Tour the Toronto Reference Library, By Drone

We see so many depressing stories these days about libraries and library budgets. From Wales to Pennsylvania, every day seems to mark another reduction in service, if not an outright closing of vital community resources as politicians try to balance their budgets.

But all is not so gloomy, and there are still communities that recognize the value of the library and the important role it can play in local culture. It’s always wonderful to see such strong support translate into spectacular new facilities. The best of the new libraries represent both the traditional and the many new things that the library is evolving into.

The Toronto Reference Library recently completed a revitalization project and to celebrate, created the video below by flying a camera equipped drone through the new building. Beyond the expected stacks, you’ll see community space, gallery space, maker space, auditoriums and more.

David Crotty

@davidacrotty

David Crotty is a Senior Consultant at Clarke & Esposito, a boutique management consulting firm focused on strategic issues related to professional and academic publishing and information services. Previously, David was the Editorial Director, Journals Policy for Oxford University Press. He oversaw journal policy across OUP’s journals program, drove technological innovation, and served as an information officer. David acquired and managed a suite of research society-owned journals with OUP, and before that was the Executive Editor for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, where he created and edited new science books and journals, along with serving as a journal Editor-in-Chief. He has served on the Board of Directors for the STM Association, the Society for Scholarly Publishing and CHOR, Inc., as well as The AAP-PSP Executive Council. David received his PhD in Genetics from Columbia University and did developmental neuroscience research at Caltech before moving from the bench to publishing.