Below are databases that our library subscribes to and others that we recommend. They contain loads of information not necessarily found through the Internet. You’ll need your library card to log into most of these databases.
Ancestry Library Edition – (In-house use only). Ancestry provides genealogical and historical research capabilities. With more than 5 billion names in over 4,600 databases, includes census, military, court, land, and probate records; vital and church records; directories; and passenger lists. This resource is available on our public computers during opening hours.
Auto Repair Source covers thousands of vehicles from 1974 to present. Content includes diagrams and step-by-step photographs, technical service bulletins & recalls issued by the original equipment vehicle manufacturer, enhanced wiring diagrams for easy viewing and printing, specifications & maintenance schedules, Labor Time Guide & Estimator, AutoIQ. View a tutorial.
BC Historical Newspapers – Proquest has made BC Historical Newspapers accessible to anyone in British Columbia or the Yukon, online! Access The Province (1894 – 2010), The Times-Colonist (1884-2010) and The Vancouver Sun (1912-2010). For more information and searching advice visit the guide here.
BC Local Historical Newspapers – An open database hosted by UBC. Search BC Community newspapers from 1865 to 1994, including local papers The Sunshine Coast News, The Coast News, and The Peninsula Times. View a tutorial.
BC Laws – Free public access to the current Statutes & Regulations of BC.
British Columbia Codes – Free public access, including the current BC Building Code (including Plumbing Services) and the BC Fire Code. View a tutorial.
British Columbia Driving Tests – Online tests that will prepare you for the ICBC driver’s test and ICBC learner’s test based on the “Learn to Drive Smart” guide.
British Columbia Statistics – The central statistical agency in the province, BC STATS collects and publishes reports from Statistics Canada, provincial government ministries and agencies. The website is organized by topic and has quick facts, labour trends, and current census information. Their A-Z list is a good place to start your search.
Cantook Bibliothèques: Livres numériques et audionumériques en français. Des livres numériques populaires et classiques et des livres audionumériques canadiens en français. Compatibles avec la plupart des appareils. Download French eBooks and eAudiobooks with Cantook. Log in with your library card.
Clicklaw – An Internet subject guide to authoritative legal resources in BC and Canada. Developed by the Legal Services Society of BC and now maintained by the BC Courthouse Library Society.
Clicklaw Wikibooks – Written by librarians at Courthouse Libraries BC, the new Guide gives a basic introduction to understanding laws & legislation, and gives how-to instructions to find specific legal resources on a given topic.
EBSCO Open Dissertations – Search thousands of academic papers and research through this open access portal. Access anywhere.
Grant Connect – (In-house use only) Grant Connect database provides detailed information on all Canadian grant-making foundations, hundreds of corporate community investment programs, as well as government funding programs and American foundations that will fund Canadian charities. This resource is available on our public computers during opening hours.
Khan Academy – “Learn almost anything for free.” Over 3300 videos explain many subjects, and the site includes Khan Academy Kids to inspire learners ages 2 to 6.
Knowledge Network – Login for free and stream movies, TV shows, and documentaries with an emphasis on BC history. This site is BC’s public broadcaster.
Libby app – Libby is the free app from Overdrive for mobile devices. Enjoy popular magazines, eBooks and eAudiobooks when you register your library card.
LinkedIn Learning – Your Tutor is Waiting! LinkedIn Learning is an online learning resource, which offers thousands of courses on a wide variety of topics. Learn technology, creative and business skills online. For more information click here . Library card and a login are required.
Mango Language Learning – Mango is an online language learning system teaching practical conversation skills for real communication. It’s the fast, easy and effective way to learn to speak a foreign language! Visit our Guide to Mango to get started. Library card and login required.
New York Times Online – Read the New York Times online, unlimited access while on the Library’s network by going direct to nytimes.com. Follow the link to access from home. Library card and login required. Video tutorial.
Overdrive – Download and listen to best selling eBooks and eAudiobooks 24/7 on your PC, laptop, or mobile device at home, in the office or anywhere in the world. Also known as Library-to-Go, and it is compatible with the Libby app on mobile devices (Libby video tutorial), which also includes digital magazines. Learn more about Overdrive here. Library card and login required.
Points to the Past – With this Gale Digital database you can do free searches for primary resource materials, such as maps, photos, newspapers, manuscripts, periodicals, portraits, letters, sermons, poems, and more. Sources include The Financial Times, Associated Press, Illustrated London News, Smithsonian Institution, Indigenous Peoples: North America, slavery and anti-slavery documents, 18th- and 19th-century collections, and more. Genealogists, historians, and scholarly researchers will love this.
PressReader – Access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines as soon as they’re available on shelves. Available to everyone with a Powell River Public Library card. *Globe and Mail is available in-library only. Must use a Library computer or a device connected to the Library’s Wi-Fi network.
Royal BC Museum Learning Portal – Collections for kids and adult learners featuring video content, audio recordings, fascinating images and compelling stories and articles. It doesn’t matter if a student is a visual learner, someone who wears headphones 24/7 or a lover of the written word – the Learning Portal offers plenty of ways to connect to BC’s human history and natural history.
Small Engine Repair Reference Center – Clymer manuals containing thousands of maintenance and repair instructions for hundreds of small engine machines. Routine maintenance and more extensive repairs for motorcycles, ATVs, personal water craft, snowmobiles, lawn mowers, tractors, snow blowers, generators, and more are covered. Video Tutorial. Library card required.
Teen Health & Wellness database – Real life – real answers.