Above, Arthur Conan Doyle in an undated photograph. Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, Toronto Public Library.
The Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy
The Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy is recognized
as one of the world's finest popular culture collections and Canada's major
collection of speculative fiction. As a research collection open to the general
public, it attracts users from all over the world. Established in 1970 with a
donation of more than 5,000 items from Judith Merril, the collection has grown
to over 63,000 items of contemporary speculative literature, including
science fiction, fantasy
fiction, magic realism, utopian, and other speculative, future-oriented
work, as well as critical
and bibliographic materials.
Support for this remarkable collection serves to enhance acquisition and
outreach to both
researchers and members of the general reading public.
Find out more about the collection here.
Above, "Martians Go Home." Repainting by Frank Kelly Freas of his cover illustration for Astounding Science-Fiction September 1954, for the Frederic
Brown story of the same name. From the Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy, Toronto Public Library; reprinted by permission.
The Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books
The Osborne Collection encompasses the development of English children's
literature to 1910, ranging from a 14th century manuscript of Aesop's Fables
through 15th century traditional tales, Puritan works, and moral tales through
Victorian fantasy and adventure stories. Together with its modern components,
the Lillian H. Smith Collection of notable books published in English after
1910, and the
Canadiana Collection of works by Canadians, or about Canada, the Osborne
Collection provides
a fascinating overview of children's book history. The 80,000 items in
Osborne span literary
classics to popular culture, including novelties like movables and
miniatures. The collection
holds manuscripts, letters, original book art, games and artefacts,
together with extensive
resource material.
Support of this collection serves to enhance acquisition, preservation and
outreach programs,
and helps us to make available for everyone the heritage of children's
literature in English.
Visitors of every age and interest, can discover and enjoy notable
children's books of yesterday
and today.
Find out more about the collection here.
Drawing by Maurice Sendak from the Jean Thomson Collection of Original Art, Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, © Toronto Public Library.
Books, Programs and Much More
AFTPL also supports the purchase of books and programs that promote reading
and life-long literacy.
The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection at the Toronto Public Library opened to the
public in 1971 and is now one of the foremost collections of its kind in the
world. The collection is a compilation of the many works, interests and
activities
of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, not limited to his world-famous detective, Sherlock
Holmes. The collection also focuses on any works in any genre that make use of
Doyle's plots or characters or of the man himself, including secondary
material, such as critical,
biographical and bibliographical studies.
Support for this collection serves to assist the Library in financing
outreach initiatives,
educational programming, and the acquisition of significant new materials.