An Ode to the Toronto Public Library System...

Okay, okay, so I don't know how to write an ode. IS there a form for ode writing? Probably. But I didn't learn ode-writing in my particular BA in English...would have been a great substitute for the stupid Linguistics class that LIED to me with its name. (I am not bitter, I am not bitter, I am not bitter. Riiiiiight.) Anyways...the wonder that is the Toronto Public Library System. Perhaps a list is simplest. If not esthetically pleasing, it is, at least, concise.

Things that are great about the Toronto Public Library System:
1) The Merrill Science Fiction & Fantasy Collection.
This is a permanent collection of just about any and every Sci-Fi or Fantasy book, manga, comic, periodical, etc. You CANNOT check the books out. Which means, of course, that the book you want to read is almost always avaliable. You just need to have the time to sit in their comfy chairs and read the book there.

2) The Toronto Public Library System is 1 (one) library with many branches. This means that books are purchased as a gigantic library...not as many small libraries that then share books. This means many, many more books than you'd ever find in just one library (except maybe the Bodleian).

3) They combine this 1 (one) library with many branches with a fairly efficient movement of books from one library to another. And the multple branches thing WORKS - it is not confusing like some library systems I might name. *cough* Dallaspubliclibrary *cough*

4) The librarians are nice. All of them. And they know how to bend rules for people who need rule bending. This reminds me of my wonderful Abilene Public Library home...only this is a system-wide librarian phenomenon.

5) They have LOTS of books. I mean, LOTS.

So....I <3 the Toronto Public Library. It shall be considered Thing #2 I like about living in Toronto.