Edward P. Taylor Library & Archives

The E.P. Taylor Library & Archives is a leading Canadian centre for research in art.

Starting in January 2024, the AGO Library will be open to the public on Wednesdays from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and by appointment on Thursdays and Fridays. Access to rare books, archives and special collections is always by appointment. Through our public programs, visitors can engage with our specialized collections and staff. The Library & Archives is open free of charge to the public. Our collections do not circulate.

To book an appointment for access to rare books, archives and special collections, please send an email to [email protected]

 

Search our online catalogue

Please use the online catalogue to search for book titles in advance of your visit.

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What's in our Collection?

Learn about the Library & Archives collection areas and view collection highlights.

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Digital Collections

A growing collection of digitized AGO exhibition catalogues and other publications is available through the Internet Archive library. Additional digital resources are available to staff and onsite visitors – please contact [email protected] for more information.

Library Hours

Using Archives and Special Collections

A growing number of AGO Archives and Special Collections holdings may be searched using our AGO AtoM database. This search tool is a work in progress and includes links to detailed online finding aids (in PDF format) where available. Please be aware that many finding aids remain in hard copy only. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

Harmful language in cataloguing and collections

The collections and information systems of the Edward P. Taylor Library & Archives reflect the deep biases of the institutional and cultural context in which we work.

Archival and library cataloguing practice compels us to maintain the historical language of documents and publications in its original form, in order to preserve the context of creation and allow for critical assessment by contemporary researchers. Book and exhibition titles from the past are examples of language we cannot change, but we acknowledge that some of this language is offensive and hurtful.

Standardized cataloguing terms and descriptive practices are shaped by the same biases, but we have greater power and responsibility to change these. The staff of the Library & Archives is working steadily to revise our cataloguing practices using respectful and inclusive language, and to incorporate anti-bias principles in our work going forward. Ongoing efforts include monitoring changes to Library of Congress terms, the development and addition of local subject headings, and policy development for harmful language in archives.

We actively welcome feedback from all sources so we can listen, learn, and adjust our practices.

SUBMIT FEEDBACK

Donations to the Library & Archives Collection

The Library & Archives gratefully considers offers of gifts-in-kind to our rare books, artists’ books and archival collections. All gifts will be assessed in relation to the existing strengths of our collections and our capacity to care for and provide access to the collections as they grow. Please contact us at [email protected].

As of January 2023, we are not accepting gifts-in-kind to the Main library collection, i.e. general art books. This pause will provide time for us to process materials already donated, and to address space constraints. Donations of rare books and archival material, as well as monetary gifts in support of the Library & Archives, will still be considered during this time.

Upcoming Programs & Events

Library & Archives programs provide opportunities for members of the public to have meaningful encounters with the library and its collections. Past programs have included Wikipedia edit-a-thons, reading groups, displays and tours of archival materials, lectures, and hands-on workshops. All library programs are free of charge, and participants do not require a general admission ticket.

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Past Programs & Events

Henry Moore in profile and William Withrow standing in front of Large Two Forms.
Special Events
Library & Archives Unshelved: Henry Moore in Toronto
Wednesday December 4, 1 - 8 pm (drop-in), 2024
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image shows an an artist's studio with a table covered in jars of paint, paper, canvas, and other art supplies, as well as an overflowing ashtray
Talks
In the Archives: The Genesis of the Jack Bush Catalogue Raisonné
Wednesday November 27, 2024 7PM

This fall marks the publication of the Jack Bush Catalogue Raisonné, a pinnacle of Canadian art publishing that includes a comprehensive accounting of every p

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image shows the gilded spine of a leather bound book
Special Events
Library & Archives Unshelved: Bound By Her Hand
Wednesday June 26, 2024 6-8PM (drop-in)

This drop-in series, hosted by AGO librarians and archivists, gives visitors a first-hand glimpse of highlights from the Edward P. Taylor Libr

More Info
page from a notebooks with an drawing of a mock up for a trade fair booth. also pictures a contact sheet of black and white photos of the real life booth
Special Events
Library & Archives Unshelved: From the Drawing Board
Wednesday March 6, 2024, 6 - 8 pm drop-In

This drop-in series, hosted by AGO librarians and archivists, gives visitors a first-hand glimpse of highlights from the Edward P. Taylor Library & Archives collection.

More Info
two hands in purple nitrile gloves hold a pile of black and while photographs of sculptures. FIle folder in the background.
Workshops
Workshop: Introduction to Archival Research
Wednesday February 7, 2024 6-8 PM

Join the AGO’s archivists for an approachable workshop that will introduce participants to the basics of archival research.

More Info
two hands in purple nitrile gloves hold a pile of black and while photographs of sculptures. FIle folder in the background.
Special Events
Introduction to Archival Research
Wednesday, October 25, 6-8 PM

Join the AGO’s archivists for an approachable workshop that will introduce participants to the basics of archival research.

More Info
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