The Weird, The Wonderful, and the Odd

Posted on September 30, 2026 by Rosalynn

Featuring objects and books from Archives and Special Collections that you might not know that we have…

Spirit Photography

Made popular during the Victorian Era (1837-1901), spirit photography claimed to capture the unseen through the lens of a camera. The rise of the Spiritualism movement of the late 19th century, and the end of the American Civil War (1861-1865) contributed to the popularity of this phenomenon. Post-mortem photography, staged photographs of recently deceased loved ones, was also popular during this period. The spirit photography movement is credited to have started in the U.S. with amateur photographer William H. Mumler. Mumler is best known for his photograph of Mary Todd Lincoln, with the spirit of Abraham Lincoln beside her.

These books from Special Collections detail this activity with many examples of Weird ghost-like phantoms alongside the unbeknownst sitter. They are available for viewing in the Archives and Special Collections Reading room.

C-10 0002519 pam Meinwald, Dan, and California Museum of Photography issuing body. Memento Mori : Death in Nineteenth Century Photography. California Museum of Photography, University of California, 1990, image — C-10 0002519 pam Meinwald, Dan, and California Museum of Photography issuing body. *Memento Mori : Death in Nineteenth Century Photography*. California Museum of Photography, University of California, 1990

C-10 0000041 Gettings, Fred. Ghosts in Photographs : The Extraordinary Story of Spirit Photography. Optimum Publishing Company Limited, 1978., image — C-10 0000041 Gettings, Fred. *Ghosts in Photographs : The Extraordinary Story of Spirit Photography*. Optimum Publishing Company Limited, 1978.

C-10 0000127 Holzer, Hans. Psychic Photography : Threshold of a New Science? 1st ed., McGraw-Hill, 1969., image — C-10 0000127 Holzer, Hans. Psychic Photography : Threshold of a New Science? 1st ed., McGraw-Hill, 1969.

Alan Suddon Sketches

Alan Suddon (1924-2000) worked for the Toronto Public Library for 45 years, retiring in 1987. He was the Head of the Fine Arts Department at the Toronto Reference Library. These Wonderful sketches were created by Suddon during library meetings on scrap pieces of paper. (RG 216.09.09)

This edition of Cinderella was created with collage images created by Suddon for his children. Michael Macklem, founder of Canadian Publishing House Oberon Press, had seen some collages and offered to publish them. Macklem wrote the variation of Cinderella that accompanies Suddon’s collages, but goes unaccredited as the author. This book is available for viewing in the Archives and Special Collections reading room

PZ7 SUD Suddon, Alan. Cinderella. Translated by Claude Aubry, Oberon Press, 1969., image — PZ7 SUD Suddon, Alan. *Cinderella*. Translated by Claude Aubry, Oberon Press, 1969.

Alan Suddon was a founding member of the Costume Society of Ontario and was one of the leading collectors of historic dress in Toronto, with couture pieces from Balenciaga, Balmain, Pierre Cardin, Jean Desses, Paquin, and Christian Dior. His collection was acquired by TMU’s Fashion Research Collection after his passing. https://www.torontomu.ca/fashionresearchcollection/. Alan Suddon also collected approximately 5000 posters, broadsides and flyers from around Toronto (1950s-1990s) with his son Alan. They were donated to the Baldwin Collection of Canadiana at the Reference library https://tpl.ca/downloads-ebooks/specialized-collections/historical-baldwin/

The Wonderful World of Oz

Some of the most Wonderful items in our collection pertain to the American Fairy Tale, The Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum. The book, authored by Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow, was published in 1900 to critical acclaim. Two years after the books release Baum and Denslow teamed with composer Paul Tietjens and Director Julian Mitchell created a musical stage version of the book which debuted in 1902. Frank L. Baum would go on to publish 13 more books based on places and people in the Land of Oz.

Over the years this classic tale has had many adaptations, including musicals, films, and spin-off novels. Our collections include some of the novels in the series and program books for the musical Wicked, inspired by the characters of the original novel.

2021.12.53.38 - Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, image — 2021.12.53.38 – Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre

PZ7 BAU Baum, L. Frank, and John R. Neill. The Emerald City of Oz. The Reilly & Lee Co., 1910., image — PZ7 BAU Baum, L. Frank, and John R. Neill. *The Emerald City of Oz*. The Reilly & Lee Co., 1910.

Wood under Glass

Suitable for a Cabinet of Curiousities these two Weird looking objects are part of the Archives Collections. Both pieces of wood were found during the building of and renovations around Howard Kerr Hall. The larger piece of wood in the round dome was found during the construction of the pool in the early 1960’s. The smaller piece in the glass jar was dug up from around the northwest corner of the building in 1972. Both have been carbon-dated and said to be 12,000 years old. (RG 0.04.21)

Kolorkins

These Odd creatures come from a successful Kodak Canada advertising campaign. Available from the 1980s to early 2000s, these cute creatures came in a variety of sizes, colours, and styles. Kolorkins were often available as rewards for buying Kodak products, and were sometimes re-released to celebrate global events like the Olympics. These colourful creatures were meant to celebrate the vibrant colours Kodak film and other Kodak products captured.

2005.001 - Kodak Canada Corporate Archives and Heritage Collection, image — 2005.001 – Kodak Canada Corporate Archives and Heritage Collection

Pieces of the Past

When TMU opened in 1948 it inhabited the Ontario Department of Education/Toronto Normal School (Teacher’s College) building located in what is now the Kerr Hall Quad. Renamed Ryerson Hall when the school opened the building served as office and classroom space and housed the school’s first theatre.

Postcard featuring the old Ontario Department of Education/Toronto Normal School buildings (F 80.09), image — Postcard featuring the old Ontario Department of Education/Toronto Normal School buildings (F 80.09)

The Ryerson Hall building was demolished 1963. In 1984 for the Province’s bicentennial a group of Architecture students created a model of the original building utilizing original plans by Frederick William Cumberland and Thomas Ridout. The plans are part of the J. C. B. and E. C. Horwood collection at the Archives of Ontario. This model is currently located in the Archives and Special Collections reading room.

This brick, nail, and mail slot were saved during the demolition of the building in 1963 and the vault keys are leftover from a door that no longer exists. Collected during the early days of the Archives by first Archivist Jim Peters, these pieces and parts of the Ryerson Hall building might seem Odd to keep but they are just some of the architectural pieces in our collection. Larger remnants of the building still exist in the Kerr Hall Quad – the facade acts as the front entrance to the Recreation and Athletic Centre and the large Department of Education Coat of Arms sits in the north-east corner.

RG 0.04.33
RG 0.04.16
RG 16.44
RG 0.04.13

Ryerson Opera Workshop – Once Upon a Mattress (1963)

This Wonderful hand-painted poster is from ROW production presented March 13-16, 1963. This musical was the last show to be mounted in the old Ryerson Hall theatre which was demolished in 1963. The Ryerson Opera Workshop was established in 1951 by Jack McAllister, founder of the School of Performance, and was a school-wide student endeavour from production crew to cast members. In the early days of ROW Faculty were also involved. “Once Upon a Mattress” is a musical comedy adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea” with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and script by Barer, Jay Thompson, and Dean Fuller. It debuted on Broadway in 1959.

Once Upon a Mattress poster RG 718.13, image — Once Upon a Mattress poster RG 718.13

Front cover of Program for "Once Upon a Mattress" RG 718.02, image — Front cover of Program for “Once Upon a Mattress” RG 718.02

The Ryersonian March 12, 1963
The Ryersonian March 13, 1963

This blog accompanies a exhibit in our cases in the elevator lobby on the 4th floor – in front of our Reading Room (LIB 404). We invite you to view the exhibit which runs September 30 – December 31st, 2026.

The Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, 2025

Posted on September 3, 2026 by Rosalynn

Since 1984, The Alcuin Society has recognized excellence in book design with a national awards program. For the 2025 awards, The Alcuin Society received 209 entries from 79 publishers located across Canada. The judging to determine the winners took place on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at the Hazel McCallion Campus of Sheridan College in Mississauga, Ontario. Winners were chosen in nine different categories: Children’s picture books; Comics; Limited Editions; Pictorial; Poetry; Prose: Fiction; Prose: Illustrated; Prose: Non-Fiction; and Reference. The TMU Libraries are happy to showcase this year’s winners.

The following are the first place winners from each category (Please note first prize was not awarded in all categories this year).

Children’s Picture Books

The Little Ghost Quilt’s Winter Surprise. Authored by Riel Nason. Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler., image — The Little Ghost Quilt’s Winter Surprise. Authored by Riel Nason. Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler.

The Newest Gnome. Authored and Illustrated by Lauren Soloy https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1knabf4/alma991014728635108636, image — The Newest Gnome. Authored and Illustrated by Lauren Soloy https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1knabf4/alma991014728635108636

Also found in the TMU library catalogue from this category is:

2nd place winner Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue! Authored and illustrated by Howie Shia https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1knabf4/alma991014734114608636, image — 2nd place winner Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue! Authored and illustrated by Howie Shia https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1knabf4/alma991014734114608636

Comics

Pictorial

Prose: Non-Fiction

Winner with a TMU connection. Chantal Braganza is a class of 2009 Journalism graduate. You can read more about her from this interview on the School of Journalism website: https://www.torontomu.ca/journalism/about/grads-at-work/chantal-braganza/ Journalism 09

2nd Place winner: Story of Your Mother. Authored by Chantal Braganza, image — 2nd Place winner: Story of Your Mother. Authored by Chantal Braganza

To see a list of all this year’s winners, or find past years recipients you can look through the online catalogues on the Alcuin Society webpage: https://www.alcuinsociety.com/awards/catalogues

The books will be on display on the 4th floor of the main library in the Archives and Special Collections display cases until September 23rd.

*All photographs shared from the 2025 Alcuin Society award catalogue.

The Conservation of the Collingwood Photographic Collection

Posted on June 10, 2026 by Marisa Kelly

In 2021, the Special Collections accepted a donation of 35854 photographs of the late Canadian photographer Grant Collingwood. Approximately 31788 of those were various sized negatives, and only 4066 were photographic prints. Over the last five years, the Special Collections staff, Young Canada Works interns, and placement students of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management (F+PPCM) program have sequentially collaborated with one another by cataloging and re-housing the thousands of materials. Ultimately, passing the Collingwood baton off and leaving behind notes of advice to support the next project archivist.

Over time, not only have filled bankers boxes transformed into orderly archival document cases, but archivists have learned new skills: how to read cursive handwriting, how to infer decades by utilizing context clues in the photographs when no handwritten date is available, and various conservation methods to unstick film negatives. The advice left behind has come in especially handy, as in the Spring of 2026 I opened a bankers box to have it reveal stacks of approximately 570 gelatin silver prints, none of which were dated and all of which were stuck together from water damage. Throwing them out would be a disservice to Special Collections as it was 14% of the prints in the Collingwood collection. It would also be a disservice to researchers. Was it worth the risk of throwing them out and losing documents of research value? We decided that it was not.

The first attempt to unstick the gelatin silver prints was to use the humidity chamber materials that were left behind by the Summer 2025 F+PPCM placement student. She learned the conservation of unsticking damaged negatives. I followed her instructions, I used a clear storage box that was 7 inches deep, I placed a microfiber cloth at the bottom. I poured in hot water from the kettle to be absorbed by the cloth, and I placed a metal shelf organizer from Ikea and on top and left the gelatin silver prints to rest. I sealed the lid of the box and plastic wrapped the entire unit to ensure the humidity stayed inside of the chamber. Unfortunately, due to the severe damage done to the gelatin silver prints, the humidity was not successful in releasing them from one another the way it had for the negatives, they remained stuck and hard as a rock.

The Special Collections team used our photography backgrounds to decide on the next steps to take. With some additional research, we agreed that gelatin silver prints could be saved the same way in which they are made in the darkroom; by submerging them in water and laying them flat to dry. It felt risky to put archival documents into a wet bath, when liquid near any archival documents is often strictly forbidden. However, since the alternative was to just throw them away, we decided it was worth the risk. Before purchasing the additional supplies, we were fortunate to borrow equipment from the Technology Resource Centre (TRC) at the university as they have the supplies needed for the darkroom on campus. We borrowed a 16” x 20” developing tray, one set of print tongs, and a multi-purpose squeegee. We could not complete this without an acrylic sheet. Since the TRC did not have this available, we purchased an acrylic serving tray from our nearby dollar store. We also could not complete this without materials to suspend prints so that they did not stick to the table when drying, so we purchased a ‘fine screen roll’ from the nearby Canadian Tire used for common household windows.

I filled the development tray with warm water and submerged the gelatin silver prints. I monitored them to see if they would lift, and we were correct in our hypothesis as the water encouraged them to go from hard as a rock to silky and slippery and I was able to pull them apart with the print tongs. Separating them one by one, I walked them individually by holding the corners of the print like I would the train of a delicate wedding dress. I placed them on a window screen which fit about thirty prints and took anywhere from half a day to a full day for them to dry. In our newfound success, we returned the materials to the TRC and purchased our own supplies to have indefinitely.

Since the prints were stuck together in various piles, all of which were inconsistently numbered, I used the humidity chamber to keep the stack of prints moist when needed, as allowing them to fully dry out and re-wet would cause further damage. I was also careful to not have them be left wet over the weekend, as extended periods of dampness and humidity made the emulsion lift off and ruined the entire photograph. The wet-to-dried prints were not sticky, and it caused no issues to stack them on one another. Although many of the prints did curl up, by layering them between acid free folders that hugged the prints, using layered acid free boards, and various sized archival or gym weights sitting atop, we pressed them for a week and they flattened right down. At last, we stored them in individual archival safe plastic sleeves and prepped them to be catalogued.

As there were 570 prints to re-wet and pull apart, the project took four months to complete, starting in March and ending in June. The project was so successful that only a fair few prints did not make the cut and were thrown out in the process. However, as none of the prints have a date scrawled across the back of them, it will be a task passed off to the next project archivist to determine what decade they belong to for our arrangement which is chronological order by year and subdivided by subject matter. And just like that, the Collingwood baton is passed off to continue its project archivist relay race.

Student Life and Action in the Archives

Posted on February 25, 2026 by s.moon

Through collections preserved in the Toronto Metropolitan University Archives, we are able to see the history of student organizations and life on campus. These histories allow us to visualize how the University has grown and changed over time, and the major student contributions to campus development. This blog post will highlight some of these major accomplishments present in the exhibit. This blog post accompanies the Student Life and Action in the Archives Exhibit and Research Guide. The exhibit will be up from February 12th until March 31st.

Vacation Anyone?

RG 457.03.02 Ryerson Centre Blue Mountain Lodge

Ryerson Centre was a charitable organization that was originally founded as part of the Ryerson Institute of Technology Students’ Union in 1948, and branched off from the Union in 1966 when the Union underwent a restructuring, leading to the founding of the Ryerson Students’ Administrative Council (RyeSAC) and Ryerson Centre. Ryerson Centre’s mission was to provide amenities not covered by other educational sources, including Student Services and providing non-academic campus spaces, health services, residences, athletics, and supporting student societies, groups, and committees.

As part of their mission, Ryerson Centre began purchasing property across Ontario to create student and community spaces, including peaceful vacation rentals for students who needed a break from the city. The first property was purchased in 1972, and was entitled the Ryerson Rural Centre. Located in Millbrook, Ontario, the 200 acre property was available for rent for students and the wider campus community for $2 per person per night. Student groups and classes would rent out the farm, with Film and Interior Design courses attending the farm, and student clubs like the Karate Club staying there as a retreat. The second property was the Ryerson Blue Mountain Lodge in Collingwood, Ontario, purchased in 1975. The ski lodge consisted of the main lodge, four chalets, and a heated pool, and was available to rent year round. Despite purchasing other properties, the Rural Centre and Lodge were the only two to be opened as vacation rentals, and both later closed after just under ten years of operations, with the Rural Centre selling in 1980 and the Lodge in 1983.

RG 457.03.03 Screenshot from Ryerson Rural Centre film

Student Action

Much like the University, student government at TMU has gone through different cycles and multiple names. TMU student government emerged in 1948 through the Ryerson Institute of Technology Students’ Union, landing on the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union in 2022. Over the years the TMSU had been directly involved in student organizing taking place on campus through the founding of subsidiary groups like RyeACTION (no longer in existence), RyePRIDE (now the Queer Space), the Good Food Centre, the Student Access, BIPOC Students, Trans Collective, and the Centre for Women & Trans People. These equity service centres provide drop-in space and community-building events across campus.

One anti-tuition hikes action in the 1990s included the then President of the Students’ Union delivering 30 bags of ice to the University President Claude Lajeunesse’s office to call for a tuition freeze. Another action includes Booxodus which was organized in 1967 where the Students’ Union asked students to borrow six books from the Library to demonstrate the need to grow the Library’s collection. Protesters borrowed 3,000 books from the library and marched on Victoria and Gerrard Streets.

Alongside the creation of these centres, Students’ Unions, groups, and the larger student population have used their voices to continuously advocate for campus life through demonstrations and lobbying, working to mobilize student participation in the National Student Day of Action and other city, province, or nationwide actions, including Idle No More, Occupy, the G20 actions.

Come visit the ASC exhibit, open until March 31st, to see materials related to TMU student history. If you are interested in other student resources available at the TMU Archives, consult the Selected Bibliography of Student Resources Available at the Toronto Metropolitan University Archives for more.

The Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, 2024

Posted on October 21, 2025 by Rosalynn

Since 1984, The Alcuin Society has recognized excellence in book design with a national awards program. The TMU Libraries are happy to showcase these award winners from the 2024 publishing period.

The books are judged in nine different categories – Children’s books; Comics; Limited Editions; Pictorial; Poetry; Prose: Fiction; Prose: Illustrated; Prose: Non-Fiction; and Reference. The following are the first place winners from each category.

Children's Book: Mushrooms know Wisdom. Authored by Kallie George and illustrated by Sara Gillingham. This book is available at the TMU Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014609668508636, image — Children’s Book: Mushrooms know Wisdom. Authored by Kallie George and illustrated by Sara Gillingham. This book is available at the TMU Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014609668508636

Comics: The Gulf. Authored and illustrated by Adam de Souza. The book is available at the Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014611569408636, image — Comics: The Gulf. Authored and illustrated by Adam de Souza. The book is available at the Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014611569408636

Limited Editions: Treasure Island. Author by Robert Louis Stevenson and Illustrated by Marc Castelli., image — Limited Editions: Treasure Island. Author by Robert Louis Stevenson and Illustrated by Marc Castelli.

Tie - Pictorial: Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault. Authored by Sonia Del Re, Kirsten Appleyard and Enka Dolphin., image — Tie – Pictorial: Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault. Authored by Sonia Del Re, Kirsten Appleyard and Enka Dolphin.

Tie - Pictorial: AP205 Amancio Williams: Readings of the Archives. Authored by by Studio Muoto, Claudia Shmidt, and Pezo von Ellrichshausen., image — Tie – Pictorial: AP205 Amancio Williams: Readings of the Archives. Authored by by Studio Muoto, Claudia Shmidt, and Pezo von Ellrichshausen.

Poetry: The Undesirables: a bestiary. Authored by Lisa Robertson and illustrated by Myfanwy MacLeod., image — Poetry: The Undesirables: a bestiary. Authored by Lisa Robertson and illustrated by Myfanwy MacLeod.

Prose: Fiction: Dayspring. Authored by Anthony Oliveira., image — Prose: Fiction: Dayspring. Authored by Anthony Oliveira.

Prose: Illustrated: Taizo Yamamoto: Carts, Hedges, Lions. Authored by Taizo Yamamoto, Kevin Chong, Aaron Peck, and Jackie Wong. Illustrated by Taizo Yamamoto., image — Prose: Illustrated: Taizo Yamamoto: Carts, Hedges, Lions. Authored by Taizo Yamamoto, Kevin Chong, Aaron Peck, and Jackie Wong. Illustrated by Taizo Yamamoto.

Tie - Prose: Non-fiction: Les forces du sommeil-cohabitations des vivrants: Manif d'art II: la biennale de Quebec. Authored by Alice le Roy, Marie Muracciole, Benedicte Ramade, Maude Veilleux, and Julia Caron Guillemette., image — Tie – Prose: Non-fiction: Les forces du sommeil-cohabitations des vivrants: Manif d’art II: la biennale de Quebec. Authored by Alice le Roy, Marie Muracciole, Benedicte Ramade, Maude Veilleux, and Julia Caron Guillemette.

Tie- Prose: Non-fiction: A Nation's Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada. Authored by John Ibbitson., image — Tie- Prose: Non-fiction: A Nation’s Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada. Authored by John Ibbitson.

Reference: Hemingway s'est paquete la fraise et autres cocktails originaux. Authored and illustrated by Christian Salette., image — Reference: Hemingway s’est paquete la fraise et autres cocktails originaux. Authored and illustrated by Christian Salette.

Alumni Connection – 2 of this years books were authored/co-authored by Alumni

3rd place Prose: Illustrated: He Hijacked my Brain - Gary Topp's Toronto. Authored by Derek Emerson (Graphic Communications Management '93); Stephen Perry; Fran Grasso (Fashion '95): Shawn Chirrey, Simon Harvey, Paul Morris, Tim Freeborn, Marika Csotar and Nancy Park., image — 3rd place Prose: Illustrated: He Hijacked my Brain – Gary Topp’s Toronto. Authored by Derek Emerson (Graphic Communications Management ’93); Stephen Perry; Fran Grasso (Fashion ’95): Shawn Chirrey, Simon Harvey, Paul Morris, Tim Freeborn, Marika Csotar and Nancy Park.

Honourable Mention Comics: The Forgotten Frontier. Authored by Tristan Jones (English). Illustrated by Alexander Bumbulut., image — Honourable Mention Comics: The Forgotten Frontier. Authored by Tristan Jones (English). Illustrated by Alexander Bumbulut.

The books will be on display on the 4th floor of the main library in the Archives and Special Collections display cases until early November. To see the full list of this year’s winners and winners from previous years you can consult the online catalogues https://www.alcuinsociety.com/awards/catalogues

Allan Gardens: Exploring Local History

Posted on September 2, 2025 by elizabeth.carroll

On the edge of campus sits Allan Gardens, a lush and well shaded park with a conservatory housing a variety of plants. The building, consisting of five green houses, is free and open to the public. Being in the heart of the city, the site has been a popular leisure spot for much of Toronto’s history.

Allan Gardens c. 1900, looking from Carlton Street South-Westward. The old three storied wooden Pavilion is visible through the trees, as is the spire of Jarvis Street Baptist Church.
(F 121.02 – Tom Kilner fonds)

The current park sits between Jarvis Street and Sherbourne Street, and Carlton Street, and Gerrard Street East. The park was officially opened in 1860 by the Prince of Wales (who would become Edward VII) during a rainy day. It shares its inaugural day with Queen’s Park making it one of Toronto’s oldest parks. The area has a much longer history though. The land was given to the Horticultural Society by the garden’s namesake, George William Allan (1822-1901), the 11th Mayor of Toronto. The city later bought the park from the Horticultural Society in 1888 for $40,000. The park did not receive its current name until 1901, and was known at that time as the Horticultural Gardens. Torontonians wanted to ensure that the park commemorated the man who initially set the park in motion, G. W. Allan. Unlike High Park which continued to maintain its original name after the donor John George Howard’s death, people wanted the Horticultural Gardens to reflect the man who originally gave it to the Horticultural Society. It was then decided to rename the park Allan Gardens.

Jarvis Street Baptist Church has been a constant neighbor to the park as seen in this photograph taken today and from the photograph in the book “Souvenir Views of Toronto, Canada” published 1922.
(FC3097.37 .S688 1922 pam)

W. Allan had built his home, Homewood Estate just north of the land. The building went through many owners and eventually became the Wellesley Hospital in 1911, where in 1912 the Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing opened. Though Homewood was demolished in 1962, it would have stood near the corner of Sherbourne Street and Wellesley Street.

Homewood Estate, home of the garden’s namesake William Allan
(RG 946.01.03.03.02 – The Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association fonds)

The size of the park has expanded throughout its years. It began as an oval five acre of land. The City and the Horticultural Society slowly expanded its perimeters to the size that it is today. The conservatory has also changed since its inception. It began as an open-air pavilion for concerts and other similar events, centered in the middle of the gardens. A three-storied wooden and glass structure, known as the Pavilion and designed by Toronto architects Langley & Langley soon replaced it in 1878. During its time it hosted many events, and was the only large concert hall in the city. The Pavilion burned down on June 6th, 1902 leaving the city void of any space suitable for large public gatherings.

Homewood passed through a few owners until it became the Wellesley Hospital in 1911.
(RG 946.01.03.03.06 – The Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association fonds)

With the loss of such an important space, some Toronto aldermen saw the need to build a replacement conservatory for the many plants it once held. By 1908 some aldermen were already pleading with city council to build a Palm house using some of the funds from the insurance money received after the fire. After much debate, the city eventually turned to City Architect Robert McCallum to replace the conservatory. He designed at least two structures, one similar to the lost wooden structure, offering a three storied assembly hall with 2000 seats. The chosen design is the current structure that we see today, a more modest-sized Palm house built in 1910.

Allan Gardens is home to a variety of plants and even a small bale of turtles. The five rooms of the conservatory provide five different environments for different plants to flourish and include arid and tropical climates. The orchid collection has always been especially revered, once having rare blue orchids on display. The Palm House, which is the main showpiece of the conservatory, has been recently renovated and is now open again to the public.

In the east end of the park stands a monument for Scottish poet Robert Burns. The statue is the work of David Watson Stevenson, and was unveiled in the park after a parade and much celebration July 21, 1902. The monument has stood for over 100 years, and still stands in the park today.

Statue of Scottish poet Robert Burns, as it stands today near Sherbourne Street.

Today Allan Gardens continues to be a place of gathering, and site seeing. The newly renovated conservatory houses many plants and hosts many events including a weekly farmer’s market throughout the summer. Musical entertainment and various learning events are also hosted at the Gardens throughout the year.

Visit the Archives & Special Collections to view the many items we have on display this month that provide more information about Allan Gardens.

Bibliography

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada. “McCallum, Robert.” Accessed August 20, 2025. http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1474

“Chance for Philanthropy Suggested to Ald. Foster.” The Toronto Daily Star, March 19, 1908. http://ezproxy.lib.torontomu.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-1/docview/1435626990/se-2

Friends of Allan Gardens. “Allan Garden’s History.” Accessed August 20, 2025. https://www.friendsofallangardens.ca/allan-gardens-history

“Howard Park and Allan Park.” The Toronto Daily Star, July 30, 1901. http://ezproxy.lib.torontomu.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-4/docview/1427865761/se-2

Middleton, Jesse Edgar. The Municipality of Toronto: A History. The Dominion Publishing Company, 1923.

“Scottish Men Honor Burns: Monument of the National Poet Unveiled To-day in Allan Gardens.” The Toronto Daily Star, July 21, 1902. http://ezproxy.lib.torontomu.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-3/docview/1429249031/se-2.

A Few of our Favourite Things

Posted on July 14, 2025 by Rosalynn

Archives and Special Collections have so many weird and wonderful items in our collections. For the summer we decided to feature some of them in an exhibition in the display windows in front of our reading room.

Wood in Glass (RG 0.04.21)

Clear glass sphere with large piece of wood with smaller piece of wood glued to it inside

These two wood pieces were found during the excavation of the site for the pool located in Kerr Hall. This piece, along with another section of wood donated at the same time to the Archives, were purportedly carbon dated at 12,000 years old. It is unclear who displayed them in this glass bowl or created this display piece.

Doozers (2012.005.05.07)

Three small green plastic figures with hard hats on.

Doozers, small industrious workers found living in harmony with the Fraggles on Jim Henson’s “Fraggle Rock”. These small plastic wind up figurines are an examples of some of the promotional materials created to advertise the show that originally aired 1983-1988. These figures are part of the larger Robert Hackborn fonds in Special Collections. Robert Hackborn worked for the CBC for nearly 4 decades on set design and creation, and visual effects. He worked on Fraggle Rock with the late Jim Henson. You can learn more about Robert Hackborn and this amazing collection by reading our blog on the topic: “The Man Behind the Glass: Robert Hackborn“

Lamp of Learning (RG 0.04.23)

metal oil lamp on a cylindrical wood base. It is sitting on a red velvet pillow

Legend has it that the lamp was purchased by a faculty member in a small shop in Rome, Italy in the 1950’s. It was brought back to the school and graced the top of the Chariot Race trophy. Chariot races were held at TMU in the 1950s and 1960s – usually in conjunction with football games.

Howard H. Kerr, TMU's first principal, and D. G. W. McRae, head of the Architecture program, with the Chariot Race trophy (RG 95.1.28.03.01), image — Howard H. Kerr, TMU’s first principal, and D. G. W. McRae, head of the Architecture program, with the Chariot Race trophy (RG 95.1.28.03.01)

In the late 1950’s the lamp was removed from the trophy, fastened to the wood cylinder it currently resides on and used to lead the stage party into Convocation. The Lamp of Learning was used at convocation until the 1980s.

Lamp being carried after Convocation 1961 held at Deer Park Baptist. Lamp carrier was Professor J. Handley. Immediately behind him is Ontario Premier John Robarts, walking with School Principal Howard H. Kerr, image — Lamp being carried after Convocation 1961 held at Deer Park Baptist. Lamp carrier was Professor J. Handley. Immediately behind him is Ontario Premier John Robarts, walking with School Principal Howard H. Kerr

“Library Book” by Lise Melhorn-Boe (N7433.4 M445 L52 2005)

Pop up book open showing various small books

An artists’ book about reading library books. Created by Melhorn-Boe, this limited edition hardcover pop-up book features a story authored by Wendy Cain, a renowned Canadian paper and printmaker, about how she came to read all of Andrew Lang’s colour fairy books. It features copies of H. J. Ford’s illustrations from Lang’s books.

Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Grey, and Pink Fairy books by Andrew Lang are part of the book collection in Archives and Special Collections, image — Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Grey, and Pink Fairy books by Andrew Lang are part of the book collection in Archives and Special Collections

There are 12 Fairy books in total – Some of which can be viewed in the Archives and Special Collections reading room. Find them and other artist’s books by searching the library’s catalogue https://library.torontomu.ca/

Wellesley Hospital floor plan wood block printing plates (RG 946.02.12.04)

Three wood blocks with metal floor plan designs attached to them

Three wood block printing plates, created by Architect Frederick C. Lee, featuring the original 1912 floor plans for the Wellesley Hospital. The blocks are part of the Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association collection that came to Archives and Special Collections in 2011. If you want to learn more about the collection, The Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing, and how it came to be associated with TMU please consider reading the following blogs:

Magic Lantern Slide “Frogs” (2017.010.06.034)

Rectangular glass slide with 4 images of frogs in swimsuits jumping and playing in the water

Magic Lantern Slides were initially rectangular strips of glass with hand painted imagery and a mahogany wood border. Illustrations on the glass portion went from being hand-painted to mechanically produced, and by the mid 1800s photographic slides came into production as well. This slide is part of a larger donation of magic lantern and stereograph technology from the late Dr. Martin J. Bass and Gail Silverman Bass in 2018.

2017.017.01.004, image — 2017.017.01.004

The slides were projected by Magic Lanterns. The first time a magic lantern was constructed is considered to be in 1659 and were used for entertainment. The lanterns were first illuminated using candles or oil lamps, but this did not produce enough light to project a clear image from afar. Limestone began being used in the early 1800s, allowing for projection of the slides in large settings. By the mid 1800s, a huge variety of magic lanterns became available to the professional and home market. During this time they were also used more widely in educational settings. For more information on Magic Lanterns and Lantern slides please take a look at our earlier blog in the topic https://library.torontomu.ca/asc/2017/10/new-exhibition-projecting-magic/

Foundation of the University Archives (RG 12.192.004.009)

2 page memo regarding collecting materials for an archives

This 2 page memo was sent by then school President Donald Mordell in November of 1970 encouraging all Deans, Chairmen and Department heads to stop discarding university records as “It is natural and laudable to throw out the ‘garbage’ from time to time but sometimes what is thought of as garbage may contain very useful information for the historian”. This memo was sent out before there was even an established archives or an archivist hired. The Archives was established in 1971 as a result of a recommendation in the the Smyth Commission Report (RG 220.54). The first Archivist Jim Peters was a member of the English Faculty. If you want to learn more about the foundation of the Archives you can view the following blogs:

Yashica-44 camera (2005.006.12.08)

The Yashica-44 series camera was first produced in 1958 by the Yashica Company (founded in 1949 in Nagano, Japan). The 44 model is a crank wind twin reflex camera with a waist level viewfinder and was advertised to be 25% smaller than their full reflex camera and weighed only 26oz. Three variations were created (44, 44A and 44LM) and production of the cameras continued until 1965. The camera used 127mm film and created black and white or colour 4 cm x 4 cm images – usually slides.

Baby Rollei Camera, c1957 (2005.006.12.06), image — Baby Rollei Camera, c1957 (2005.006.12.06)

The Yashica-44 was based on the Baby Rollei Camera produced by Franke & Heidecke, a German Company founded by Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke in 1920. Both of these cameras are part of the Heritage Camera Collection and were donated to Special Collections by Wilhelm E. Nassau in 2011. You can learn more about twin lens reflex cameras by following this link https://archives.library.torontomu.ca/index.php/twin-lens-reflex-cameras

To see more of what Archives and Special Collections has to offer or to do research please contact us at asc@torontomu.ca.

Celebrating 50 years of the Library Building

Posted on November 18, 2024 by Rosalynn

In 1974, the Library building opened at the corner of Gould and Victoria, becoming a new landmark for the university. In honour of this landmark Archives and Special Collections mounted an exhibit – looking back the the library building and its history. Archives

Early History

The main library has moved many times since the school’s founding in 1948. The first library operated out of 2 rooms in the original Ryerson Hall (Toronto Normal School) building. The rooms were designed by D. McRae, director of the school of Architecture, and shelving and furniture was built by Ryerson students in the Architecture and Interior Design programs. In 1963, with the completion of construction of Howard Kerr Hall, the library moved into the Administration section (centre block on Gould Street). It consisted of 2 rooms – the reading room which housed some circulating materials and the reference collection and the stack room which held the remainder of the circulating collection. In 1966 it moved to the MGM building which was located on the site where this building now stands. The reading room and circulation desk were located in the basement with a periodical reading room on the first floor. In 1967 it moved onto 2 floors in the O’Keefe building at 285 Victoria Street. The 5th floor contained the majority of the circulating collection. The sixth floor housed the circulation desk, a portion of the circulating collection, and non-circulating reference collections.

Stories and images of earlier Library locations and an aerial view of the demolition of the space on Victoria Street that would eventually contain the Jorgenson, Podium, Library complex., image — Stories and images of earlier Library locations and an aerial view of the demolition of the space on Victoria Street that would eventually contain the Jorgenson, Podium, Library complex.

Building Beginnings

The Library building project was approved in 1968 and designed by architectural firm Webb Zerafa Menkes in 1971. Construction began in January 1972 and was completed in 1974 at a cost of $12 million. Webb Zerafa Menkes also designed the Podium building and the Jorgensen Hall building as part of a mid-1960s expansion plan.

Photographs from various sources of the construction of the library building., image — Photographs from various sources of the construction of the library building.

Official Opening

First named in honour of the third President, the Donald Mordell Learning Resources Centre, the new home of the Library, was officially opened by Lieutenant Governor Pauline McGibbon. Ceremonies took place in the new auditorium in the building (LIB 72). Ryerson’s Theatre Department designed costume displays for the reception area on the lower ground floor

Brutalist Architecture

Brutalism is an architectural style that emerged in the mid-20th century, characterized by minimalistic structural elements and exposed exterior materials. The brutalist architecture of the Library building embraces ideals of simplicity and functionalism, and complements the egalitarian function of the library as a place to access information, while also highlighting modern ideas and new ways of thinking. The original design was not only forward thinking, it also embodied the creative, scholarly, and practical work happening at the institution and within the Library.

Photographs displaying various angles and sides of the Library building., image — Photographs displaying various angles and sides of the Library building.

Spaces from the past – Library interiors from the 1970s and 1980s

The main library’s interior is continually evolving. A selection of images showing spaces around the building in the 1970s and 1980s shows how much it has changed.

Photographs include old 2nd floor card catalogue space, the microcomputer facility, and circulation desk., image — Photographs include old 2nd floor card catalogue space, the microcomputer facility, and circulation desk.

Special Events

A look at some events held in and for the library – they include Booxodus (1967); Ballet for Books (1991; and the opening of the Ron D. Besse Learning Commons on the 2nd floor.

Photographs and ephemera from "Ballet for Books", "Booexodus", and the "Ronald D. Besse Learning Commons opening"., image — Photographs and ephemera from “Ballet for Books”, “Booexodus”, and the “Ronald D. Besse Learning Commons opening”.

Unique Spaces

Special Collections – 2005 – with Kodak Canada Collection and the library’s Rare Book collection. Originally housed on the Library’s 1st floor, a larger dedicated space was opened on the library’s 4th floor in 2008. In 2016 the floor was renovated again to house Special Collections and the Archives in one space.

The Geospatial Map and Data Centre opened 2004 with the completion of the Besse Learning Commons renovation. Previously to this the library had a map room that was located on the 6th floor in 1975, moving to the 8th floor around 1983.

In the fall of 1992 it was located on the 5th floor. Audiovisual Library – Opened in 1975 on the 3rd floor of the library. It operated in that location until 1996 when the University Archives moved into the space. Audiovisual materials were relocated to the 5th floor.

The Energy Centre and Third World Committee were given storage space on the 6th and 9th floors of the Library in 1977. The Energy Information service would eventually be open on the Library’s 9th floor and the Third World Resource Centre, renamed the Resource Centre for Development Studies, operated on the library’s 7th floor.

Photographs, objects, and ephemera from the library's media library, Special Collections, Geospatial Map and Data Centre, Third World Resource Centre, and Energy Information Service., image — Photographs, objects, and ephemera from the library’s media library, Special Collections, Geospatial Map and Data Centre, Third World Resource Centre, and Energy Information Service.

Library Ephemera

A selection of items created by the library. They include early photocopy cards, card catalogue index cards, microfiche catalogue records, guide books, signs and staff buttons.

Some of the many items created by/for the library, image — Some of the many items created by/for the library

For more about the history of the library building, visit https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/60af4c81e614448b9d8a03296635456b for our online timeline of significant events and milestones. The in-person exhibit runs November 18 – December 20, 2024

Highlights from the Canadian Community Cookbook Collection

Posted on December 12, 2023 by olivia.wong

The Canadian Community Cookbook Collection contains over 250 community cookbooks, culinary textbooks, and company publications related to food products dating from 1888 to the early 2000s. It was donated to Special Collections in 2021 by Dr. Ian Mosby, a faculty member from TMU’s Department of History.

We are featuring an assortment of cookbooks in this blog, as well as in the display case on the 4th floor of the Libraries, to highlight the wide range of genres within culinary publications. We hope that these windows into Canadian culinary history, and especially the festive recipes, will inspire you to try making a new dish, or watch the Great Canadian Baking Show during the winter break!

A large portion of the collection is made of community cookbooks. These were created by women’s associations, church groups, hospitals, and community groups for fundraising purposes. They compile and publish recipes from community members and include the contributor’s name in the cookbook. These are simple publications, and would often offset printing costs by including advertisements for local businesses.

Specialties from Sugar and Spice (1948)
Recipes from Specialties from Sugar and Spice (1948)
The Kelowna Hospital Women’s Auxiliary Cook Book : a collection of tried and tested recipes (1936)
Local advertisements and recipes from The Kelowna Hospital Women’s Auxiliary Cook Book (1936)
Kid’s Kosher Cookbook
Latke recipe from the Kid’s Kosher Cookbook

Another genre is advertising cookbooks. These were published by food companies, such as gelatin, flour and corn starch producers. They often include detailed photographs or illustrations of dishes that can be made using their products. Since these were used for marketing purposes, they can help us understand trends in culinary styles and kitchen technologies.

Today …. what salad …. what dessert?: Jell-O brings DOZENS of answers…. (1928)
Desert recipes from Jell-O brings DOZENS of answers… (1928)
Salad recipe from Jell-O brings DOZENS of answers… (1928)
Working People’s Cookbook : The Practical Answer to “What’s For dinner” in Less Than an Hour (1976)
Salad recipe from Working People’s Cookbook (1976)

The collection has several educational cookbooks, which provide culinary instructions for people wanting to sharpen their culinary skills. There are also government sponsored cookbooks, which outline recommendations for food preparations, dietary guidelines, and often highlight agricultural products from the region.

Cookbook cover with a person boiling water over the stove

Book cover with a woman in blue holding a bowl of produce

Book cover with yellow illustrations of cheese

Although these cookbooks reflect the time in which they were published (Jell-O salads!), the recipes are still incredibly fun to make, and turns out they can be quite delicious! To celebrate this new collection, the TMU Libraries staff who catalogued and processed the cookbooks recreated a dish from the collection to share with others (pictured below!) To view more cookbooks from this collection, stop by the Libraries’ 4th floor exhibition case by Archives & Special Collections, or explore the titles through our online finding aid.

First Edition Photobook, 2020-2022 Award winners

Posted on January 10, 2023 by Rosalynn

The University Library First Edition Photobook Award was launched in 2015, with Alison Skyrme, Special Collections and liaison librarian and Christopher Manson, Image Arts instructor leading the awards program. The award was initiated in relation to work completed as part of a third year Image Arts course titled: The Photographic Book. For the course, students learn design and composition principles and are required to conceive of, and produce, their own photobook from their own photography.

“Over the eight years the award has been granted I have always been impressed with the quality of the work that the photography students produce,” says Skyrme.

Each year student works are submitted for the award and the winning photobooks are selected by panel. In addition to the award, the photobooks are purchased by the Library to become part of its book collection. They are housed by Special Collections and are available for viewing in the Archives and Special Collections reading room. The acquisition of these titles is supported by a donation from The Photographic Historical Society of Canada.

“Every year our collection of student books grows, we have 54 in the collection now, and it becomes a stronger and more impressive record of the creativity and talent of the photography students over time,” says Skyrme.

For the winter semester the Award winning books from the past three years will be on view in the exhibit cases on the 4th floor of the library, located just outside our reading room doors.

A complete list of award winners can be found in the First Edition Photobook Award collection record.