Online Resources

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

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  • 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

    Dictionary of Canadian Biography

    Use the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online to review the lives and achievements of individuals who played important roles in the formation of Canada.  This major research and publishing project was launched by the University of Toronto and the Université Laval in 1959, and currently covers persons who died between the years 1000 and 1930, or whose last known date of significant activity falls within these years.

    Content Language
    Bilingual
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Terms of Use
  • Learn

    EduMedia

    Short animations in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, and Russian, amongst other languages, with complementary texts to learn about scientific concepts. 

     

    Content Language
    Bilingual
  • Learn

    Examine +

    Examine+ provides the latest research and scientific studies on nutrition and supplements, offering our clients easy access to evidence-based research analysis.

    Our clients have access to:

    • The Examine Supplement Guides
    • The Examine Database
    • The Research Feed-the latest studies summarized and categorized by experts
    Content Language
    English
    Help Guide(s)
    How to use Examine
  • 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
  • Research

    Gale Academic OneFile (Formerly Academic OneFile)

    Nearly 15,000 journals with full-text and indexed articles on a wide range of academic subjects with strengths in the physical sciences, technology, social sciences, the arts, business, literature and more.  A wide range of limiters provide options for peer-reviewed, full-text articles, many as far back as 1980.

    Access from home will prompt you to re-enter your library card number.

    Full-text remote access for Globe & Mail is available here:

    • Login to Gale Academic Onefile by using your library account
    • Click Go to Publication Search
    • Type Globe and Mail in the search box
    • Click on the search results for The Globe and Mail
    • Select different years and browse specific issues
    Content Language
    English
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
  • Read

    Gale Ebooks

    This collection of reference eBooks -- the kind of reliable, in-depth material once in a printed reference collection -- gives full-text access to thousands of articles on a wide variety of topics. Users can search topics within a single reference book or within the entire collection of books.  Some sample titles are: Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film, Encyclopedia of World Biography, Business Plans Handbooks (44 volumes of full-text business plans), World Encyclopedia of Police Forces and Correctional Systems, Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Encyclopaedia Judaica, and Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, & Addictive Behavior.

    Access from home will prompt you to re-enter your library card number.

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

    Gale OneFile: Business

    Gale OneFile: Business provides full-text coverage of all business disciplines including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, and strategy, as well as business theory and practice. Users will understand the activities of companies and industries worldwide through nearly 4,000 leading business and trade publications, updated daily. Complementing these titles is a selection of international, U.S., and regional news publications, all available on the state-of-the-art Gale OneFile platform.

    Access from home will require that you re-enter your library card number.

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

    • Login to Gale OneFile: Business by using your library account
    • Click Go to Publication Search
    • Type Globe and Mail in the search box
    • Click on the search results for The Globe and Mail
    • Select different years and browse specific issues
    Content Language
    English
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
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