Collection Highlights

Toronto Metropolitan University Archives & Special Collections hold a wide range of archival materials, cultural artifacts and rare book collections. 

The University Archives houses the records of the University as well as its Faculty and Alumni. It also houses some records related to antecedent institutions. Some of the collections include The Jack Layton fonds, The Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association fonds, The Toronto Normal School fonds, and a large collection of early University promotional photographs.

Special Collections allows researchers to gain access to unique publications and material. Our holdings include the Peter Di Gangi Papers on Indigenous governance in Canada, the Ryerson Press book collection, photographic archives from Kodak Canada and Canadian Architect Magazine, in addition to historical artifacts, such as our Lanterns Slide Collection.

We’ve outlined parts of our holdings by subject or collection, which correspond to Toronto Metropolitan University’s key research themes:

• Urban Innovation
• Justice, Equity & Society
• Culture & Creativity
• Work, Skills, Industry
• Health & Well-Being
• Technology & Intelligent Systems

Urban Innovation

• Architecture & Urban Planning
• Canadian Architect Magazine Fonds
• Design Archive Photographic Collection
• Interior Design
• Centre for Immigration and Settlement
• Toronto Fire Insurance Maps
  • Available online through the City of Toronto

Justice, Equity & Society

• Jack Layton Fonds
  • Jack Layton Chair series
• Peter Di Gangi Papers Fonds
• Robert MacIntosh City of Toronto Book Collection

Culture & Creativity

• Photography history
  • Bass Stereographic Photography Collection
  • Heritage Camera Collection
  • Historical Photographic Processes Collection
  • Ken Van Velzer (Polaroid) Collection
  • Kodak Canada Corporate Archives and Heritage Collection
  • Lorne Shields Historical Photographs Collections
  • Photography & Film Technology Collection

• Film & Television history 
  • Hot Docs Fonds 
  • Magic Lantern Slide Collection
  • Paddy Sampson Fonds
  • Robert Hackborn Fonds 

• Canadian Whites Comic Book Collection
• Children’s Literature
  • Children’s Literature Archive
• Fashion
• Ryerson Press Collection
  • Imprinting Canada: The McGraw-Hill Ryerson Press Collection

Work, Skills, Industry

• Home Economics
• Kodak Canada Corporate Archives and Heritage Collection
  • Kodak Canada’s Corporate Records

Health & Well-Being

• Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing
• Ryerson’s School of Nutrition
• The Wellesley Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association

Technology & Intelligent Systems

• Aerospace Engineering
• Canadian Archive of Women in STEM
• Photographic & Film Technology Collection
• Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman and the world’s first neurologist in space
• Centre for Advanced Technology Education
• Also available at the Library: Digital Media Experience (DME) Lab