This year, the Library building celebrates its 50th anniversary, a milestone marking an opportunity to reflect back and look ahead to the next fifty years.
In 1974, the Library building opened at the corner of Gould and Victoria, becoming a new landmark for the university. The brutalist style architecture, which embraces ideals of simplicity and functionalism, complemented the egalitarian function of the library as a place to access information, while also highlighting modern ideas and new ways of thinking. The design was forward thinking, and embodied the creative, scholarly, and practical work happening at the institution and within the Library.
Join us as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Library building. Explore the past and discover what’s next!
Read Celebrating 50 years of the Library building
Exploring the past 50 years
50 Years: Toronto Metropolitan University Library Building was created by the staff of the Archives and Special Collections in collaboration with the 50th Library building celebration committee.
The website uses the geospatial software ArcGIS StoryMaps, provided by the Libraries’ Geospatial, Map & Data Centre, to tell the story of the Library building, and the innovative resources, services, and programs that have been offered throughout the decades.
Runway timeline
The time travel runway allows you to move back and forward through the decades since the Library opened. This timeline was created by the Libraries’ Immersive Technology Specialist, Michael Carter-Arlt, with content creation and archival research by the 50th Library building celebration committee.
Digital collage
This digital collage display showcases images of the Library building and innovations in library resources, services and programs. It was created by the Libraries’ Immersive Technology Specialist, Michael Carter-Arlt, and Immersive Technology Assistant, Ava Mozaffari, with images provided courtesy of the Archives and Special Collections, and Library Communications.
Visit the main floor (2nd floor of Library building) to view and experience the collage as it moves through images of the building, resources, services, spaces and programs throughout the decades.
Stay tuned! There’s more to come as we celebrate the TMU Library building throughout October and November!