Updated August 2023 with available resources
It's that time of the year! "Don't be late, school starts at 8!"
Summer is coming to an end, and it's time to get back into that old-school school routine.
You can help your kids (or students!) hit the ground running this September with support from your Library—from online tools to helpful books.
*Just like books, our online resources can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime. All you need is an electronic device and your library card.
1) OverDrive for Kids
Online resource
Ready, set, read! Explore our collection of e-books, audiobooks, and videos for kids in OverDrive and its app, Libby.
Take it for a test drive, opens a new window
2) World Book
Online resource
This resource has it all.
From our littlest learners in preschool, through the elementary years and into middle school, World Book is here to help you find reliable, trustworthy information to use for school papers and projects (or even just to quench that thirst for knowledge).
It has some pretty cool features that help make research interesting: pictures, video clips, maps, timelines, interactive games, animations, science projects, sound clips, and much more! Information in World Book is updated regularly—in fact, there are over 800 updates each month, helping to ensure information is accurate. And, if you find a word in the article that you don’t understand, have no fear. You can double click any word and a pop-up window will appear with a dictionary definition of the word.
Grab your passport to learning, opens a new window
3) TumbleBooks & TumbleBookCloud Junior
Online resource
Looking for a place where you can find fun fiction books to practice reading or to complete a book report? TumbleBooks offers animated and talking books for children.
Are you in need of some great non-fiction resources for a school project? Come on over to TumbleBookCloud Junior! This resource was created specifically for kids in grades 3 to 6 and is chalk-full of e-books and read-alongs, including children’s classics, poetry, early readers, graphic novels, chapter books, and non-fiction books. And you won’t want to miss the collection of over 100 National Geographic videos—these are great resources for kick-starting a school project or to satisfy your own curiosity about a topic.
Tumble into TumbleBooks, opens a new window or TumbleBook Cloud Junior
4) The Canadian Encyclopedia
Online resource
Welcome to our own national encyclopedia. This is a 1-stop shop about all things Canadian.
You will find accurate, updated information about our people and our country. There are more than 19,700 bilingual articles full of fact-checked information, and new ones are being updated or created monthly (roughly 60 every month)!
In addition to articles, the Canadian Encyclopedia has over 30,000 multimedia items, including images, maps, games, and audio and video clips. There is also a section of Interactive Resources where you can visit exhibits, explore special collections, and travel through timelines of Canadian history. You should definitely keep this resource in your back pocket for all school projects.
Explore far and wide, opens a new window
5) Log on to learning
Use our free WiFi, or visit these additional free sites from home to log on to learning.
DKfindout!
Videos! Images! Quizzes! (Wait, quizzes?) Created by popular publisher DK, the information on this site is reliable and fun. DKfindout! adds new content all the time, so you’ll never get bored.
Find out about it, opens a new window
6) Find answers in a book
If you've pondered it, imagined it, or needed it—your answer can be found in our collection. Consider these back-to-school reads, or find your own by searching our catalogue.
Nutrition plays an important role in fueling your child’s brain. If packing lunches isn’t your forte, you’ll be the master of lunch in no time with books like this one.
The School Year Survival Cookbook
See more books about preparing simple, nutritious and delicious meals for the whole family in our catalogue.
Developing study skills at a young age is critical to a child’s academic success. If you’re looking for more information on developing your child’s study skills, we have it.
Check out more books about helping your child to develop their study skills.
Is traditional classroom learning not working for you and your child? Take a look at how you can help make the system work for your child.
Find more books about understanding your child’s education in our catalogue.
7) Library programs and events
No matter what your child’s interests, we have lots free events, resources, and programs to fuel the imagination and encourage learning. From teen-led reading support to after-school homework help, there's something for everyone.
Visit our Kids' Page to see the latest reading recommendations from our staff, check out new additions to our collection, and discover free and fun events.
Add a comment to: 7 Ways to Lean on the Library at Back-to-School Time