Dignified Bloor/Gladstone Library was recently re-opened after a three-year period of architectural improvements. Originally opened in 1913, it was the first Toronto library built without any reliance on fancy Carnegie grants.
I entered the Bloor/Gladstone with a sense of anticipation, as patrons before me have done for ninety-six years. The lobby was sparse and white, with nothing to distract me from the generous atrium and a host of large windows above and beyond. To my right was a Learning Centre whose south wall looked like an aquarium-themed screen-saver. The blue screen’s opposite side livened up the north wall of the Children’s section, which was half a level below the lobby.
The designer of the kid’s zone demonstrated sensitivity to the human reader’s need to perch and nestle. In a gap between two tall shelves were two long green cushions, perfect for sinking into a literary reverie. A square green cushion rested on the floor against a side wall near comprehensive windows overlooking an outdoor patio. A thoughtfully-placed table sat beside the cushion, so a reader could lean against the wall and place a stack of picture books or a silver thermos of hot chocolate on it. And if these perches appeared too unconventional, a couple of robust yet puffy green sofas beckoned just steps away from the wall-cushion.
The lower level was very quiet compared to the upper one, where every single chair had an occupant. On the east wing, a historic stone hearth decorated with protruding cherub heads shared a corner of the room with a big screen TV. I loved the high arched mullioned windows whose sills were wide enough for teens to put their laptops on while resting their feet on a heater.
As I passed over to the west side of the top floor, I enjoyed looking over the atrium. Lining two sides of it were rows of squat orange swivel chairs that looked like decorous versions of spinning teacups at an amusement park. They even had clever side panels from which a desk can be pulled out, as airplane chairs provide when it’s time to accept your cup of soda and bag of pretzel sticks.
Before I crossed over into the new cube-shaped addition, I noticed a matching hearth, complete with attendant cherubs. I found more readers in swivel chairs there, although this time they were green and placed in front of the north windows overlooking Bloor Street. The west wing also contained an impressive variety of language materials, including French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil and Hindi. Finally, along the west wall were three engaging study rooms with green interiors and round air ducts (also painted green). I made a vow to reserve Room B one day and revel in the studious atmosphere, infused with possibilities.
Bloor/Gladstone Library, we’ll meet again!
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I used to live in that area and that was my library. I hadn’t been in a while but stopped in last month. Wow! What a difference! I love the new addition but I’m glad they kept some of the old look.
Great blog Catherine,
I never did get into this library. It was just closed when I moved next to it, and I moved away a full year before it was finished. It was a bit of a running joke to see when the new deadline for opening would be. Sounds like it was worth it.
Alas, Guelph is no Toronto.. the main branch is crowded but very functional, and the new proposed library to replace it has been put ont he chop block for now.
ciao