Consulting Our Special Collections

Requesting an Appointment  

Once you have identified the materials you plan to consult, the next step is to request an appointment via an online form, Ask Us.

Required Information

Prior to submitting your request, you will need:

• a complete list of the items you would like to view in the order of priority (please refer to Requesting Specific Files for complete instructions and the details we require you to provide)
• contact information, including your name, email address, and phone number
• a list of preferred dates and times for your visit.

Please provide us with a set of dates that are at least three full weekdays (Monday to Friday) in advance of your proposed appointment times. The materials in the collections are available for use from 9:30 am until 4:30 pm Monday to Friday in the Special Collections Reading Room on the main floor of the Library.

Currently, due to staff and space limitations, it might be necessary to provide more than three business days’ notice in advance. Inquiries about booking an appointment to consult the materials from special collections will receive a response within three weekdays, Monday through Friday, excluding holiday and other closures. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility during our transition back to normal operations.

Preparing for Your Visit &
Wireless Access for Visiting Researchers

Prior to your appointment, please review the procedures and policies associated with registering as a researcher, handling rare books, and conducting your research, which are outlined in Planning Your Visit.

External researchers who are not affiliated with the University of Toronto can access the Internet by connecting to eduroam, a roaming wi-fi service for users in research and higher education. It provides secure network access when visiting a university other than your own, using your login from your home institution.

Researchers are required to set up their credentials at their home institution prior to visiting the Library to access eduroam at the University of Toronto. Alternatively, visiting researchers can request temporary access to eduroam by using their mobile device.