Social Studies

Ancestry® Library Edition delivers billions of records including census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more. It brings the world’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource to your library. It’s an unprecedented online collection of individuals from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and more.

*Ancestry discontinued remote access on December 31, 2021. Ancestry is available for in-library use only.*

Online homework help for students in grades K-12. Live tutoring with certified tutors is available daily from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Also includes lessons, tutorials, homework tools, practice tests, writing assistance, skills building, ESL services, and an adult learning centre.

Discover the best Canadian shows, stories and more. This digital portal allows you to discover trusted news, entertaining TV and radio shows, educational kids content, news in foreign languages and much more! Please select your preferred link below for access in English or French.

CBC Corner English

L'espace Radio-Canada en Francais

An essential resource for library clients! Easily borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks from CloudLibrary™ to read on your computer, tablet or mobile device. 

Borrowing Limits:

Checkout Limit: 20 items

Holds Limit: 20 items

Three multimedia encyclopedias in one: Children; Young Adults; and the Reference Center for older students and adults. Conduct research, complete homework assignments, and work on special projects.

Students in grades 7-12 can find current and reliable information on thousands of topics for research projects and homework assignments. Content includes journals, newspapers, reference books, images, primary sources, and more. Canadian content is included.

Students in grades 1-6 can find current and reliable information on all subjects for projects and homework assignments. 

This historical newspaper provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.

hoopla gives you access to movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics, magazines, and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, TV or phone! Titles can be streamed immediately (no waitlists!), or downloaded to your phone or tablet for offline enjoyment. With thousands of titles to choose from, and more being added daily, hoopla is like having your public library at your fingertips. Anytime. Anywhere. All you need is your Pickering Public Library card to get started!

Borrowing Limit: you may check out 5 items per month with your Library card (each download/borrow counts as one checkout).

Watch over 26,000 films from Kanopy on your computer, tablet, phone or TV! See classic films from The Criterion Collection, learn about every subject imaginable from The Great Courses and PBS, or indulge in festival indies and world cinema from award-winning filmmakers. Kanopy makes it easy to find something great to stream: all you need is your Pickering Public Library card.

Access thoughtful, entertaining and educational films and TV series for children with your Pickering Public Library card and Kanopy Kids. Parental controls and Common Sense Media ratings help to keep your kids safe while viewing videos on your computer, tablet, phone or TV. 

A large collection of ebooks, audiobooks and videos with options for adults, teens and children. Easily access your next favourite book on your eReader, tablet or phone with Libby by OverDrive and your Pickering Public Library card. 

Borrowing Limits:

Checkout limit: 10 items at one time

Holds limit: 10 items at one time

This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects. Topics include biography, history, careers, cooking, literature, genealogy, health, parenting, personal finance, politics, architecture, science, current events, social-emotional health, sports, and travel.

View documents, images and newspapers which tell the story of Pickering from its earliest people to today’s growing City. The collection contains books, photographs, maps, newspapers, family histories, and much more.

This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for primary school students. Topics include social studies, history, language arts, geography, culture, math, and science.

Designed specifically for elementary and middle school students, this research tool covers a wide range of subjects including reading, language arts, current events, science, social studies, history, health, and technology.

Language learners can build vocabulary, practice skills, and maintain what they have learned with Transparent Language Online, available anytime, anywhere in 110+ languages, and on almost any device.

Animated talking picture books, chapter books, National Geographic videos, non-fiction titles, and graphic novels for students in grades K-6. Also includes puzzles, games, and content in French and Spanish.