This autumn’s “Open Saturday” dates were recently announced by the Toronto-based Harry Sutherland Philatelic Library (HSPL).
Located at 10 Summerhill Ave., the library is part of the Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation and its regular hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Through the remainder of this fall, however, the library will also open its doors from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on three Saturdays, including:
- tomorrow, Aug. 17;
- Sept. 14, coinciding with the nearby North Toronto Stamp Club Autumn Bourse; and
- Oct. 12.
Hours will also be extended on three Wednesdays, when the library will remain open until 7 p.m. These dates include:
- Aug. 28;
- Sept. 25; and
- Oct. 30.
Note the library will also be closed to visitors from Oct. 15-18 for the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie Jury Academy.
A PHILATELIC DESTINATION
Among the library’s many claims to fame is its collection of British North American reference material, which is considered the world’s best.
The library also holds a significant collection of early Canadian philatelic journals in optical character recognition (OCR) searchable format as well as a comprehensive collection of Canadian auction catalogues and historical runs of selected auction catalogues. What’s more, the library preserves research collections from important Canadian philatelists in addition to its historical collection of exhibition prospectuses.
The HSPL is arguably Canada’s top philatelic destination—and for a number of reasons, the foremost of which is its distinct nature. Nowhere else in the world can a philatelist find such a comprehensive collection of items relating to the philately of Canada and British North America.
“People are generally very pleased with what we have here,” said librarian Sheila Moll. “It’s important because until we became intentional about collecting everything to do with Canadian philately, it wasn’t being done in Canada or anywhere else.”
“We’re really trying to preserve what will someday be unique because nobody else is going to have as much as we do or make any effort to save these early Canadian materials,” added Moll.
To sign up for the library’s Friends of the Harry Sutherland Newsletter and receive the latest updates, email library@greenefoundation.ca or call 1-416-921-2073.
The library catalogue is also searchable via greenefoundation.ca.