Research-Related Resources

We have compiled a list of related information that you may find useful for your research project. Before submitting a research request, or if you are a student looking for information for a course assignment, please review the following:

• Open Data

  The concept of Open Data is part of a growing global movement to make public information more accessible. Toronto Public Library has released datasets on this page under the library's Open Data Policy. Under this policy, library and other public data is made available licence-free and free of charge. Datasets are available in JSON, KML, CSV, MARC, and XML format and are updated as often as possible.

• Library Catalogue

  Access our catalogue to find information about our collections, programs, and digital content such as blogs. You can also access our old catalogue and boolean searching.

• Board Reports

  Library Board meeting reports are available from 1988 to the present.

• Advisory Councils

  TPL advisory councils provide advice and guidance on library initiatives in their respective areas.

• Strategic Plans, Annual Reports & Statistics

  TPL's Strategic Plan is a document that outlines the library's long-term work, objectives, priorities, and anticipated outcomes over multiple years. Strategic Plans are available from 2000 to present and Annual Reports from 2009 to present.

• Library Statistics and Value

  We publish our Annual Performance Measures and Benchmarking, Branch Summary Statistics, Key Facts, Key Performance Indicators, Work Plan Achievements, Usage Trends, and reports that examine the social and economic value of the library to the City of Toronto for various years.

• Service Plans, Strategies, Frameworks & Reports

  We provide reports outlining our present service plans, service frameworks and models, and further reports on the impact of library services on our communities.

• Library Finance Reports

  We've published our Financial Reports from 2012 to the present. These illustrate the library's Operating Budget Reports with a breakdown of income and expenses. The City Librarian's Business Expenses are also published.

• Library Policies

  TPL operates within a framework of interconnected policies that must be adhered to as applicable. The following are some policies you may find useful:

  • Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities Policy
  • Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Policy
  • Advocacy Policy
  • Display and Distribution of Information to the Public Policy
  • Open Data Policy
  • Rules of Conduct