Upcoming Dates:
- Fri Apr 04
- Fri May 02
- Fri Jun 06
Local History & Genealogy
Research history and genealogy in Toronto and beyond. Our largest collections are at Toronto Reference Library, with smaller collections at other locations. We also have many online resources.
Online research tools
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Digital Archive
170,000+ historical photos, books and Toronto maps digitized from our collections.
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Resources by neighbourhood
Interactive map to explore our photos, books and maps related to Toronto neighbourhoods.
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City directories
Digital and print city directories of Toronto from the 19th and 20th century.
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Fire insurance plans
Maps that can help you track the history of Toronto houses and other buildings (1858 to 1973).
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Ancestry Library Edition
Genealogy tool with birth, marriage and death records and Census of Canada records.
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Canadiana Online
Digitized books, government publications and newspapers on Canada, from European contact to early 20th century.
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Fold3
Genealogical resource featuring historical documents and military records for the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.
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HeritageQuest
Genealogical resource featuring archival records, family histories and primary sources dating back to the 1700s for the United States and Canada and select countries.
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Digital newspapers
Research guides
For in-person help, visit a location with a local history collection. If you need in-depth help, Book a Librarian for a 30 or 60 minute appointment.
Local history and genealogy collections
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Local history collections at Toronto Public Library
Full list of local history collections at our branches and two research libraries.
Books
- Toronto biographies
- Toronto buildings
- Toronto genealogy
- Toronto photo books
- Fiction featuring Toronto
- Indigenous histories
Upcoming programs
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Don Mills Canada's First Planned Community A Historical Overview
Wed Apr 02, 2025 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Don MillsEvery community has a story. Don Mills is one of North America's first planned communities, greatly influencing future suburban developments. Learn about its development by joining library staff on a one-hour presentation of...
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Albert Koehl - Wheeling through Toronto
Wed Apr 02, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Lillian H. SmithCities around the world, including Toronto, are embracing the bicycle as a response to the climate crisis. This is not the first time the bicycle has come to our rescue, proving itself a loyal friend during times of crisis, i...
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Ancestry Library Club
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm on recurring dates listed below
Location: BrentwoodLearn basic search techniques to find your ancestors records using the popular genealogy database Ancestry Library Edition. Over the course of this series you will learn the basics of family trees, search Ancestry for birth,...