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The Bloor/Gladstone Library is a branch of
It was designed by Chapman and McGiffin Architects. Its construction started in 1912, ended in 1913 and the library opened for business on October 25, 1913. The original building was inspired by the classical architectural tradition and incorporates many elements of the Italian
Toronto Public Library: Bloor-Gladstone branch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bloor Gladstone Library Library buildings completed in 1913 Beaux-Arts architecture in Canada Public libraries in Toronto 1913 establishments in Ontario Libraries established in 1913
The Bloor/Gladstone Library is a branch of Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library (TPL) (french: Bibliothèque publique de Toronto) is a public library system in Toronto, Ontario. It is the largest public library system in Canada, and in 2008 had averaged a higher circulation per capita than any other pub ...
, located at 1101 Bloor Street West, Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
.
Services
*Information and reference services *Access to full text databases *Community information *Internet access *Reader's advisory services *Programs for children, youth and adults *Delivery to homebound individuals *Interlibrary loan *Free downloadable audiobooksArchitecture
It was designed by Chapman and McGiffin Architects. Its construction started in 1912, ended in 1913 and the library opened for business on October 25, 1913. The original building was inspired by the classical architectural tradition and incorporates many elements of the Italian Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought ...
, such as round arches, supported by pilasters with extruding head stones on the façade; decorative pediments that echoed Ancient Greek Temples; ornamentation, which included non-structural brackets on the interior, two fireplaces with sculpted angel faces on both sides of each fireplace, natural motifs, etc.; a slightly hipped roof
A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope (although a tented roof by definition is a hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak). Thus ...
with what seems like an entablature, created with the use of brick ornamentation and terra cotta veneer; the attempt to create a "perfect" square-shaped plan of the library with barrel-vaulted ceilings and a courtyard. The library has undergone two major renovations. The first was done in 1975-1976 by architects Howard V. Walker and Howard D. Chapman, which mainly affected the plan of the library since the facade remained virtually intact. The second renovation was from 2006 to 2009. The architects involved in this project were Rounthwaite, Dick and Hadley Architects inc, Shoalts and Zaback, and ERA. As a result of this renovation, the library now has a "glass box" addition, its main entrance has been lowered by approximately half a metre and some of the interior features, such as the staircase, have been altered for functional reasons.
References
Hume, C. "Extreme makeover: library edition". Toronto Star 25 July 2009External links
*Toronto Public Library: Bloor-Gladstone branch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bloor Gladstone Library Library buildings completed in 1913 Beaux-Arts architecture in Canada Public libraries in Toronto 1913 establishments in Ontario Libraries established in 1913