Libraries serve as centres of discovery and communication as well as repositories of history, language, and culture. However, for the 10th Book Lovers Ball, the Toronto Public Library Foundation (TPLF) proved that they can be a pretty damn spectacular place to party as well.

Held at the Toronto Reference Library designed by Moriyama & Teshima Architects, pink lights basked the massive five storey atrium adding a theatrical flair to the literary inspired event.

Guests had the opportunity to rub shoulders with nearly 60 top Canadian authors, business leaders, and philanthropists and dine in the bookstacks. Literally. Tables were seamlessly assembled between book stacks with an author at each table, creating a truly unique dining experience. Author guests included 2014 Writer’s Trust Award winner Miriam Toews (A Complicated Kindness), Michael Winter (Minister Without Portfolio), Andrew Pyper (The Killing Circle; The Demonologist), musician Carl Dixon (Strange Way to Live), and chef/author Jamie Kennedy, who was also crafted the dining menu for the gala.

As part of the 10th anniversary event, The Book Lover’s Ball extended the celebration late into the night with its first every after party: After Dark. The acclaimed music/literary hybrid Jason Collett’s Basement Revue rocked the stage while actors portraying popular literary characters mingled with the crowd (and yes, you guessed it, there was indeed a Harry Potter…that performed magic tricks). That night at the library was anything but stoic…in fact, it might have been of the best events of the year.

Photos by Nick Lee

Also check out our photos from Book Lover’s Ball 2014 and Book Lover’s Ball 2013.

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