Collection
The Dental Library was created in 1897 by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (R.C.D.S.O.) in the form of a supply of daily papers, magazines and dental journals. In 1898, the R.C.D.S.O. purchased the personal library of a late dental professional, Dr. Beers, much of which is still accessible today in the library’s rare books collection. By 1902, the library held 700 volumes, 600 of which were bound periodicals (1).
In 1925, when the Faculty of Dentistry became affiliated with the University of Toronto, the University of Toronto Dental Library was established. At the same time, the preexisting R.C.D.S.O. library was incorporated into the new Harry R. Abbott Memorial Library, which was founded upon a bequest from Dr. Abbott’s sister to establish and maintain a dental library (2). These two libraries are housed together as one, and the Harry R. Abbott Memorial Library items are marked with an insert identifying them as part of that collection (1). Since then, the library has been officially called the Dental Library of the University of Toronto and the Harry R. Abbott Memorial Library. Today, it is commonly known as the U of T Dentistry Library.
Currently, the Dental Library of the University of Toronto makes up most of the library’s collection, consisting of new dental books purchased by the University. The Harry R. Abbott Memorial Library contains books and journals from the original R.C.D.S.O. collection and other books purchased using the Harry R. Abbott Memorial Fund (3).
From its founding collection of 600 texts and additional dental journals, the library’s collection has grown to support greater curriculum and research activities. It now includes contemporary books and journals as well as a rare books collection. From the 1980s on, the library acquired various online databases (most notably MEDLINE, through computer search and CD-ROM), and more recently, online journals and other e-resources have become a large part of the collection. In recent years, much of the print collection has been shifted to offsite storage, though unique and high-use items remain on-site. The Dentistry Library currently has over 4500 items stored onsite, with many more in our collection at Downsview (the offsite storage facility) or available online (4). With a focus on accessibility, most of our collection items are now purchased online and made available to anyone with UTORID and access to the internet, anytime. Our collection of dental e-journals and e-books continues to be one of the most comprehensive and accessible in Canada.