Online Resources A-Z
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A - Z eJournals
A - Z Databases
Online Magazines & Newspapers Search
Find the titles of our 10,000 online magazines and newspapers. This huge collection includes back issues that are not available on the Internet.
Access Science
1000s of articles and 15,000 illustrations from the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Use Student Centre links for research and homework help. Use your library card and password to access this resource. [How to use]
American Heritage Children's Dictionary
Dictionary for Grades 3 to 6. Entries include synonyms, homonyms and examples to provide a real-world context.
Ancestry Library Edition
Available at all GVPL locations.
Genealogy treasure trove contains 3,000 databases, primary source documents and passenger lists. [How to use]
ARTBase
More than 12,000 images from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. You can create your own virtual galleries and share them other visitors.
BC Archives Visual Records
Digitized photographs, paintings, drawings and prints that illustrate the history of BC. [How to use]
BC Codes Online
Available at all GVPL locations.
Includes the BC Building Code, Fire Code, and Plumbing Services. Describes minimum construction requirements for safe buildings in BC. [How To Use]
BC STATS: Library Access Site
Available at all GVPL locations.
Current statistical information on the state of the BC economy.
BC Vehicle Safety & Inspection Standards Online (VSIS Online)
Available at all GVPL locations.
Vehicle safety and inspection standards and related BC legislation from official sources.
Booklist Online
Book reviews from 1992 from the American Library Association.
British Colonist Digital Database
The British Colonist digitization project is a gift from the Times Colonist newspaper, the University of Victoria Libraries, and a consortium of British Columbia libraries to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the British Colonist newspaper. Every page of every issue, from the first one on December 11, 1858 until the end of June, 1910, a total of 100,554 pages, have been scanned and made searchable.
British Columbia Resource Guide (World Book)
Encyclopedia entries about BC. Includes include links to in-depth research and homework help for assignments about BC.
Canadian Music Periodical Index (CMPI)
An index of articles from Canadian music periodicals. Full-text of articles are not available in this database but may be obtained through our Magazines & Journals online resources, our print magazine collection or through our interlibrary loan service. Library card and password not required. [How to use]
Canadian NewsStand
Newspaper and magazine articles (for the last 10 to 20 years). Includes the Times-Colonist and Vancouver Island's Black Press newspapers. [How to use]
Canadian Periodical Index (CPI.Q)
A 20-year index of nearly 200 Canadian magazines. Also includes full-text articles (from 1995) Canadian biographies, company profiles, and historical information. [How to use]
Canadian Reference Centre
Articles from thousands of Canadian newspapers, magazines, newswires and reference books. Includes biographies, photos, maps and flags.
Canadian Student Research Centre
Especially for secondary school students. Includes articles and information from the Canadian Reference Centre, Middle Search Plus and the Columbia Encyclopedia.
[ How to Use]
CBCA Business
Canadian business magazines, trade journals, general business publications, academic journals, topical journals and professional publications. [How to use]
CBCA Current Events (Canadian TV & Radio Transcripts)
Canadian coverage of politics, business, the arts, sports, and other news from newspapers, magazines, television and radio transcripts. [How to use]
CBCA Reference (Canadian magazine articles)
Canadian magazines, academic journals and special interest publications. Subjects include opinions, public policy, children/youth, lifestyles, arts and culture, health, regional concerns, and more. [How to use]
Chilton Auto Repair
Auto repair manuals, wiring diagrams, labour time estimates, maintenance schedules, and technical service bulletins.
Colonial Dispatches
Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, digitized by UVic.
Consumer Health Complete
Articles from 100s of health and wellness magazines. More than 1,000 health pamphlets. Includes aging, cancer, diabetes, drugs & alcohol, fitness, nutrition, and women's health. High-quality images and videos. [How to use] [Flash tutorial]
Consumer Reports
Full-text articles and reviews from 1999 to 2 months ago.
Consumer Reports Buying Guide
Annual publication includes product tests ranging from major purchases (automobiles and appliances) to everyday items like food and cleaning products. (Includes 2003 to 2006 editions; 2007 print edition is available at these locations.)
CRD Document Library
Capital Regional District agendas, bylaws, minutes and reports. Library card and password not required.
Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
Biographies of significant people in the formation of Canada and who died between the years 1000 and 1930. (Or whose last known date of activity falls within these years.) Library card and password not required.
Downloadable Audiobooks
Listen to hundreds of popular titles on your Windows computer or WMA-compatible audio device. [How to use]
Downloadable eBooks from British Columbia Libraries
Downloadable versions of print books for adults, teens and children. Optimized for on-screen reading. In Adobe Reader/Adobe Digital Editions and Mobipocket Reader format. [How to use]
Dragonsource Chinese Magazines
The most popular Chinese-language magazines. Topics range from business and economics to family, fashion, entertainment, film and travel.
Drugs and Controlled Substances: Information for Students
Detailed information on physiological and psychological effects of addictive drugs and substances: illegal, prescription and over-the-counter.
DSP E-Collection (Federal Government Publications)
Electronic publications from departments of the Government of Canada. Library card and password not required. [How to use]
E-LIS: The open archive for Library and Information Science
Conference presentations and other published and unpublished documents on lbrarianship, information science, technology and related topics.
EBSCO Animals
Information about animals from a variety of sources. Results can then be narrowed to only show articles from the Encyclopedia of Animals. (Middle school audience.) [How to use]
EBSCO Image Collection
Over 235,000 images from quality licensed sources. Subjects include: history, politics, animals, topical news photos, science, maps, cityscapes, landmarks and entertainment.
EBSCOhost Research Databases
Magazine and journal articles on every subject, including health, business, the arts, computers, as well as general interest topics. Searches these EBSCO databases: Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, Computer Source, Funk & Wagnall's New World Encyclopedia, Literary Reference Center and MasterFILE Premier. [How to use]
EBSCOhost Research Databases (text only)
A text-only interface to search for magazine and journal articles on every subject including health, business, the arts, computers, as well as general interest topics. Searches these EBSCO databases: Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, Computer Source, Funk & Wagnall's New World Encyclopedia, Literary Reference Center and MasterFILE Premier.
Economist
Full-text articles from 1988 to current issue.
Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos
Organizada de modo que los estudiantes puedan encontrar informacion rapida y facilmente. Pulse en la primera letra del titulo del articulo para ver el articulo.
Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Reflexology, acupressure, acupuncture, chelation therapy, kinesiology, yoga, chiropractic, Feldenkrais, polarity therapy, detoxification, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, biofeedback, Ayurveda and osteopathy.
Encyclopedia of British Columbia
Encyclopedia articles, historic photographs, statistics, maps, diagrams, audio/video clips and links to more online information.
Encyclopedia of Food & Culture
Classic 3-volume survey of food and society. 600 entries on such topics as comfort food, ethnicity and food, medieval banquets, nutrient composition and much more.
Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Information about all 150 disorders classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). Includes drug therapy and treatment information.
Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology
History, ecent phenomena, concepts, cults, prominent individuals and personalities, organizations and publications. In some cases both "pro" and "con" are indicated, with sources for further study.
Encyclopedia of Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers
Coverage of nearly 500 surgical procedures and related topics such as diagnosis and preparation, aftercare, risks, alternatives and more.
Environmental Encyclopedia
Worldwide coverage of environmental issues in a nontechnical style. Current status, analysis--even suggested solutions to environmental issues.
Fiction Room
Find novels and audiobooks by setting and character. Find movies based on works of fiction.
FictionConnection
Find a great book on this fun and interactive site. Listings include plot summaries and reviews. [How to use]
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
Electronic version of this well-known American encyclopedia. Updated annually.
Gale Literary Index
An index to Gale literary reference books at our Central Library. (Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism, Dictionary of Literary Biography (vols. 1, 2, 4, 24, 53, 60, 68, 88, 92, 99, 237), Contemporary Authors (all series), Contemporary Literary Criticism, Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, Poetry Criticism, Short Story Criticism, Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Library card and password not required.
Global Books In Print
Reviews, summaries and price of more than 11 million books, audiobooks, DVDs and videos. [How to use]
Globe & Mail
Full-text articles from 1978 to current issue.
Gold Book Collector's Price Guide
Prices for collector cars. Based on auction results and verified private transactions. Library card and password not required.
Goldstream Gazette
News and events in the Western Communities of Langford, Colwood, Metchosin, View Royal, the Highlands and the Malahat. Local news and features in the Wednesday edition; news from around the region in Friday's Weekend Edition.
Google Images
A quick search for images in web pages. For higher quality images from licensed sources we recommend other resources in this category. Library card and password not required.
GreenFILE
Covers all aspects of human impact to the environment: global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling and more. Full text access to more than 4,600 articles. [How to use]
Hospitality & Tourism Index
An index of articles in 500 hospitality and tourism magazines. A full-text version of this index (Hospitality and Tourism Complete) is available through BC university and college libraries.
Images Canada
Thousands of images held on the web sites of participating Canadian cultural institutions. Pictures of Canadian events, people, places and things. Library card and password not required.
Interactive Learning for Young Children
Have fun with Bailey, Millie, Sammy and Trudy as they introduce young children to reading, math, science, time and geography. Sponsored by the Virtual School Society.
Kids Search
A homework-help search tool for elementary and middle school students. Search magazine and encyclopedia articles about Animals, Arts & Music, Geography, Health, News, Languages, Math, Science, Social Studies and Sports. [How to use]
L'Encyclopedia Decoverte
Offre des douzaines d'activites pratiques qui aideront les jeunes eleves a s'interesser a la recherche. [More information]
Library PressDisplay (Digital editions)
Newspapers from 55 countries in 33 languages. Full-colour images of every page - just like the print version. Includes 60 days of back issues. Listen to articles, magnify print size, download and save. [How to use] [Tutorials]
Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text
Articles from 700 periodicals and other sources on librarianship, classification, cataloging, online information retrieval, information management and more.
Maclean's (selected articles)
Full-text articles from 1995 to current issue. Library card and password not required.
MasterFILE Premier
Magazines articles from hundreds of popular magazines like Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping and People. [How to use]
MedlinePlus Encyclopedia
Over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries and surgeries. Also contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations. Library card and password not required. [How to use]
Middle Search Plus
Articles from more than 140 popular, middle-school magazines. Thousands of biographies and historical essays. Includes an image collection of over 300,000 photos, maps and flags.
New Catholic Encyclopedia
This 15-volume 2nd edition features revised and new articles. Among the 12,000 entries in the encyclopedia are articles on theology, philosophy, history, literary figures, saints, musicians and much more.
Non-Fiction Connection
Find great non-fiction books on popular topics like Biography, Travel Stories, True Crime and more.
NoveList
If you're looking for a good read - start here! Find out who writes like your favourite author, other books in a series, and other great reading suggestions. [How to use]
NoveList K-8
Children's book summaries, author biographies and reviews of children's books. Also provides booktalks for selected young adult and children's titles. [How to use]
Oak Bay News
A twice-weekly paper serving Oak Bay. The Wednesday edition contains local coverage. The Friday edition includes news from around Greater Victoria.
Online Book Clubs
Join our Online Book Clubs by email. Every weekday you'll receive a five-minute selection from a chapter of a book. By the end of the week, you'll have read 2 to 3 chapters. A new book starts every Monday.
Opposing Viewpoints
Everything you need to fully understand an issue: pro and con viewpoint articles, reference articles that provide context, full-text magazines, academic journals, and newspapers, primary source documents, government and organizational statistics, multimedia, including images and podcasts, links to hand-selected websites and more! [How to use]
Oxford Art Online
Online access to the The Dictionary of Art (34 vols.), The Oxford Companion to Western Art Encyclopedia of Aesthetics and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art. Also includes links to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Oxford Art Online - Images
Search more than 5,000 high resolution art images from pre-history to present.
Oxford English Dictionary Online
Oxford English Dictionary includes the meaning, history, and pronunciation of over half a million words. [How to use]
Oxford Music Online (previously Grove Music Online)
Includes the The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Grove Music Online and The Oxford Companion to Music. [How to use]
QP LegalEze
Available at all GVPL locations.
British Columbia's laws, statutes, regulations and other provincial publications and registries.
Saanich News
Community newspaper serving Saanich and the Saanich Peninsula. (Includes articles from August, 2004 to current issue.)
Salud en Espanol
Reportes completos basados en evidencias y fichas de datos relacionados a todos los aspectos de la salud y el bienestar. Reportes especificos por tema que cubren todos los aspectos de la salud, dan informacion general importante en relacion a enfermedades, afecciones y procedimientos de diversos tratamientos.
Searchasaurus
A search tool for elementary school students. Search magazine and encyclopedia articles for topics like Animals, Art & Music, Health, History People & Places, Sports, Stories. Also includes EBSCO Image Collection. [How to use]
Statistics Canada E-STAT
Available at all GVPL locations.
Census and CANSIM data (Canadian Socio-economic Information Management System) provides primary information on Canadian labour, manufacturing, investment, international trade and much more.
Student Resource Centre - Canadian Edition
For Canadian history, social studies and other homework assignments - this is one of the best resources. It includes the full-text of reference books, biographies, essays and 1,000s of primary documents. [How to use]
Subject Guide - Film
Find movies and film information in the library and on the Internet. How to find feature films and documentaries; how to use our catalogue to find movies; many recommended film and movie websites.
Terrorism Reference Library
This 3-volume set provides researchers with an understanding of the complex issue of global terrorism.
The Canadian Encyclopedia
The complete text of the original multi-volume set with additional multimedia. Continuously updated. Library card and password not required. [How to use]
The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
Describes the full breadth and depth of Canada's musical culture, including the historical and current aspects of popular, folk, religious, concert and other forms of music. Library card and password not required.
The Youth Encyclopedia of Canada
This Canadian encyclopedia suitable for younger readers or those learning English. Provides quick information and introductions to 1,000s of Canadian topics. Library card and password not required.
Times Colonist
Greater Victoria's daily newspaper. (Includes articles from January 4, 1993 to 2 days ago.)
Times, The (United Kingdom)
Articles available from yesterday's issue back to October, 2000.
Tumble TalkingBooks
Streaming audio books from classics and non-fiction to novels, children's and teen books, and plays -- including Shakespeare.
TumbleBooks
Animated picture books, novels and classics with sound, music and narration. Read these ebooks online or listen as they're read aloud. [Requires Flash]
TumbleReadables
Read-along titles for students from K-12. Adjustable text size and complete audio narration. Sentences are highlighted as they're read. Pages turn automatically. Great for reluctant readers and an excellent tool for ESL. [Requires Flash]
Victoria Community Information Database
Information about groups, organizations, and societies in Greater Victoria. Library card and password not required.
Victoria News
Community newspaper serving Victoria and Esquimalt. (Includes articles from August, 2004 to current issue.)
Victoria's Victoria
A UVic website focusing on the history and genealogy of Victoria during the reign of Queen Victoria. It includes people, places, images and themes.
VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever
Movie reviews includes one- to four-bone ratings and other information about cast and production.
Visual Dictionary Online
Use a visual dictionary when you know what something looks like but not what it's called, or when you know the word but can't picture the object. (No library card or password required.)
World Book Advanced
Includes primary and secondary sources, wide-ranging content, e-books, multimedia and customizable research tools. Designed to meet the needs and skills of older students. Shows most-viewed articles and primary sources. [How to use]
World Book Encyclopedia
An A-Z of everything, plus special reports, state-of-the-art multimedia, maps, related articles from major newspapers and magazines and "Back in Time" chronicle of events. [How to use]
World Book Kids
Kid-friendly version of the World Book Encyclopedia, plus special reports, state-of-the-art multimedia, maps, related articles from major newspapers and magazines and "Back in Time" chronicle of events. [How to use]
Terms of Service
Remote access to databases that require your library card and password are provided to authorized public library users only. Institutions (such as schools, special libraries and businesses) must subscribe independently for their onsite users, staff, customers, students, etc. Library staff, for demonstration purposes, may present library licensed databases for marketing of library services.
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