Charles R. Sanderson, c. 1929. Credit Toronto Public Library

b. May 19, 1887, Bury England; d. July 24, 1956, Toronto, ON

1925 BSc (London, 1st class honors)
1940 MA (Toronto)

1901-1905 Senior assistant, Bury Public Library, England
1905-1909 Chief assistant, Bolton Public Library, England
1909-1914 Assistant Librarian, John Rylands Library, Manchester
1915-1919 Enlisted in British army serving in France and North Africa
1914-1929 Librarian, Gladstone Library, London,
1919-1929 Lecturer, School of Librarianship, University of London
1929-1931 Assistant Librarian, Toronto Public Library
1931-1937 Deputy Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library
1937-1956 Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library

Sanderson, C.R. (1925). Library law: a text-book for the professional examinations in library organization. London: J&E Bumpus Ltd.

Sanderson, C. R.(1927). “The library resources of London.” In E.A. Baker, ed., The uses of libraries, pp. 217-38. New York: Wilson.

Sanderson, C.R. (1930). “The extension of library privileges to the rural parts of England and Scotland through the county library system.” Proceedings of the Ontario Library Association, pp. 9–10.

Sanderson, C.R. (1930). “Two recent branch libraries in Toronto [Runnymede and Danforth].” Journal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada 8 (12): 430–437.

Sanderson, C.R. (1930). “A library in a shopping centre [Danforth Branch].” Library Journal 55 (6): 257–259.

Sanderson, C.R. (1930). “Beauty with utility.” Construction: A Journal for the Architectural Engineering and Contracting Interests of Canada 23 (9): 282–288 and 293–296.

Sanderson, C.R. (1936). Social credit. Toronto: McClelland.

Sanderson, C.R. (1936). “Canadian comment on bookish preferences.” Library Review 5 (7): 313–317.

Sanderson, C.R. (1938). “A broadcast by Charles R. Sanderson, Chief Librarian, Toronto Public Library, January 5, 1938.” Ontario Library Review 22 (2): 94–96.

Sanderson, C.R. (1941). “World democratic relations [ALA Conference address].” American Library Association Bulletin 35 (7): 414–421.

Sanderson, C.R. (1941). Some notes on Lord Sydenham. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1941.

Sanderson, C.R. (1944). “Libraries in the post war period.” Ontario Library Review 28 (3): 244–251.

Sanderson, C.R. (1950). “Keeping young [Young Canada Book Week].” Canadian Library Association Bulletin 7 (1): 8–10.

Sanderson, C.R. (1950). “Tribute and resolve.” Wilson Library Bulletin 24 (10): 737–738.

Sanderson, C.R. (1952) “Well-known librarian retires [Lillian H. Smith].” Ontario Library Review 36 (2): 74.

Sanderson, C.R., ed. (1943-1959). The Arthur papers, 3 vols. Toronto: Toronto Public Libraries and University of Toronto Press.

President, Rotary Club of Toronto 1937
President, Empire Club 1941-1942
Chairman, Canadian Library Council 1941-1943
Member, Ontario Royal Commission on Education 1945-1950
First Chairman, Toronto Civic Historical Committee (now Heritage Toronto), established in 1949

1951 LLD, University of Toronto
1955 FLA, Library Association (UK)
1968 Toronto Public Library’s Charles R. Sanderson Memorial Branch opens

The first part of Charles Sanderson’s tenure at Toronto Public Library was marked by years of economic depression and wartime stringency. In the postwar period, 1945-56, Sanderson oversaw the advancement of library services with the building of three neighbourhood branches—George H. Locke Memorial Branch, Deer Park Branch, and Parliament Street Branch. TPL also extended its work to elementary schools, hospitals, homes for the aged, and settlement houses. Notably, the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books was donated to TPL in 1949 by Edgar Osborne. Throughout Sanderson’s career he was known to be supportive and generous: Dr. Freda Waldon recounted that “one of the things you could always count on with Sandy was that he would take time to consider any question you brought to him and give you the benefit of his experience.”

“Memorial service to the late Dr. Charles R. Sanderson,” in Annual Report of the Toronto Public Library 1956, pp. 49-56.
“Charles R. Sanderson, 1887-1956.” (Aug. 1956). Quill and Quire 22: 9–12.
B. Wilkinson, (1956). “In appreciation: Charles Rupert Sanderson, 1887-1956.” Ontario Library Review 40 (3): 165-166.
“Charles Sanderson, F.L.A.” (1956). Canadian Library Association Bulletin 13 (2): 69.
Giles, Suzette (2013). “Libraries named after librarians.” ELAN no. 53 (Spring): 11-12.
History of Toronto Public Library Sanderson branch on the occasion of its 50th anniversary in 2018 [PDF download].
ELA biography compiled by Lorne Bruce