The early homes of the JPL were in rented cold water flats on St. Urbain Street and, for 20 years, on the corner of Esplanade Avenue and Mount-Royal.

The Yiddish Book Center has digitized many of these tapes and made them available on compact disc and free online in a joint project.

Special collections include:[6] The Library has an active program of cultural events and educational workshops throughout the year.

During Jewish Book Month, Andrei Codrescu, Cynthia Ozick, and Salman Rushdie have all spoken at the library.

It also stages dramatic readings in Hebrew, Yiddish musical evenings and Russian concerts and walking tours of Jewish Montreal are given throughout the year.