Online Resources

Use our free online resources for consumer research, online classes, language learning, newspaper reading and more.

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  • Research

    Canada's Information Resource Centre

    A virtual who's who and what's where in Canada. Canada’s Information Resource Centre now provides online access to four titles that we currently have in our collection:

    • Canadian Almanac and Directory

    The Almanac section has its own pages and is searchable along with the directory.

    • Associations Canada

    Introductory material is only available in PDF, the other content is searchable from the search fields.

    • Canadian Parliamentary Guide

    Introductory material is only available in PDF, the other content can be searched by various fields.

    • Canadian Who’s Who

    It has its own search screen. Please just click on the title and it will take you to the search screen.

     

    Since all those four printed titles are for in-library use only, this online remote access will provide a convenient option to access a diverse array of virtual who’s who and what’s where in Canada

    This online access is for a single-user license. If you have trouble logging on you may wish to try again later

     

     

    Content Language
    English
  • Research

    Canadian Encyclopedia

    This encyclopedia includes over 40,000 articles and 60,000 photographs, as well as maps, graphs, games, quizzes and videos. Updated regularly, it contains The Encylopedia of Canada, The Youth Encyclopedia of Canada. (in English only) The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, Feature articles on different subjects, MacLean’s Magazine articles and The Timeline of Canadian History.

    Content Language
    Bilingual
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
  • Research

    Canadian Major Dailies_ProQuest (Formerly Canadian Newsstand)

    This full-text database includes the complete available electronic backfiles for major national and regional newspapers from 1985 to current, providing full access to the articles, columns, editorials, and features. Content is updated daily.  Among the titles are The Globe and Mail, National Post, Montreal Gazette, Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Regina Leader Post, Edmonton Journal, Vancouver Sun and the Victoria Times Colonist.  The Globe and Mail backfile coverage starts in 1977.

    Full text remote access for Globe & Mail is available here.

    • Login to Canadian Major Dailies_ProQuest
    • Click on Publications located on the top bar of the page
    • Type Globe and Mail in the search box
    • Click on the search results for The Globe and Mail (Jan. 1, 2020 – present)
    • Browse specific issues
    Content Language
    English
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
  • Research

    Canadiana

    This bilingual online resource offers historical content about Canada from the first European settlers to the early 20th century. This includes digitized books, magazines and government documents and spans 21 languages.

    Content Language
    Bilingual
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
  • Watch

    CBC Corner

    CBC Corner - Discover the best Canadian shows, stories & more.

    Developed specifically for public libraries, CBC Corner is a digital portal that brings together the wide

    variety of CBC and Radio-Canada digital content and resources into a single experience

    This one-of-a-kind digital portal allows you to access a wide variety of content including

    trusted news, local stories, entertaining TV and radio shows, award-winning podcasts,

    educational kids content, innovative podcasts, a free English and French language

    learning app, news in foreign languages, and much more!

    Content Language
    Bilingual
  • Research

    Consumer Reports

    ConsumerReports.org provides unbiased ratings and reviews, recommendations and buying advice from expert Consumer Reports’ testers for thousands of products and services such as cars, electronics, appliances, and more. Frequently updated articles, blogs and video content allow consumers to find the latest consumer news — such as product recalls.

    Articles from the CR current issue, archives from 2012 to 2022,  and a five-year Index are all available.

    Content Language
    English
    Help Guide(s)
    Articles from Current Magazine Issue
    Magazine Archive from 2012 to 2022
    Past five-year Index
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
  • Learn

    Creativebug

    Learn how to paint, knit, sew, and much more. Creativebug offers thousands of award-winning arts & crafts free video classes and workshops. They are all taught by recognized design experts and artists.

    Categories include Knitting, Crochet, Art & Design, Paper, Sewing, Quilting, Jewelry, Kids, Food & Home, Holiday & Party, and include beginner and advanced classes.

    Videos are completely ad-free. All have public performance rights and can be used by library programs to broadcast virtual Craft-A-Longs via Zoom, Facebook Live, YouTube, etc. Creativebug adds a minimum of 35 pieces of new content a month.

    You can create an account using your email address.

    Dec.16,2025

    We are aware that some clients are experiencing intermittent issues with the Creativebug video player. In certain cases, clients may be logged out when trying to access a video.

    If this happens, simply log back in with your library card and PIN from the CreativeBug library landing page, and the issue should be resolved.

    This is a temporary measure while Creativebug works to identify and fix the root cause. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

    Once the issue has been fully resolved, we will provide an update to let you know.

    Thank you for using Creativebug through the Ottawa Public Library.

    Content Language
    English
    Help Guide(s)
    Creativebug Customer Support
    Available Apps
    Apple
    Google
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
  • Watch

    Curio.ca

    Curio.ca offers access to thousands of commercial-free educational video and audio streams from CBC and Radio-Canada. Categories include Canadian history, health, business, children's programming, Indigenous studies and many others.

    Content Language
    Bilingual
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
  • Research

    FamilySearch Affiliate Library

    FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history.

    Ottawa Public Library is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, this designation means library clients will now have greater and more convenient access to the wealth of genealogical resources available through FamilySearch at our 33 branches.

    Benefits of an Affiliate Library

    • Due to contractual obligations, some images are only viewable online through FamilySearch centers and Affiliate Libraries
    • Through the affiliate program, OPL customers have access to over 350 million additional records that are otherwise restricted

    This resource is available for in-library use only.

    Please note that each individual client must log into FamilySearch using their own unique username and password. There is no institutional login. 

     

    Beginning April 30, 2026, clients will be required to sign in to access the FamilySearch Catalog. To help prepare for this change, a notification banner has been added to the top of the FamilySearch Catalog landing page for clients who are not signed in.

    This update is being implemented as part of ongoing efforts to improve website security and ensure appropriate access to records.

    Content Language
    English
    Help Guide(s)
    Why do historical records have access limitations?
    What are the image restrictions in Historical Records?
    Affiliate Library Additional Resources
    Frequently asked questions
  • Read

    Flipster eMagazines

    Access today's edition of popular magazine titles including Maclean's, Scientific American, Time, People, and others.

    • If you are experiencing difficulty accessing magazines, please check "Tips on how to access magazines from Flipster" under our Help Guide
    • Starting from May 18, 2023, Forbes is available on the Flipster eMagazine Platform
    • Starting from Oct.1, 2022, seven new eMagazines will be added to the Flipster platform. They are Backcountry; Sports Illustrated, Travel & Leisure; Fine Woodworking; Fine Gardening, Threads & Fine Homebuilding.
    • Effective on Nov.1, 2022, the following three magazines : Azure ; Canadian House and Home, and Hello! Canada will be available on Overdrive Magazines Platform and no longer available on Flipster eMagazine Platform
    • Martha Stewart Living, Do It Yourself, and Rachael Ray in Seasons are discontinued on Flipster by the publisher.  However, some back issues are still available for you to view.
    • Effective on Nov.1, 2023, Black Girl Magazine and  Teen Black Girl Magazine are no longer available on Flipster eMagazine Platform.  However, some back issues are still available for you to view.
    • Beginning in July 2025, no new issues of Allrecipes magazine will be published, However, you will still have full access to all back issues.
    Content Language
    Bilingual
    Help Guide(s)
    Getting Started with Flipster
    Introducing the New Flipster User Interface
    Flipster Fundamentals
    Flipster Help
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
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