The Ward M. Canaday Center, located on the fifth floor of the William S. Carlson Library, houses William S. Carlson Library's special collections, rare book
collection, and University Archives in a secure and climate-controlled environment. Construction of the Center, which opened in 1979, was made possible by a gift from Mrs. Doreen Canaday Spitzer, the daughter of Ward M. Canaday.
Visitors enter the Canaday Center through a large exhibit area (also used for Friends events and other public programs related to the collections). Several exhibits are held every year: topics have included the history of the Toledo glass industry, T.S. Eliot, and UT architecture. There is also a reading room for patrons and a seminar room for classes using special collections material.
Because of the rarity and uniqueness of the collections, the materials of the Canaday Center do not circulate. Researchers wishing to use the collections must register and use the materials in the Canaday Center's supervised reading room and agree to follow guidelines pertaining to the use of Canaday Center materials. The collections are open to University of Toledo faculty and students as well as the general public. The Center’s hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment.