Featured Initiative

Protect Canada’s cultural assets

As music, television, and film undergo transformational change, the University of Toronto Media Commons is working to preserve a vibrant Canadian cultural trove.

A close-up of an old-fashioned metal film reel.

Joni Mitchell said it best: You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. Over the past century, Canadian music, television, and film artists have contributed so much to the world. Yet without expert preservation, we risk losing even the most treasured cultural assets to a collective memory hole as media undergoes a rapid transition from analog to digital.

With philanthropic support, the Media Commons at the University of Toronto can be the foremost national site for media preservation, access, and engagement—a hub at the nexus of entertainment and education in the centre of Canada’s cultural capital.

Larry Alford, University Chief Librarian

Thankfully, U of T Libraries Media Commons continues to amass a collection of some of our most important works of media art, from the doleful strains of Blue Rodeo to the fearless television journalism of Peter Mansbridge to the thought-provoking documentaries of Ron Mann. A national leader in its field, the Media Commons maintains the largest university media archive in the country, preserving and making accessible distinct Canadian voices across contemporary film and video, broadcast journalism, media arts, music, and more.

Support the U of T Media Commons

Give now

Now, you can help support the Media Commons experts, who continue to amplify some of the many overlooked but vital voices of an emerging generation of Canadian storytellers. Your support will help provide our university community with a rich, interactive media experience that celebrates our past while informing and inspiring a brave new artistic future.

Support the U of T Media Commons

Give now
Explore related campaign priorities: Spark creativity + culture Support student success

To learn more about how you can help preserve our rich national media trove, please contact the Director of Advancement at University of Toronto Libraries.

Contact