Back to School with OPL

Programs

OPL offers a variety of programs that inspire and encourage discovery, creativity and fun. Check out our current Fall 2023 offerings.

Kids Programs

Babytime
Big Dreamers
Board Games Drop-in
Build It seriesCosmos Club
Chess Drop-in
Creation Zone pop-up workshops
Cursive Writing workshops
Exploration Station
Forensics Fun
Intro to Dash Robots
LEGO Drop-in
Literary Creations
Little Artists, In Partnership with Oakville Galleries
Math Munchkins
Natural History
No Tech Coding
Paws 4 Stories, In Partnership with St. John's Ambulance
Parachute Play
Pattern Science
Preschool Dance Party
Spelling Bee Challenge
Stay, Play, Connect
Storytimes

Teens and Adult Programs

3D Printing workshops
Author events
- In Conversation With author series
- Virtual author talks
American Sign Language courses
Board Game Drop-in
Book Clubs
- Cookbooks
- Diverse Voices
- Historical Fiction
- Equity & Diversity
Button Making Madness
Creation Zone pop-up workshops
Creativebug workshops
Cricut workshops
Dungeons and Dragons
Chess Drop-in
English Conversation Circle
French Conversation Circle
Forest Bathing, In Partnership with Oakvillegreen
Genealogy Meetups
iPad Essentials
Laser Cutting workshops
Newcomer Conversation Circle
Paint Pouring workshops
Tech Help

Note: Program offerings, dates, times and locations are subject to change.

Online Learning Tools

Kids

TumbleBook Library offers interactive eBooks for kids in English, French and Spanish
KanopyKids offers unlimited access to high-quality movies and TV shows like Arthur and Sesame Street.
Hoopla offers instant streaming and downloadable children’s movies, television shows, audiobooks, and music.
Little Pim is an online language learning system for ages 0-6.
Storyline Online offers storytime for variety of ages, read aloud by some well-known actors such as Chris Pine, Rami Malek, Betty White and more.

eBooks and Audiobooks

cloudLibrary offers a growing collection of eBooks and audiobooks for adults, teens, and kids. Listen or read on your computer, smartphone or tablet through the mobile or desktop app.
AudiobookCloud is an online collection of over 1000 streaming audiobooks. Aimed at students from kindergarten to high school, the collection includes full-length unabridged classics, fiction and non-fiction books.
CELA catalogue for those with print disabilities – CELA has Canada’s largest collections of books and online resources for people who have difficulty reading print due to a visual, physical, or learning disability.
TeenBookCloud offers an online collection of enhanced novels, eBooks, graphic novels, video and audiobooks for young adult readers.

Movies and Music

Kanopy lets you stream documentaries, classic and indie films on desktop, mobile and Roku. Check out the Credit-Free Viewing list for a growing collection of titles that will not deduct from your 10 monthly play credits.
Naxos Music Library allows you to stream classical, jazz, blues, relaxation, world and contemporary music, as well as spoken word and folk tales, from any computer.
Hoopla offers instant streaming and downloadable television shows, movies, audiobooks, and music.

Newspapers and Magazines

New York Times offers digital articles that can be viewed on any computer, smartphone, or tablet with an internet connection. Note: You will be directed to redeem a 72 hour access code. After those 72 hours have elapsed, simply click to redeem a new code.
Flipster and PressReader offer digital magazines that you can access on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Canadian Periodical Index Quarterly offers access to many full-text Canadian magazines and newspapers, including select articles from the Globe & Mail and Toronto Star.

Online Learning

Creativebug provides thousands of arts and crafts classes along with downloadble patterns, recipes and templates - free with your library card!
Encyclopedia Britannica Kids provides searchable content for elementary and middle school students and includes interactive exercises and activities.
Khan Academy is a free website that offers expert-created content and resources for every course and level.
LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform featuring thousands of online courses taught by industry experts including: 3D printing, business, photography, coding and more.
Mango Languages teaches practical conversation and simulates the way people learn when immersed in a foreign culture.
Encyclopedia Britannica offers an online version which includes video clips, magazine articles, interactive exercises and activities for students.

Family History and Genealogy

Ancestry Library Edition is a great resource for anyone doing genealogical or historical research. Records include census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more with some information dating back to the early 13th century. Access to this resource has been temporarily expanded to library cardholders working remotely, courtesy of ProQuest and its partner Ancestry.
Digital Archive Ontario gives you free access to digital material of historical importance to Ontario and Canada.

More Than Books

Borrow a variety of materials beyond books that supports growth through activity.

Sports Kits for tennis, cricket, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and more
Storytelling Kits for kids
Nature Packs for kids
Conservation Halton and Provincial Park Passes

Borrowing Materials: Personalized Services

OPL Express

OPL Express locations are staffless on-the-go locations designed to make it easy to pick-up holds, return library items and browse collections at several high-traffic community buildings throughout Oakville.

OPL Picks for You

OPL Picks for You is a personalized book-matching service. You share your reading interests and OPL staff will expertly choose the best reading materials for you. Fill in a short survey and let us pick your next reads! Book an OPL Picks for You Appointment