| 1830 |
York Mechanics' Institute founded to promote adult education by providing a library, lectures and night classes; renamed Toronto Mechanics Institute in 1834, when the Town of York became the City of Toronto. Toronto's Historical Plaques |
| 1833 |
Mechanics’ Institute Library housed in Timothy Parson's straw-bonnet and drapery warehouse on King Street between Yonge and Bay. |
| 1846 |
Moved from rented premises to the second floor above the Court Street Fire Hall. |
| 1854 |
Cornerstone laid for the Toronto Mechanics’ Institute’s permanent home, Church Street at the northeast corner of Adelaide Street East, 17 April. |
| 1861 |
Toronto Mechanics's Institute opened at the northeast corner of Church and Adelaide streets. The building included a library with a separate reading room. Architects F.W. Cumberland & G. W. Storm. |
| 1882 |
Ontario Free Libraries Act passed by the Ontario Legislature, the first such act in Canada. |
| 1883 |
Toronto voters approved a free public library bylaw to establish a public library, January 1. Toronto Mechanics' Institute building and collections transferred to the new Toronto Public Library Board, March. |
| 1884 |
Toronto Public Library officially opened, March 6, the fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Toronto. |
| 1903 |
Carnegie Corporation of New York granted $350,000 to TPL for a new central library and three branch libraries on the condition that the city would provide the land and guarantee $35,000 a year to support the library. Toronto's Carnegie Libraries - Central Reference Library |
| 1904 |
Site for a new central library acquired at the northwest corner of College and St. George streets. |
| 1906 |
Chief Justice Falconbridge, chairman of the Library Board, lays the cornerstone on 27 November 1906. |
| 1908 |
A circulating library, College Street Branch, opened in a 100- by 40-foot space on the first (ground) floor of the new Reference Library, College and St. George Streets, 9 December. The collection was transferred from the old College Street Branch, located in rented premises at College Street and Brunswick Avenue, 1900-8. |
| 1909 |
Public Reference Library officially opened, September 8. Wickson & Gregg and A.H. Chapman, associated architects. Reference collection transferred from old Central Library (renamed Church Street Branch). Circulating collection transferred from College Street Branch, which had been located in rented premises at College Street and Brunswick Avenue, 1900-8. |
| 1927 |
Reference Library extension to cost $400,000 approved by TPL Board, 9 December. The cornerstone for the addition laid on 28 March 1929. |
| 1930 |
Addition for a new Circulating Library officially opened, April 21. Architect, Chapman & Oxley, in association with Wickson & Gregg. |
| 1953 |
Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto established, providing upper-tier municipal government for the municipalities of Toronto. |
| 1960 |
Dr. Ralph Shaw recommended that a library board be established to provide a reference library for Metropolitan Toronto. The collection would be based on the reference and circulating departments of Toronto Public Library's Central Library, and be located in the existing Central Library until a new facility could be built. Addition for book stacks and a reading room officially opened, April 4. |
| 1966 |
Metropolitan Toronto Library Board established, by an amendment to the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto Act. It was "to provide reference services to the metro area, promote interlibrary lending, and provide co-ordinating services to local library systems." (Penman, A Century of Service, 70). |
| 1972 |
Site acquired on Yonge Street, at the northeast corner of Asquith Avenue, for a new reference library |
| 1973 |
College and St. George street building listed by Toronto City Council listed on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties, 20 June. Designation by-law passed by Toronto City Council, 26 November 1975. |
| 1974 |
Raymond Moriyama appointed architect of the new Reference Library. |
| 1977 |
New reference library officially opened, 2 November. The old reference library taken over by the University of Toronto for a student centre and a bookstore. |
| 1994 |
Addition to the Reference Library opened. |
| 1997 |
The City of Toronto Act (Bill 103) passed by the Ontario Legislature, amalgamating the seven existing municipal governments of Metropolitan Toronto. |
| 1998 |
Seven library boards in Metropolitan Toronto united into one library called the Toronto Public Library. Within the newly amalgamated library system, the Toronto Reference Library assumed its role as a Research and Reference Library. |
| 2001 |
Digital Design Studio opened to public, 26 February. Information Commons opened to public, 4 July. Toronto Star Newspaper Centre refurbished, 20 November. |
| 2002 |
Virtual Reference Desk introduced 4 November. |
| 2003 |
Computer Terrace opened. |
| 2004 |
Two new Learning Centres opened. |
| 2006 |
Introduced Browsery Collection. Atrium stage opened. |
| 2007 |
New hours, 8 January. Hours open per week increased from 54 to 60. |
| 2009 |
The Bram & Bluma Appel Salon, multi-purpose event and conference facility opened. Consumer Health Information Service closed, March. |
| 2011 |
The Urban Affairs Library at Metro Hall (55 John Street), staff and collections were integrated at the Toronto Reference Library, 15 September. Completion of new Cube entrance and expansion of Browsery, December. |
| 2012 |
Reorganization of subject collections; integration of periodicals in the subject departments, February. New subject departments established: 2nd floor - Humanities & Social Sciences, 3rd floor - Business, Science & Technology, 4th floor - Languages & Literature, Special Collections (temporary location), 5th floor - Arts. The new TD Gallery opened to the public, June. Balzac's Cafe opened, July. |
| 2014 |
Completion of the revitalization project. |
| 2014 |
Digital Innovation Hub opened to the public, 4 February. Marilyn and Charles Baillie Special Collections Centre opened 21 February. Asquith Press opened 9 June. |
| 2015 |
Writers' Room opened to the public, 19 January. |
| 2016 |
Beeton Hall Events Centre, multi-purpose event and conference facilities, renovations completed and opens for bookings in September. |
| 2017 |
The Reference Library celebrated its 40th anniversary. |
| 2022 |
The Jack Rabinovitch Reading Room was built by Moriyama & Teshima Architects. |
