Knox College Caven Library, Toronto

April 16, 2026 In Libraries

In 1843, a controversy surrounding the right of the state to control clerical positions led to the Great Disruption, a schism that saw 450 ministers break away from the Church of Scotland. Several Canadian ministers and their congregations switched their affiliation to the newly formed Free Church of Scotland. However, the Presbyterian seminary of Queen’s College in Kingston, Ontario, decided to remain within the Church of Scotland, which prompted some of its students to defect and establish a new seminary. Founded in 1844 in Toronto, the Free Church seminary was named after Scottish Reformation theologian John Knox. In 1855, Knox College became affiliated with the University of Toronto.

A spacious, traditional library room with high vaulted wooden ceilings, large arched windows, wooden tables and chairs, bookshelves, chandeliers, and framed portraits on the walls.
Portraits on the walls of the main reading room honour current and past Knox College principals.

The current Knox College building was completed in 1915. Considered one of the finest examples of Collegiate Gothic in North America, it was the work of Alfred Hirschfelder Chapman and Robert Balmer McGiffin (Chapman & McGiffin). Immediately to the right of the main college entrance, a flight of steps leads to the library, named after the second principal of Knox College, William Caven. With its tall Gothic windows and hammer beam roof, the architecture of the main reading room is truly striking.

A spacious, traditional library room with high vaulted wooden ceilings, large arched windows, wooden tables and chairs, bookshelves, chandeliers, and framed portraits on the walls.
At the end of the reading room, a large amber stained-glass window bathes the space in a warm light.

Forming a right angle with the main library wing is a tall book stack wing, equipped with cast-iron Snead bookshelves. Still standing strong more than a century after their construction, they hold the 80,000 volumes of the college’s collection, which focuses on Presbyterian and Reformed theology and history.

Metal bookshelves filled with books on multiple levels. In the forefront are brass railings.
Snead iron bookshelves in the book stack wing.
Interior of a book storage block with iron shelves.
The library collection has more than 80,000 volumes.
A stone hallway with arched ceilings and symmetrical columns on both sides, featuring gothic architectural details, leading to a gated entrance at the end.
A covered walkway crosses the inner courtyard.
A wooden card catalog sits next to bookshelves filled with books in a library with arched windows and stone walls. A small sign on the card catalog reads, “Google: The first search engine.”.
A useful reminder to what came before Google and AI.
A wooden chair with a brown leather seat is placed against a stone wall in a library. Bookshelves, wooden tables, chairs, and framed portraits are visible in the background under hanging lights.
A cosy reading spot by a window.
A stone building with large, multi-pane arched windows spanning three stories. Some windows have lights on inside. The ground is covered with snow, and a moped is parked near a metal fence in front of the building.
A facade of the book stack wing.
Exterior of a stone library building in Collegiate Gothic style. There is snow on the ground and the sky is clear. A person walks in the forefront.
The east facade of the library, with its oriel window, faces towards the main UofT quad.

The Collegiate Gothic architecture of Knox College has made it a favourite stand-in for other real or fictional universities in a long list of movies.

The images shown here date from my visit in February 2025. Many thanks to the college library staff for their welcome, and to the UofT libraries communications team for coordinating!

References

798093 UofT Caven Library 1 apa 50 creator asc title 19437 https://thomasguignard.photo/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
%7B%22status%22%3A%22success%22%2C%22updateneeded%22%3Afalse%2C%22instance%22%3Afalse%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22request_last%22%3A0%2C%22request_next%22%3A0%2C%22used_cache%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22data%22%3A%5B%7B%22key%22%3A%22GXDC846K%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A798093%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22creatorSummary%22%3A%22Fraser%22%2C%22parsedDate%22%3A%222003%22%2C%22numChildren%22%3A1%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3BFraser%2C%20B.%20J.%20%282003%29.%20%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-ItemURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.biographi.ca%5C%2Fen%5C%2Fbio%5C%2Fcaven_william_13E.html%3Frevision_id%3D37408%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BCaven%2C%20William%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B.%20In%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3BDictionary%20of%20Canadian%20Biography%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B%20%28Vol.%2013%29.%20University%20of%20Toronto%5C%2FUniversit%5Cu00e9%20Laval.%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22encyclopediaArticle%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Caven%2C%20William%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Brian%20J.%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Fraser%22%7D%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22CAVEN%2C%20WILLIAM%2C%20Presbyterian%20minister%2C%20educator%2C%20and%20theologian%3B%20b.%26nbsp%3B26%26nbsp%3BDec.%201830%20in%20Kirkcolm%2C%20Scotland%2C%20son%20of%20John%20Caven%20and%20Mary%20Milroy%3B%20m.%26nbsp%3BJuly%26nbsp%3B1856%20Margaret%20Goldie%2C%20daughter%20of%20botanist%20John%20Goldie%2C%20and%20they%20had%20three%20sons%20and%20three%20daughters%3B%20d.%26nbsp%3B1%26nbsp%3BDec.%201904%20in%26nbsp%3BToronto.%22%2C%22encyclopediaTitle%22%3A%22Dictionary%20of%20Canadian%20Biography%22%2C%22date%22%3A%222003%22%2C%22ISBN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.biographi.ca%5C%2Fen%5C%2Fbio%5C%2Fcaven_william_13E.html%3Frevision_id%3D37408%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%22TEQEITRD%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222026-04-16T23%3A54%3A31Z%22%7D%7D%2C%7B%22key%22%3A%22S7ECQ4PJ%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A798093%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22creatorSummary%22%3A%22Richards%22%2C%22parsedDate%22%3A%222019%22%2C%22numChildren%22%3A0%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3BRichards%2C%20L.%20W.%20%28with%20Friedland%2C%20M.%29.%20%282019%29.%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3BUniversity%20of%20Toronto%3A%20the%20campus%20guide%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B%20%282nd%20edition%29.%20Princeton%20Architectural%20Press.%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22book%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22University%20of%20Toronto%3A%20the%20campus%20guide%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Larry%20Wayne%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Richards%22%7D%2C%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22contributor%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Martin%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Friedland%22%7D%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22University%20of%20Toronto%3A%20The%20Campus%20Guide%2C%20second%20edition%2C%20portrays%20the%20dramatic%20growth%20and%20development%20of%20Canada%26%23039%3Bs%20largest%20university%20while%20it%20showcases%20some%20of%20the%20finest%20architecture%20and%20landscapes%20in%20eleven%20curated%20walking%20tours.%20Founded%20in%201850%20and%20built%20in%20a%20pastoral%20setting%20outside%20the%20city%20limits%2C%20the%20renowned%20university%20now%20has%20more%20than%2090%2C000%20students%20at%20three%20distinguished%20campuses%3A%20the%20downtown%20Toronto%20St.%20George%20campus%2C%20the%20University%20of%20Toronto%20Mississauga%2C%20and%20the%20University%20of%20Toronto%20Scarborough.%20Extraordinary%20new%20photographs%20and%20beautifully%20illustrated%20maps%20bring%20to%20life%20the%20university%26%23039%3Bs%20historical%20evolution%2C%20from%20the%20nineteenth%20century%20to%20the%20present.%20University%20of%20Toronto%20is%20the%20newest%20addition%20in%20the%20acclaimed%20Campus%20Guide%20series%20of%20leading%20colleges%20and%20universities%20in%20North%20America%22%2C%22date%22%3A%222019%22%2C%22originalDate%22%3A%22%22%2C%22originalPublisher%22%3A%22%22%2C%22originalPlace%22%3A%22%22%2C%22format%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISBN%22%3A%22978-1-61689-824-3%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISSN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22eng%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%22TEQEITRD%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222026-04-15T01%3A27%3A46Z%22%7D%7D%2C%7B%22key%22%3A%22UX38F7UB%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A798093%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22creatorSummary%22%3A%22Turner%22%2C%22parsedDate%22%3A%221931%22%2C%22numChildren%22%3A1%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3BTurner%2C%20P.%20J.%20%281931%29.%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3B%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-ItemURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fcollections.banq.qc.ca%5C%2Fark%3A%5C%2F52327%5C%2F2636153%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BUniversity%20and%20college%20libraries%20of%20Canada%20%3A%20their%20planning%20and%20equipment%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B.%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22book%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22University%20and%20college%20libraries%20of%20Canada%20%3A%20their%20planning%20and%20equipment%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%7B%22creatorType%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22firstName%22%3A%22Philip%20J.%22%2C%22lastName%22%3A%22Turner%22%7D%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22%22%2C%22date%22%3A%221931%22%2C%22originalDate%22%3A%22%22%2C%22originalPublisher%22%3A%22%22%2C%22originalPlace%22%3A%22%22%2C%22format%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISBN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fcollections.banq.qc.ca%5C%2Fark%3A%5C%2F52327%5C%2F2636153%22%2C%22ISSN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%229SYALFSU%22%2C%22EG5JSUZI%22%2C%22HZM2IP2I%22%2C%22I26BV4WR%22%2C%22TEQEITRD%22%2C%22YQ9V6R2Z%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222025-01-21T19%3A54%3A47Z%22%7D%7D%2C%7B%22key%22%3A%22FCZB35TS%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A798093%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22numChildren%22%3A1%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3B%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-ItemURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fknox.utoronto.ca%5C%2Fbuilding%5C%2F%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BThe%20Knox%20College%20Building%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B.%20%28n.d.%29.%20Knox%20College.%20Retrieved%20February%205%2C%202025.%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22webpage%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22The%20Knox%20College%20Building%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22%22%2C%22date%22%3A%22%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fknox.utoronto.ca%5C%2Fbuilding%5C%2F%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22en-US%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%22TEQEITRD%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222025-02-05T16%3A14%3A48Z%22%7D%7D%2C%7B%22key%22%3A%226UGEAXK6%22%2C%22library%22%3A%7B%22id%22%3A798093%7D%2C%22meta%22%3A%7B%22numChildren%22%3A1%7D%2C%22bib%22%3A%22%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-bib-body%26quot%3B%20style%3D%26quot%3Bline-height%3A%202%3B%20padding-left%3A%201em%3B%20text-indent%3A-1em%3B%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%5Cn%20%26lt%3Bdiv%20class%3D%26quot%3Bcsl-entry%26quot%3B%26gt%3B%26lt%3Ba%20class%3D%26%23039%3Bzp-ItemURL%26%23039%3B%20href%3D%26%23039%3Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fweb.archive.org%5C%2Fweb%5C%2F20241108073318%5C%2Fhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org%5C%2Fnode%5C%2F1608%26%23039%3B%26gt%3BChapman%2C%20Alfred%20Hirschfelder%26lt%3B%5C%2Fa%26gt%3B.%20%28n.d.%29.%20In%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3BBiographical%20Dictionary%20of%20Architects%20in%20Canada%26lt%3B%5C%2Fi%26gt%3B.%20Retrieved%20December%205%2C%202024.%20%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%5Cn%26lt%3B%5C%2Fdiv%26gt%3B%22%2C%22data%22%3A%7B%22itemType%22%3A%22encyclopediaArticle%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Chapman%2C%20Alfred%20Hirschfelder%22%2C%22creators%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22abstractNote%22%3A%22%22%2C%22encyclopediaTitle%22%3A%22Biographical%20Dictionary%20of%20Architects%20in%20Canada%22%2C%22date%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ISBN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22DOI%22%3A%22%22%2C%22citationKey%22%3A%22%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fweb.archive.org%5C%2Fweb%5C%2F20241108073318%5C%2Fhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org%5C%2Fnode%5C%2F1608%22%2C%22language%22%3A%22%22%2C%22collections%22%3A%5B%22TEQEITRD%22%5D%2C%22dateModified%22%3A%222026-04-16T23%3A50%3A10Z%22%7D%7D%5D%7D
Fraser, B. J. (2003). Caven, William. In Dictionary of Canadian Biography (Vol. 13). University of Toronto/Université Laval.
Richards, L. W. (with Friedland, M.). (2019). University of Toronto: the campus guide (2nd edition). Princeton Architectural Press.
Turner, P. J. (1931). University and college libraries of Canada : their planning and equipment.
The Knox College Building. (n.d.). Knox College. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
Chapman, Alfred Hirschfelder. (n.d.). In Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada. Retrieved December 5, 2024.



Content note

Library detail pages are primarily a place for me to collect information I gather on the libraries I visit, and are frequently updated. None of this should be considered authoritative, I am not an architect, nor a historian. If you notice something incorrect, please let me know!



You might also like



A spacious library interior with large arched windows, wooden floors, red bookshelves, a central information desk, a clock on the back wall, and several people reading or working at tables.
Bibliothèque d’étude et du patrimoine de Toulouse
April 15, 2026
A spacious library with long wooden tables and chairs arranged in rows, tall bookshelves filled with books on two levels, large windows letting in natural light, and two levels of mezzanines with ornate railings. There is a spiral staircase at the back.
Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Tirol
April 6, 2026
Large, modern library with rows of tables where many people are seated, studying or using laptops. Bookshelves are visible in the background. The ceiling has visible blue ducts and industrial lighting.
Bibliothèque Publique d’Information du Centre Pompidou
March 30, 2026