November 18, 1998
To:Budget Committee
From: Josephine Bryant
City Librarian
Subject:Catchment Areas of Toronto Public Library Branches
Purpose:
To report on the standards which exist in the former municipalities relating to catchment
(population per library) for Neighbourhood Libraries.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
Not applicable.
Recommendations:
That this report be received for information.
Background:
This is in response to a request from Budget Committee at its November 10 meeting as a
result of a presentation of the Library's capital budget submission.
Discussion:
The Toronto Public Library developed a service delivery model to provide a rational
framework for library service. Four tiers of service delivery were defined. The tiers are
Neighbourhood Libraries, District Libraries, Research and Reference Libraries and City-wide
services. Catchment areas and catchment populations were defined for each service tier.
These tiers of service are similar in concept to the levels of service defined in the planning
documents of the former library systems, although the terminology used to describe them
differed. For the purposes of comparison, these levels of service are described as small,
medium and large or central in the following tables. Table One describes the catchment areas
and populations of the different levels of service in the former library systems. Table Two
describes the catchment areas and populations in the new Toronto Public Library's service
delivery model.
|
Table One
Planning Criteria of Former Public Library Systems |
| Former
Municipality |
Catchment Population |
Catchment Area |
| East York |
n/a |
n/a |
| Etobicoke
|
small: up to 15,000
medium: 15,000 - 40,000
large: 50,000 - 100,000 |
small: up to 6.4 sq. km.
medium: 6.4 sq. km. - 15.5 sq. km.
large: greater than 15.5 sq. km. |
| North York |
small: 10,000 - 35,000
medium: 80,000-100,000
central: entire city |
small: 1.6 km. - 2.4 km. from other small
branches
medium: 5.7 km between other medium
branches
central: entire city |
| Scarborough |
small: 10,000 - 30,000
medium: up to 50,000
large: 200,000 |
small: 2 km. from other branches
medium: 3 km. from other branches
large: 40 sq. km. |
| Toronto |
small: 10,000 - 25,000
medium: 10,000 - 25,000
large: 10,000 - 25,000 |
small: 1 km. - 2.4 km radius
medium: 1 km. - 2.4 km radius
large: 1 km. - 2.4 km radius |
| York |
n/a |
n/a |
| Toronto
Reference
Library |
central: entire city |
central: entire city |
|
Table Two
Toronto Public Library - Service Delivery Model |
| Catchment Population |
Catchment Area |
| Neighbourhood Libraries:
20,000 - 50,000 |
Neighbourhood Libraries:
1.6 km radius around their location. All
Neighbourhood Libraries should be a minimum of
3.2 km apart from each other |
| District Libraries:
125,000 - 180,000 |
District Libraries:
2.5 km radius from their location. All District
Libraries should be a minimum of 5 km from each
other |
| Research and Reference
Libraries:
entire city |
Research and Reference Libraries:
entire city |
| City-wide Services:
entire city |
City-wide Services:
entire city |
Sources:
The Corporation of the City of Etobicoke Public Library Board, Planning Criteria, June 1992.
North York Public Library Five Year Plan, Service Delivery - Minimum Guidelines, March
1991.
A Framework for the Development of Public Library Service in the City of Scarborough,
September 1984.
Toronto Public Library Service Delivery Model 1996-2000, September 1996.
Contact:
Jane Pyper
Director, Service Planning & Support
Toronto Public Library
Telephone: 395-5602; Fax: 395-5542; E-mail: jpyper@nypl.north-york.on.ca
Josephine Bryant
City Librarian
