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History of the Birge–Carnegie Library
Archival Photographs
Digital Collections: Birge–Carnegie
A selection of historical images of the Birge–Carnegie Library from the various collections in the Victoria University Archives, taken between 1910 and 1952. They depict the exterior of the building from various approaches, the interior rooms. In addition, the photographs also portray students, librarians, and staff.
The preliminary architectural sketches and drawings of the Library by Sproatt & Rolph are also included.
City of Toronto Archives
Archival photographs which depict a general view of the streetscape in the vicinity of the Victoria University campus, near Queen’s Park and Bloor Street West in the thirties.
The municipal archives also house the plans and specifications for the library building prepared by Sproatt & Rolph, in addition to the elevation views, floor plans, sections and architectural and structural details. However, these records are not digitized, but can be consulted in-person.
Digital Archive Ontario
A postcard published in about 1910 and two historical photographs of the Library’s main entrance, taken in the twenties. The images form part of the Canadiana historical collection of the Toronto Public Library.
Famous Victorians
Dominion of the North: Literary & Print Culture in Canada
An exhibition curated in 2017 to mark the sesquicentennial anniversary of Confederation. It is a celebration of prominent poets, authors, and historians. Many of these prominent Canadians had an affiliation with Victoria University and/or the Library, including:
Margaret Atwood (1939–), a novelist, poet, critic, and professor
Margaret Avison (1918–2007), poet, editor, teacher, librarian, and archivist
Ronald Bates (1924–1995), a writer, poet, columnist, translator, and professor
Lawrence Johnstone Burpee (1873–1946), a historian, civil servant, librarian and writer
Helena Coleman (1860–1953), a music teacher, poet and writer
Pelham Edgar (1871–1948), a professor and academic
Northrop Frye (1912–1991), a literary scholar and critic
Grace Irwin (1907–2008), a teacher, pastor, novelist, humanist and classicist
C.C. James (1863–1916), a book collector, academic, and civil servant
Raymond Knister (1899–1932), editor, writer and poet
Jay Macpherson (1931–2012), a poet and professor
A.F. Moritz (1947–), a poet, author, translator, film critic, and editor
Desmond Pacey (1917–1975), a literary critic and professor
Marjorie Pickthall (1883–1922), a poet who was appointed to the Library as an Assistant Librarian between 1910 and 1912
Claire Pratt (1921–1995), an artist, poet and editor
John Daniel Robins (1884-1952), a professor, creative writer and editor. He served as the Victoria University (Chief) Librarian between 1945 and 1952
Francis Sparshott (1926–2015), an academic, philosopher, and poet.
The online exhibition comprises images and detailed bibliographical descriptions of one hundred monographs, organized topically into eight categories. The monographs are drawn from the Library’s Canadiana collection of rare books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
At the Birge–Carnegie Library, it was housed in the C.C. James Memorial Room (BC20).
Victoriana
Victoriana is a collection that contains published sources on the history of Victoria University. It includes autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs of the faculty and students, in addition to journals, magazines, and newsletters published by the University, such as Acta Victoriana and the Vic Report.
created by: Agatha Barc | updated: 9 April 2024
