Who We Are
The TTH Health Sciences Libraries began as two separate libraries: the RC Laird Library, at the Toronto Western Hospital (now TTH Toronto Western Division), and the Fudger Medical Library at the Toronto General Hospital (now TTH Toronto General Division).
RC Laird Library
In 1896, what was to be known as the RC Laird Library began as a small collection of books donated by the six founding doctors of Toronto Western Hospital. It was put in charge of Dr. Leha A. Davis, one of Canada's first women doctors, who proved to be a distinguished curator.
At first housed in the Medical Records Department, the collection was taken over in 1946 by Dr. WR. Feasby, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, who developed and organized it further. It was kept in Dr. Feasby's office until 1953, when medical staff decided to allot it a room of its own: in addition to departmental texts it now included the hospital's subscriptions to journals. A few years later, in 1961, the library moved to an independent location, and the first of its seven librarians to date was appointed.
In April, 1979 the library was named the RC Laird library in honour of Dr. Robert Laird, former surgeon-in-chief at Toronto Western Hospital from 1946-1966. It was a popular choice. Dr. Laird was much respected and admired for his great dedication to medicine, and his genuine care and concern for his patients. The hospital's Department of Surgery gave $10,000 to the library at the time of its dedication to him.
Born in Brockville, ON and a graduate of University of Toronto, Dr. Laird served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, treating many of the pilots who were injured overseas. After twenty years of service to Toronto Western Hospital, he continued his work as chief-of-staff at York-Finch Hospital until his retirement 1972, then devoted the rest of his life to developing medical care in Nigeria, where he established a medical school. Dr. Laird died in December, 1990.
Fudger Medical Library
The benefactor of Toronto General Hospital's library was a millionaire, a president of the Robert Simpson Company stores in Toronto for 30 years, and a trustee of the hospital for ten years. But above all he was known as a scrupulously honest, kind-hearted and modest man. He supported many of Toronto's cultural endeavours e.g. he donated the Fudger wing of the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the elderly are still cared for today in a home he founded for them on Sherbourne Street. In his will, he asked that the proceeds of selling any of his foundations should go to the Toronto General Hospital Endowment Fund, and when this occurred, his executors decided to give $100,000 to found the Fudger Medical Library.
Up to this time the hospital had no professional library services, and when it was opened in May, 1964 its full-time librarian and staff offered reference, and inter-library loan services, and access to 1200 books and over 200 periodicals. It was housed in the south wing of the Private Patient's Pavilion (later named the Thomas J. Bell wing), which is home now to the Academy of Medicine collection, and HealthSearch @ TTH.
In 1986 the Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital amalgamated to become The Toronto Hospital, and the two libraries joined forces to become The Toronto Hospital Health Sciences Libraries. But their founders are not forgotten. HH Fudger and RC Laird still identify their libraries, which have retained their own characteristics and individuality.
