Jones Library
Jones Library, built in 1962 at the corner of Jones Ave. and Dundas St. East, was the first branch of the Toronto Public Library to be built especially for children.
The original building was designed by the architects of Pentland and Baker and constructed by D.G. Hahn at a cost of $199,000. The exterior walls were of fieldstone, with windows spanning the north side of the building. The architects included several features to make the building attractive to children. Inside the new storyroom, a polished copper Swedish-style fireplace cast a welcoming glow. On another wall, a dazzling, textural mural created by Toronto artist Tom Hodgson invited close-range exploration. The honeycomb ceiling with recessed lights provided shadowless light for reading in the main section of the building.
The opening ceremony of the Jones Avenue Boys’ and Girls’ Branch Library was presided over by Nathan Phillips, then mayor, on November 19, 1962. The library opened for public use on the following day at 2:00 p.m. with Miss Ruth Osler as the first branch head.
The Jones Library was open each week for a total of 24 hours. A staff of three provided readers’ advisory, reference, and special programs for the over 3,000 children who lived in the vicinity. At that time, there were few school libraries in the area and Jones was a much-needed resource centre. Miss Osler quickly discovered that hordes of local children loved to come and listen to stories in the new programs room with its wonderful mural. Some special programs in those early years included a Folk Festival for all ages in 1965, a Canadian Festival in 1966, [and] an astronomy program by the Dunlop Observatory in 1968. Jones’ tenth-anniversary celebrations included Greek dancing.
By 1976, local residents began pressing for a library that not only served children but also provided materials for adults, seniors, teenagers, and those who spoke languages other than English. The purchase of adult books and books in the Chinese, Hindi, Urdu, Greek, Punjabi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian languages doubled the size of the collection in four years.
In 1976–77, Jones Library was renovated by the architectural firm of Barton Myers. The basic structure of the branch changed little, but the staff work area was opened up to be more visible to the public. New shelves with attached lighting were placed in the central room to hold the additional books. An aluminum-and-glass skylight was installed, which provided natural light even in the winter months. The new reading area was furnished with a large, comfortable couch and chairs. Outside, a fibreglass-and-steel canopy was erected over the doorway to clearly highlight the main entrance of the branch.
The number of staffmembers increased to two full-time and two part-time as Jones Library was now open to the public for 40½ hours per week. Circulation of library materials rose 37.2% from 1976 to 1977, and programs for adults and teenagers were introduced. As the neighbourhood’s Chinese population grew, so did the branch’s Chinese collection, which was well used by the new immigrants to the area. During recent years, with the aid of two Chinese-speaking staffmembers, Jones Library has hosted English as as Second Language classes and Canadian-citizenship programs to reflect the diversity of its neighbourhood.
In 1983, the first of several summer students was hired to research the history of the Jones area. The branch now has a substantial Local History collection that documents the growth of the area from its beginnings as Leslieville up to the present day.
The South Riverdale Community Health Centre donated Lead Pollution and Occupational Hazards files to the Jones Library in 1985. These special files are unique to Jones and serve as an important source of information for concerned citizens and environmental researchers.
Jones Library’s services were automated in March 1986. As the second of the Toronto branches to become computerized, the five full-time and one part-time staffmembers found the transition challenging and are now proud to be pioneers.
Over the years, Jones Library has changed little externally. New visitors are very pleasantly surprised when they enter the building to find a light, airy interior with comfortable armchairs and plenty of reading areas.
In 1987, as Jones celebrates its 25th anniversary, the staff look forward to the challenges presented by an ever-changing community.
