About
The Multifaith Library is a program of the Ontario Multifaith Council. The chief purpose of the library is to provide services to those persons who provide spiritual and religious care to residents of Ontario provincial institutions, transfer payment agencies, and other settings. It is our purpose to provide adequate and appropriate information services and support.
The library supports the activities of the Ontario Multifaith Council's projects. In this process the Multifaith Library provides community information, multifaith resources and telephone support to community chaplains and contract agencies.
We offer web-based searching, telephone and fax reference services as well as loans of books, journals, videos, and ritual objects.
The Multifaith Library collects material in the following areas: All religions, Multifaith issues (health-care, corrections, civic life, education, etc.) Homelessness, Justice, Addictions, Cults, Family Violence, Long-Term care, chaplaincy and Spiritual Care, Theology, Philosophy, Psychology and Social studies. We welcome donations, advice and suggestions.
Loan of Materials: The library will loan books, tapes, journals, dossiers, ritual objects, etc. to any member of The Multifaith Library. There is no cost to borrow, but the member is responsible for costs of shipping the material.
Membership is free to those professionals who work in Provincial istitutions and in related Transfer Payment agencies of the provincial government. All requests for membership will be reviewed by the Ontario Multifaith Council and staff.
It is our intention to provide high level services to our clients, and to garner the interest and respect of students of world religion and information science.
What's IN the library?
The Multifaith Library houses books, articles, pamphlets, video and audio resources, journals, and mixed media collections.
The library has 4 central purposes:
1) To provide educational opportunities for chaplains, in order that they become familiar with faith groups other than their own.
2) To determine the legitimate faith requirements of all those in the care of the province of Ontario.
3) To provide the Ontario Government and its agents with reliable information regarding faith groups beliefs, rights, and obligations.
4) To help ensure the adequate and appropriate spiritual and religious care of those who are in the care of the province.
The Library has a broad collection of material resources:
1) The library collects books, video and audio recordings, articles from a broad variety of sources, pamphlets, as well as on-line sources.
2) On-line sources: These are intended to provide the user with timely, practical resources which are available without borrowing material from the library. The On-line resources are intended to act as an intelligent "links" device which allows the searcher to bring together a broad representation of sites the particular topic of their research.
Who can use The Multifaith Library?
Anyone can use the catalogue, though in order to receive reference and loan services, you must be a member. Who can register as a member?
Members of the Spiritual and Religious Care community in the province of Ontario are welcome to register, all others may wish to apply for membership. (If you are in doubt, email us!)
What is TML for?
TML is designed to assist those who are searching for information in the following areas: Chaplaincy/Spiritual/Religious Care; Understanding World Religions; Multifaith Concerns; Religious/Spiritual Rights; Religious Accommodation. Much of our information is available over the internet (we have catalogued a number of good websites in our areas of interest, as well, many of the books which you will find on our site are available in On-Line formats, and our catalogue can direct you to these resources.
Does TML have a 'Links Page'?
TML IS a links page! This library does not differentiate between new formats and older ones. We go to exactly the same trouble cataloguing web sites and on-line books as we do with our in-house collection. In fact, very often web sites or other electronic 'holdings' receive more time and attention than physical materials.
In order to use our catalogue as a 'Links' page, simply conduct a search in the area you wish to research, and use the following phrase: web*/On-line*.
The 'Links Page' is generated through interactive dialogue with the page.
Simply go to the 'Links' page, construct the search you wish to have 'links'
for and submit the search. The results will be web sites, on-line books and
articles which are available in HTML or Acrobat files.