Knox College, Canada

Knox College, a seminary in the Reformed tradition for The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC), began in 1844. Caven Library at Knox College was created as part of Knox’s current building, which opened in 1915 and is situated on St. George Street and King’s College Circle on the University of Toronto campus. Caven Library’s architecture evokes a mixture of awe and wonder and provides users with a quiet, beautiful environment filled with natural light. The library is named after William Caven, who served as the principal of Knox College from 1873-1904. The collections of Caven Library contain approximately 80,000 items, including books, journals, audio visual materials, special collections, etc., focused on Christian theology and other related interdisciplinary subject areas. The mission of the Caven Library and its staff is to serve the Knox College community by providing and facilitating access to information in support of the College’s curriculum, research, and training.

Knox College is federated with the University of Toronto and a founding member of the Toronto School of Theology (an ecumenical consortium that includes seven theological colleges and three associated colleges). Knox College students have access to the numerous and rich resources available at all U of T and TST Libraries as well as online e-resources.

Collections Strengths

Caven Library’s areas of strength include Presbyterianism, biblical studies, preaching, Christian education, Reformed history and theology, liberation theologies, and more recently, counselling, spiritual care, and psychotherapy. Caven Library is also home to the McKay Educational Resource Centre, a special collection of resources focused on Christian education, faith formation, and congregational life.

University of Toronto Resources

Research collections for non-religious fields are maintained elsewhere in the UTL System. Caven Library’s collection is augmented by material in the Audiovisual Library, the Counselling & Learning Skills Resource Library, the Music Library, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) Library, the Pontifical Institute for Medieval Studies Library (PIMS), the Reformation & Renaissance Studies Library, Robarts Library, and other TST libraries. All of these are part of the UTL System and, therefore, readily accessible to eligible Knox College users.

TCard/ Library Card: Knox students, staff and faculty are all eligible to receive a UofT TCard. Your TCard is your identification for academic purposes and provides access to services and facilities such as libraries, athletic facilities, meal plans, online learning portal, and more.

Knox College alumni, PCC clergy and diaconal ministers, and PCC lay leaders may register for a Knox College library card. PCC lay leaders should bring a letter from their minister to confirm their standing. Cardholders anywhere in Canada may borrow books by mail (the library will cover shipping costs). Other cards can be obtained at the Reader Registration Desk on the first floor of the Robarts Library.

Getting a TCard

Students can obtain a TCard at TCard Services, 800 Bay Street, 5th floor. Visit the TCard website for more information.

Staff and faculty can obtain their TCards from the Robarts Library (130 St. George Street) Reader Registration desk on the first floor.

Loan Periods, and number of books that may be signed out

Loan privileges may vary at some libraries. Please check with individual libraries for more information.

Renewals

Please see renewal information here.

External members and alumni must call the circulation desk at 416-978-4504 or email knox.readerservices@utoronto.ca.

Returning Books

Always return material to the library from which it was borrowed. Borrowers will be held responsible if items returned to the wrong library are lost.

Please return Knox Library books to the following places:

• during library hours: to the Circulation Desk
• after hours: to Robarts Library
• by mail: Items are not considered “returned” and continue to accumulate fines until they are received and processed by library staff. We recommend that packages are sent insured, via a service that provides tracking.

Requesting an Item

If an item is charged out/borrowed by another patron, a hold can be placed on the item for you. In the library catalogue, select “Request Item” and follow the instructions. Your holds can be monitored by checking My Account.

Books from the UofT Mississauga (UTM) and UofT Scarborough (UTSC) campuses may also be requested for delivery to the St. George campus (Pick-up locations are Robarts, Gerstein, and OISE Libraries only). In the library catalogue, select “Request Item” and follow the instructions.

Library Pickup

Library Pickup allows users to request material that is available to be held at the circulation desk for library users to pick up at a later date. Many libraries also allow their materials to be sent to other UofT libraries for pickup.

Fines: Overdue & Lost Book Charges

Caven Library follows UTL policy for overdue fees and fines:

Some libraries may charge different fines for other types of materials.

Avoid accumulating fines. The computerized checkout system will automatically block you from borrowing if you owe $25 or more.

Failure to return books or pay fines may result in the withholding of transcripts, etc.

There is one computer in the Reading Room available for research purposes. It is networked to a printer located at the circulation desk. Printing is available (cash only) at a cost of $0.15/page ($0.30 for double-sided). Wireless printing is not available. Wireless access for laptop use (except printing) is available for those holding valid TCards.

Photocopying is available (cash only) at a cost of $0.10 per page. Change for small bills is available at the circulation desk. You must comply with the UofT fair dealing guidelines when you photocopy copyright-protected works.

There are two free-of-charge options for scanning in Caven Library:

1. A high-resolution scanner that saves to a USB key only. This is located just outside the door to the main stacks.
2. A photocopier which can be used to scan and email documents to yourself. This is located on the ground floor of the stacks, underneath the stairwell.

Knox College students, staff and faculty can connect to the U of T wireless network with your laptop or mobile device when on campus.

When you use licensed University of Toronto resources like online journals, articles, ebooks, and databases off campus you’ll be asked to log in with your UTORid and password or your library barcode and PIN. More information about off campus library access.

If you are at another university, join the eduroam wireless network with your U of T credentials if it’s available. Graduate students, faculty, and staff can also connect through UTORvpn. (You may need to log in with a UTORid to access this link.)

Assigned course reading materials from the library, i.e. print and eBooks, are listed in Quercus courses through the Library Reading List app. Course readings from eBooks can be accessed directly from the Library Reading List.  Materials may also include articles, weblinks, and media resources,

Physical print resources for Course Reserves are located in Caven Library’s Reading Room and are available for 72-hour loan periods.

Access to books and journal articles held at different University of Toronto campuses and other institutions worldwide is available online. ILL Request

Knox College presently does not have an elevator to our library; however, library staff are more than willing to retrieve items for anyone who has accessibility issues. Please contact the library at knox.readerservices@utoronto.ca.

Accessibility Services through the University of Toronto

A variety of accessibility services are provided on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus. Services are provided to students with a documented disability. It can be physical, sensory, a learning disability, or a mental health disorder. Students with temporary disabilities (e.g., broken arm) are also eligible for the service.

Students have an intake interview to discuss their eligibility and needs, and then, when appropriate, students are referred to one of the service’s professionals (e.g., Adaptive Equipment Consultant, Learning Disability Specialist, Occupational Therapist) to discuss strategies and determine accommodations. All discussions are kept confidential with Accessibility Services and information is only disclosed with permission of the student.

Services provided include:

• alternative test and examination arrangements;
• notetaking services;
• sign language interpreters;
• on-campus transportation (St. George Campus only);
• adaptive equipment and assistive devices;
• alternative format for printed materials;
• information and resource materials on health conditions and disability related issues; and
• liaising with academic and administrative units within the University of Toronto and with off-campus agencies.

Location: 455 Spadina Avenue, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M5S 2G8
studentlife.utoronto.ca | 416-978-8060; 416-978-1902

The library will send books to current students who live outside the Greater Toronto Area. Please contact the library for details at knox.readerservices@utoronto.ca.

How to use the Library Catalogue

Guides to learn how to use UofT LibrarySearch:

• LibrarySearch Tips
• LibrarySearch Video Tutorials

How to use Quercus

How to connect to UofT Campus Wireless

The print collections of Caven Library include approximately 80,000 monographs. Electronic resources, including thousands of journal titles and more than a million e-books, are available through the University of Toronto Libraries’ website, allowing Knox students remote access to numerous and varied resources such as journal databases, e-books, theses and reference materials. Caven Library’s areas of strength include Presbyterianism, biblical studies, Reformed history and theology, liberation theologies, preaching, Christian education, and more recently, counselling, spiritual care, and psychotherapy.

About MERC

The McKay Educational Resource Centre (MERC) is a special collection of resources related to Christian Education, faith formation, and congregational life.

At the core of the collection are the historical curricula which were part of the library of Ewart College before its amalgamation with Knox College in 1991. These resources are of significance as part of the historical record of Christian education in North America, in particular within The Presbyterian Church in Canada. However, the purpose of MERC extends beyond preserving the past.

The MERC collection is continually being expanded and enriched by current resources that reflect ongoing developments in Christian Education and faith formation for all ages. It also includes practical resources for worship planning, preaching, bible study, and pastoral care. The collection has also broadened to include resources on contemporary issues of interest to faith communities as they seek to be part of informed and compassionate engagement with the world.

One distinctive aspect of our collection at MERC is our growing array of picture books—a valuable resource for ministry in many settings. To learn more and browse our shelves, visit our Picture Books in Ministry page.

Where is MERC located?

The McKay Educational Resource Centre is located in the main reading room at Caven Library, Knox College, on the downtown campus of the University of Toronto. See our location on Google Maps.

Who can use MERC?

The McKay Educational Resource Centre is open to everyone. Students and faculty have borrowing privileges with their University of Toronto library cards (T-Cards). Knox Alumni/ae can apply for a Knox Library Card, which includes borrowing privileges from MERC.

The McKay Educational Resources Centre honours the legacy of Ewart College by supporting both Knox College and The Presbyterian Church in Canada in their ongoing efforts to help people think deeply about matters of faith and live authentically as followers of Jesus in an ever-changing world.

The bulk of the collection is Christian education curriculum samples collected by Ewart College between the early 1960s and 1991. The McKay Educational Resource Centre, a legacy of Ewart College, operated out of Knox College for many years and continued collecting samples of Christian education curriculum, some of which are in the historical collection. The McKay Educational Resource Centre became part of Caven Library in about 2009, and the library continues the mandate of the Centre to collect curricula.

Access a finding aid for this collection here. The collection includes samples of curricula of Sunday schools, children’s clubs, women’s groups, men’s groups, camps, vacation Bible schools, and adult studies. Major series include Christian Faith and Life, Christian Faith and Action, Covenant Life Curriculum, Joint Educational Development, Christian Education: Shared Approaches, Cooperative Uniform Series, Presbyterian and Reformed Educational Ministry, Celebrate, Bible Quest, Vacation Ventures series, Westminister Graded Lessons International Course, The Whole People of God, and Seasons of the Spirit. Less extensive collections are available for Seabury Series, David C. Cook, United Church of Canada New Curriculum, Presbyterian Church in Canada resources, and other miscellaneous resources.

Most of the Knox College archives are housed with the main archives for the Presbyterian Church in Canada at the PCC National Office.  The Library has a small and growing collection of Knox College archives and select copies of PCC archival documents.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

According to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts and Science Student Academic Integrity website, plagiarism is: “presenting the work, ideas, or words of another as your own, even by accident.”

Writing Help

• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is one of the most detailed and helpful sites for academic reading and writing. It offers many online resources for every area of academic writing. (Use the ‘+’ signs beside each link for more information.)
• Writing at the University of Toronto

Citing Sources/ Create your bibliography

Here you will find help for citing sources in your research papers. Learn how to avoid plagiarism. You can also manage your bibliographic data using Zotero, a free citation management program.

Quick Cite Guide (login required off campus)

Chicago Manual of Style Online

Chapter 14: Notes and Bibliography 

login required off campus

APA Style Guide (from Excelsior Online Writing Lab)

APA style (American Psychological Association’s website with style and grammar guidelines)

Citation Machines

These are ad-supported sites that will generate citations in several formats (including Chicago). Always double-check computer generated citations against the style manual.

KnightCite Citation Service: Calvin College

Son of Citation Machine

NoodleTools Express citation generator  (Multi-style Chicago and Turabian)

Guide to Using Zotero

Thank you for considering Caven Library for your book donations. Historically, Caven Library has benefited greatly from the generous donations of loyal Knox College supporters. At this time, however, we are unable to accept unsolicited donations of books or print material of any kind. In the event that this policy changes, you will find updated information here. Thank you for your kind understanding.