When a group of Toronto-area Militia officers decided to found a military institute in 1890, they included in the Charter that it was for "the promotion of Military Art, Science and Literature" among other aims and objectives.  The Library was started with a donation of 200 volumes from "the late Militia Institute".  A further large donation of 733 volumes came in 1925 from the estate of Colonel George T. Denison, so that by the mid-1930s, through donations and purchases, the collection stood at well over 10,000 volumes. Since then the collection has almost doubled to become the largest privately funded and maintained military library in Canada. Recognized by Library and Archives Canada (LAC).