

Paid - Meter parking along Huron Street, more parking at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health on north side of College. BIXI bicycle stand on Huron St., along the east wall of the library.

Upcoming Events

Sat, Apr 30 - 1:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Sat, Apr 30 - 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.