Programs

An introductory class on Microsoft Excel 2019 for absolute beginners with little or no Excel experience.
In this first session you will:
- Learn the basic function and design of Excel files
- Practice basic data entry for text, numbers, and basic functions: Sum, AutoSum and Average
- Create and save your first workbook and worksheets
Upon completion of this class students will be able to use Excel at a basic level.
Pre-requisites: Basic mouse and keyboard skills are required.
Format: Hands-on with demonstrations
[90 min]
Please register by calling the User Education Department at 416-393-7209. 
If you identify as a person with a disability or as a person who is Deaf, and require accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.
 

Do you ever want to learn more after you have taken a library computer class?  Develop your computer skills even further using free online materials. In this class you will:
-Learn how to use  the  Toronto Public Library website to create a learning plan (or Learning Pathway)
-Learn where to find and how to use the  resources LinkedIn Learning, Gale Courses, Let's Learn Tech, and GCF  Global to further your computer skills
- Learn about other helpful computer learning resources for all levels
To sign in  to these resources free of charge, please bring your library card.  To register, please call the User Education Department at 416-393-7209.  Prerequisites:  mouse and keyboarding skills required.  
If you identify as a person with a disability or as a person who is Deaf, and require accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

*Please only register for this class if you have done Part 1*

In this course you will learn the basics of coding in Python! Prior coding knowledge is not required for this introductory class. Participants will use IDLE and gain an overview of Python, including a introduction to basic commands and computing structures. Basic computer skills are required (navigating Windows).

If you identify as a person with a disability or a person who is Deaf, and require this information in an accessible format, or an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please use the online form at tpl.ca/accessibility or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request.

Recent advances in AI technology and architecture have brought AI to the forefront of cultural consciousness. The release of ChatGPT in 2022 to the public showcased these advances, arousing fears of AI encroaching on uniquely human activities like writing, art, and even computer programming on the one hand, and utopian dreams of unfettering humanity from menial work on the other.

Are these fears and hopes well-founded? What do AI advances mean for labour, society and justice and how can we guide AI to be more human-centric and amenable to a democratic society? These questions warrant thoughtful public discussion.

In this book club we will discuss a selection of books, essays, and other forms of media that center on the theme of AI and society.

The group meets monthly at the Toronto Reference Library, 3rd Floor Discussion Room from 7-8pm.

Materials will be shared with participants in advance before each meeting. All are welcome. For further information please contact trlbus@tpl.ca.

May 22 Readings :

Book: Selections from "The Myth of Artificial Intelligence: Why Computers Can't Think the Way We Do"

Paper: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence by Nick Bostrom

Guardian Article: 'Artificial Intelligence: We're Like Children Playing with a Bomb'

Toronto Public Library is committed to providing accessible and inclusive programs. 
If you identify as a person with a disability or as a person who is Deaf, and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services.  Please contact us two (2) weeks before the event.

Ways to Contact:
Email: accessibleservices@tpl.ca
Phone: 416-393-7099
Online: www.tpl.ca/accessibility

Apple 101 is an introductory class on how to use the web, settings, shortcuts, Apple Operation system and more . The class is geared towards beginners with little to no knowledge in Apple computers.

If you identify as a person with a disability or a person who is Deaf, and require this information in an accessible format, or an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please use the online form at tpl.ca/accessibility or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request.

What materials and processes existed before Adobe Photoshop? Join us for a hands-on analog image making workshop to create a Cyanotype. The Cyanotype is a photographic printing technique sensitive to a limited near ultraviolet and blue light spectrum. It involves layering objects and transparencies. All are welcome!

We will supply all materials, but feel free to bring an object or 2D silhouette for a contact print.

If you identify as a person with a disability or a person who is Deaf, and require this information in an accessible format, or an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please use the online form at tpl.ca/accessibility or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request.

An introductory class on Microsoft Excel for beginners with little or no Excel experience. Build on your basic Microsoft Excel skills and learn to use Excel data effectively.
In this second session you will:
- Practice data entry and formatting
- Manipulate rows and columns
- Create and copy simple formulas 
- Convert data to a Table then sort and filter
- Create your first chart
Upon completion of this class students will be able to get more from their data using tables, filters and charts.
Pre-requisites:  Excel Basics Part 1 or equivalent knowledge. Basic mouse and keyboard skills required.
Format:  Hands-on with demonstrations
[90 min]
Please register by calling the User Education Department at 416-393-7209.

If you identify as a person with a disability or as a person who is Deaf, and require accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance

Join us in a thought-provoking panel discussion where we will explore the intersection of art and artificial intelligence. The speakers represent diverse disciplines including visual arts, music, and writing, and are all pushing the boundaries of creativity by integrating AI into their artistic practice. Discover how these innovators are harnessing the power of AI to inspire, challenge, and provoke thought and what it means to be a creator in the digital age.

This event is presented in partnership with the Provocation Ideas Festival.

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Eye on AI is an ongoing Toronto Public Library series designed to ask important questions related to AI and machine learning technology and its uses and privacy impact on our lives.

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Note: This is an in-person event at the Toronto Reference Library, in Beeton Hall (789 Yonge St). Beeton Hall is located on the main floor near the staircase.

Registration is required. 

Accessibility at Toronto Public Library

If you identify as a person with a disability and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

Calling all engaged citizens, idea people, data enthusiasts, students, software developers, mappers, book lovers, and artists!

Toronto Public Library invites you to join an Open Data Challenge on community wellness.

With our partners – the Genwell Project, the Toronto Foundation, and the City of Toronto Open Data Division - we will present challenges related to community wellness. We’ll spend a day together learning about open data, and dreaming up ways to make our city a healthier, happier, more socially connected place.

Space is limited. Register now to save your space and to receive updates on the event. Details about the challenges and datasets will be provided to event registrants closer to the event.

If you identify as a person with a disability or as a person who is Deaf, and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

An introductory class on Microsoft Excel 2019 for absolute beginners with little or no Excel experience.
In this first session you will:
- Learn the basic function and design of Excel files
- Practice basic data entry for text, numbers, and basic functions: Sum, AutoSum and Average
- Create and save your first workbook and worksheets
Upon completion of this class students will be able to use Excel at a basic level.
Pre-requisites: Basic mouse and keyboard skills are required.
Format: Hands-on with demonstrations
[90 min]
Please register by calling the User Education Department at 416-393-7209. 
If you identify as a person with a disability or as a person who is Deaf, and require accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance