Using the Archives
You
can use the materials in the Archives, but you won’t always be able
to find things on the shelves by yourself. (Look at the picture of our records
storage area, right, and you’ll see why!) But don’t worry—our
staff
are here to assist you. It’s their job to help you find what you are looking
for.
Registering
The Archives is open and accessible
to everyone. However, when you visit the Archives for the first time, we
will ask you to fill out a registration form.
(Knowing who is using our historical materials helps us protect them.) Please
bring a piece of identification that has your name and address on it, such
as a driver’s license or a recent bill. After registering, you will
receive a card with a number on it. Whenever you visit the Archives, you
will be asked
to sign in and out using this number, and to follow
basic guidelines for safely using fragile historical materials.
Finding historical materials
Archives staff
are here to assist you at any time during your visit. Be sure to tell them
what you
are looking for. The more information and details
you have—for example, the precise address and registered plan number
of the building you are researching, or the decade for which you want to find
photographs—the better we can help you find the information you need.
Many records are available in our Research Hall, where staff may give you modern
copies of old photographs to look at, or demonstrate how to view resources
on microfilm, or show you digital copies of maps on a computer. Using copies
of items means you can see them faster, and ensures that the originals are
protected for future generations to see.
There are several research guides available to help you use frequently requested
materials, or do research on popular topics.
Staff can also show
you how to use paper finding aids and how to search our database to look for
original documents. These documents can be retrieved from our records storage
area for
you.
Because
so much of our material is one of a kind, you cannot borrow it and take it
home, but you are welcome to stay and use the Archives during opening hours
for as long as you need to. Please note that requests for retrievals are not
accepted after 4:00 pm.
Finding
things in an archives is not always quick or easy, so be prepared to spend
some time here. While you
may find what you are looking for quickly,
it’s also possible that you may have to sort through many files, photographs,
assessment rolls, or maps before finding it. Sometimes you may even be sidetracked
by other interesting things you didn’t expect to find. So enjoy yourself
while you research. It’s all part of the discovery of coming face to
face with Toronto’s history at the Archives.
Requesting historical materials
Original historical materials are stored in our records centre. Once you know what materials you would like to see, we will ask you to fill out a Record Request Form and bring it to the Reference Desk. Archives staff will then bring the boxes to you in the Research Hall.
There are some materials that you may see only under certain conditions. For example, access to some government records is restricted by provincial access and privacy legislation. For non-government records, you may have to ask the permission of the donor before you see the records. Other times, they contain sensitive information, so you'll need to submit an application for access for nongovernment records.
Archives staff will help you identify which materials are restricted, and how you can request access to them.
Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm
The Archives is closed on Sundays and statutory holidays.
Please note: boxes cannot be delivered to the Research Hall on Saturdays. Please order any boxes that you will need no later than noon on Friday.
Equipment available
You may bring your
laptop computer to the Archives to make notes, as some of the work
tables have power outlets. We provide wireless internet access to researchers. Light tables, microfilm readers, a VCR,
and a DVD player are available for viewing materials in special
formats. a magnifier for text and photographs is also available.
The Archives has a coatroom and lockers for you to store your personal
belongings while you are working.
Photographing the archival materials is permitted in the Research Hall only for personal use. Use of tripods and personal scanners is prohibited.
Copying
archival materials
Researchers are permitted to use digital cameras (without flash) in the Research Hall to make copies of records for personal use. Using your own camera will eliminate the need for additional handling at the photocopier and will help us to preserve our records.
Reasearchers can also use the Spirit Book Scanner to make colour digital copies of archival documents. These can be saved to your USB key.
Please note: we do not have USB keys, so don't forget to bring your own.
You make make photocopies of materials if copyright legislation and the condition of the materials permit copying. Photocopies are 50 cents per page. Please note that photocopying must be completed before 4:15.
The Archives can provide reproductions of photographs and other archival materials, subject to the Copyright Act. Fees are charged for reproductions.
Please note that as of April 4, 2011, all orders for image reproductions must be pre–paid. Please contact our reference staff at 416-397-0778 for more information.
It is up to researchers to ensure the accuracy of the citations on their orders.
When filling out the digital reproductions order form or the image permission request form, you must provide the following information on both forms: Fonds/Series and File/Item number (i.e.: Series 1244, Item 3), title/description of the item (i.e, 1904 fire ruins), the intended use (i.e., personal use, publication in a newsletter), and your complete contact information.
When filling out the image permission request form, please be sure that the person signing the form is someone responsible for the production of the end product (not just a researcher or staff member). For a digital reproductions order form (pdf format), click here.
For a form to obtain permission to use the Archives' images for anything other than personal use (pdf format), click here.
For the City of Toronto's privacy statement regarding personal information collected on these forms, click here.
Visiting on Saturdays
Saturdays, from October to April: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm
Staff are available to help you with your research during Saturday hours, and self-serve materials such as the Archives database, many assessment rolls on microfilm, reference copies of photographs, the Research Hall library, and information files are available on Saturdays. However, original archival materials cannot be retrieved from the records centre on Saturdays. If you would like to discuss with a staff member whether the documents you would like to see will be available during your Saturday visit, please contact the Archives Research Hall.
