Online Resources

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

Displaying 1 - 8 of 8
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  • Research

    Ancestry Library

    A collection of thousands of individual genealogy databases from many different institutions. It includes American, Canadian and U.K. sources as well as some for Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Canadian coverage includes major sources such as the censuses from 1851 to 1916, Ontario civil registration of births, marriages and deaths, and the Quebec Drouin Collection (courthouse copies of parish registers). German records include passenger lists for many people leaving Eastern Europe. New databases are constantly being added.  Many of the sources are digitized.  Bring a USB flash drive to download your records.

    Ancestry Library: available for in-library use only

    Important Notice: You can access Ancestry Library Edition in our library branches through desktop computers provided by our library or your own personal laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. (Remote access is not supported.) 

    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    This bilingual online resource offers historical content about Canada from the first European settlers to the early 20th century.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
  • 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
  • Research

    Généalogie Québec

    Provides access to over 42,000,000 images and files from the origins of New France to today, drawn from the search tools of the Drouin Genealogical Institute. Includes baptism and death certificates (1621-1849), the Fond Drouin registries from 1621 to 1967, and marriage and death certificates (1926-1997). Many digital documents are also available, such as notarized contracts, post cards, censuses, etc.


    This product is limited to 10 simultaneous users. Please log in to PRDH separately if you would like to use materials linked to both databases.

    Content Language
    Bilingual
  • Research

    Globe and Mail: ProQuest Historical Newspapers (1844-2019)

    This digitized version of The Globe and Mail includes all of the newspapers' sections, images, classifieds, advertisements, births, deaths, political cartoons and more for the dates covered.   Users can browse by date or perform a keyword search.

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

    MyHeritage Library Edition

    MyHeritage Library Edition™ contains billions of historical documents from more than 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes and additional resources. Available in 40 languages, it is the largest, most internationally diverse family history research database in the world.

    Users can access MyHeritage Library Edition either at the library or from the comfort of home via built-in remote access

    Please note:

    MyHeritage Library Edition, differs from the consumer version of My Heritage

    Personal authentication and all personalization features, such as tree creation, have been expressly disabled in the Library Edition by design to protect the privacy of users.

     

    Content Language
    English
    Help Guide(s)
    Tutorial: Learn how to use the MyHeritage Library Edition
    MyHeritage Library Edition Handout
  • Research

    Ottawa Citizen - ProQuest Historical Newspapers (1845 - 2010)

    This digitized full-images archives of the Ottawa Citizen provides genealogists, researchers and general public with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.

    This will allow Ottawans to digitally travel back through the centuries to become eyewitnesses to our local history.

    Coverage is from 1845 to 2010, but you can access more recent full text content from September 1985 until now from Canadian Major Dailies ProQuest (Formerly Canadian Newsstand).

    Content Language
    English
  • Research

    PRDH (Programme de recherche en démographie historique)

    Database containing a directory of civil status records (baptisms, marriages and burials) in Quebec (1621-1799), a genealogical dictionary of families (1621-1765) and a directory of couples and descendants. 

    Please log in to Genealogy Quebec separately if you would like to use materials linked to both databases.

    Content Language
    Bilingual
    Privacy and Terms of Use
    Terms of Use
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