Online Resources

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

Displaying 1 - 7 of 7
  • 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 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
  • 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.

  • 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
  • Read

    PressReader

    Provides access to today’s newspapers and magazines from all over the world. Advanced features allow automated translation as well the ability to listen to articles. Canadian newspaper titles include the Ottawa Citizen, the Globe and Mail, National Post, Le Devoir, Le Journal de Montréal, and Toronto Star. Internationally you can read USA Today, The Wall Street Journal (USA), The Guardian (United Kingdom), Le Figaro (France), Izvestia (Russia) and Der Tagesspiegel (Germany). Popular magazines include Canadian Geographic, Maximum PC and Canada’s Style at Home.

    • Please be advised that there will be no August 2 issue for The Economist as per the publisher's notice. Regular uploads/issues will resume on August 9.
    • The PressReader App is not granting paid access to OPL customers at the moment. We hope to have the issue fixed as soon as possible. PressReader access via the website is still working normally.
    • You don’t need to create a separate PressReader account, without a PressReader account, you can still access any of the titles offered by Ottawa Public Library on PressReader.
    • All you need is a library card and a pin to sign in via a login page on the OPL website or PressReader App. That’s it!
    • Customers logged in through App need to re-authenticate after 30 days while Customers logged in through EzProxy (via library website) need to re-authenticate after 2 days
    • For the download storage, customers have the option to choose how long they wanted to keep the downloaded back issues.
    • The Wall Street Journal is now available from PressReader.,
    • Access to The Globe and Mail is limited to customers using PressReader in a library branch due to restrictions imposed by the publisher.
    • Full-text remote access for Globe & Mail is available from the following three databases: Canadian Major Dailies_ProQuest, Gale Academic Onefile & Gale  OneFiile: Business
    • The Washington Post is no longer available from the PressReader platform as per the publisher's request. However, full-text access for The Washington Post is available from our other two databases: Academic OneFile and Gale OneFile: Business. (delayed 1 day).
    • Los Angeles Times is no longer available from the PressReader platform as per the publisher's request.
    • PressReader stopped the distribution of Russian content, due to the decision of its upper management.
    • Libraries generally have 90 days of back issues. (Such as Toronto Star). There are, however, restrictions that are set by specific publishers on how far back issues are available.  In this case, the available back issue is different for each publication. Such as  The Globe and Mail only allows a maximum of 7 days back issues, while Ottawa Citizen and National Post allow up to 30 days. Other popular titles that are similar are The Guardian which only allows 14-day back issues and The Wall Street Journal only allows 2 days back issues

       

     

  • Learn

    Pronunciator

    Pronunciator is unique in offering personalized courses in any of 163 languages, and instruction in any of 144 home languages, ESL courses, audio lessons, American and Mexican Sign Languages. Pronunciator also includes ProCitizen, comprehensive preparation for the Canadian citizenship test. Users have unlimited, simultaneous, remote access.

    Note:

    Through the “Learning Guides and More” section in American English or Canadian English, respectively to access ProCitizen : US or ProCitizen: Canada

    • ProCitizen: Canada! With over 100 instructional videos, and over 500 practice questions, this course provides a comprehensive preparation for the Canadian Citizenship Test. Topics include Rights and Responsibilities; Canada's History; How Canadians Govern Themselves; Federal Elections; the Justice System; Canadian Symbols; Canada's Economy; Canada's Regions; and the Oath of Citizenship.

    Go Mobile The Pronunciator app is written in responsive HTML5, and can be used in any browser — even the browser in your mobile device.

    Content Language
    English