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Special Collections

Ottawa Room

Located on the 3rd floor of the Main Library. Includes:

  • Municipal Documents, both current and historic, including City Council minutes.
  • Local Ottawa history.
  • Ottawa family histories and biographies of Ottawa residents.
  • Current and historical maps of Ottawa
  • Books of poetry by local Ottawa poets.

Language Learning collection

Located at all branches. Includes material for both adult and children such as:

  • Language courses for over 20 languages on compact disc and tape.
  • French language courses on DVD.
  • Language courses on CD-ROM.
  • Grammars, dictionaries and workbooks for many languages
  • Mango languages

English as a Second Language (ESL) and Easy Reads

Located at most branches. Includes:

  • English language courses on compact disc and tape for both adults and children.
  • Workbooks
  • Fiction and nonfiction containing basic vocabulary
  • English language courses on DVD.
  • Read-a-long book and compact disc/tape sets

Ottawa Fiction Authors

Located on the first floor of the Main Library. Contains:

  • Works of fiction in both English and French by past and present residents of the City of Ottawa.

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Express Collection

Located at all branches. Contains:

  • Bestselling fiction and nonfiction books for adults, teens and children.
  • Current popular books on compact discs   
  • Music compact discs
  • Current popular DVDs
  • Material has a shorter loan period and cannot be requested.

World Languages

We have items in the following eleven languages:  Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Persian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese. This collection includes books, newspapers, magazines, books on CD, DVDs, videos and music CDs for adults, teens and children.

Consumer and Alternative Medicine

Special collection located on the 2nd floor of the Main Library but all branches also have material on the subject: Material is in both English and French. Includes:

  • Books on various diseases, health issues and alternative medicine.
  • Reference material such as medical dictionaries
  • DVDs including such topics as yoga, and exercise.
  • Magazines and health bulletins
  • (Link to health databases)

Large Print Books

Located in all branches. Includes:

  • Books for both adult and children in English and French.
  • Popular children’s fiction, mysteries, romances, and literary fiction

Graphic Novels

Located at all branches. Includes:

  • Graphic novels for adults, teens and children in English and French.
  • Comics that are syndicated in daily newspapers.

Braille and Signed Languages

Located in the Children’s Department at the Main Library. Contains:

  • Small collection of picture books with Braille overlay.
  •  English and French books in Sign Language.