Research
Homework & Research Help
Homework Tips
There are loads of resources to help you with your homework. Library databases have lots of useful information that’s not necessarily available through Google. Plus, you know you can trust this information. Many websites can also help you with your homework, but make sure you’re safe while surfing the Internet, that the websites you find are from reliable sources, and learn how to cite those sources.
Library Databases
The “databases” here have lots of information not typically available through the Internet. You’ll need your library card to log into some of them.
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Points to the Past – access to nearly 200 million pages of digital historical content for research and learning: maps, photos, newspapers, manuscripts, pamphlets, portraits, sermons, poems, and more. |
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Canadian Reference Centre – Access “Canadian content” in domestic and international magazines, newspapers, newswires and reference books. Also includes biographies and a large image collection of photos, maps, and flags. |
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EBSCOhost magazines & periodicals – Search the content of more than 10,000 popular and academic magazines, reference books, plus images, covering all subject areas, from current events and history to the arts and sciences. Many Canadian titles are included. Narrow results by date, subject, publication, etc. EBSCOhost Basic Searching [2:25 minutes] |
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GreenFile [EBSCO] – Provides information related to all aspects of human impact on the environment, from global warming to recycling to alternate fuel sources and more. Identifies or provides full-text access to scholarly, government and general-interest periodicals and reports. |
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Student Research Center [EBSCO] – Information for students in grades 6-12 on a wide variety of topics, from history and current events to science and technology. Search a variety of sources such as magazines, encyclopedias, primary source documents and more. Video Tutorial [3:36 minutes] |
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Academic Search Premier Full-text articles from over 1,000 journals, covering a range of topics, including business, social sciences, general science, and multiculturalism. |
Websites
The following websites that have been reviewed by librarians and are recommended as good starting points to help with your homework:| Smithsonian Learning Lab | "More than a million images, recordings, and texts from the Smithsonian's 19 museums, 9 major research centers, and the national zoo. It is easy to find something of interest because search results display pictures rather than lists. Whether you’ve found what you were looking for or just discovered something new, it's easy to personalize it. Add your own notes and tags, incorporate discussion questions, and save and share." |
| LearnNowBC | A single point of entry to distributed learning in British Columbia through the use of Edmark Learning Software. |
| Khan Academy | "Learn almost anything for free." - 3300 videos explain many subjects. |
| Ask Dr. Math | The Math Forum |
| BC Archives Time Machine | Includes chapters on the Cariboo Gold Rush, First Nations in BC, and Art in BC History. |
| Royal BC Museum Learning Portal | The Learning Portal is the place for learners of all ages to explore British Columbia’s natural and human history through the Royal BC Museum collections. |
| BC Government - Education | Provides loads of support topics, including curriculum and assessment, diverse student needs, and more. |
| Community Learning Network’s Subject Areas | Compiled by BC’s Community Learning Network, the resources on this site are divided by subject areas linked to BC’s curriculum. |
| Multnomah County Library | Homework Guides - This site is a great resource for homework guides on a variety of topics. |
| GradeSaver | Study guides and essay help. |
| Smart Scholar | Resource site for finding scholarships |
| Easy Excel | Tutorials on how to use Microsoft Excel. |
| LearnFree.org | Tutorials on many subject at all grade levels. |
Can You Trust That Website?
Anyone can build a website, so you need to make sure the ones you’re looking at are from people you can trust. Here’s how...| Evaluating Information Sources | From UBC |
| Evaluating Websites | A checklist [PDF] |
Internet Safety
| Internet Safety Resources | Created by the RCMP |
| Internet Saftey from MediaSmarts | Topics range from cyberbullying, cell phones & texting, Internet & mobile, queer representation, and more... |
Citing Sources: Writing a Bibliography
What’s a bibliography?
It’s a list of all the books, articles, websites, interviews or movies that you used to create your project or report.Why do I need a bibliography?
It’s important to give credit to the people whose work you used for your report. And it gives you, your teacher and anyone else who reads your report a chance to refer to those sources for more information.How do I write a bibliography?
There are different ways you can do this and your teacher will tell you which they prefer (if they haven’t, just ask them).| Write a Bibliography | By wikihow |
Looking for more information?
Check our Teens page for more information on library programs for teens and other websites to help support teens as they grow up.
Complete List of Databases (A-Z)
Below are research databases that our library subscribes to. They contain loads of information not necessarily found through the Internet. You’ll need your library card to log into most of these databases.
- Academic Search Premier Full-text articles from over 1,000 journals, covering a range of topics, including business, social sciences, general science, and multiculturalism.
- BC Laws – Free public access to the Statutes & Regulations of B.C.
- Bill Silver Digital Newspaper Archive -this database searches the following newspapers:
- The Vanderhoof Herald: 1917-1920
- Nechako Chronicle: 1920-1983
- Omineca Express: 1982-1989 and 1991-2007
British Columbia Codes (in Library Use Only) – Includes the current BC Building Code (including Plumbing Services) and the BC Fire Code.
- British Columbia Statistics – Statistics on population, business, the economy, labour and society. From BCStats, the central statistical agency of the Province of British Columbia.
- Business Source Premier [EBSCO] – Includes more than 2,000 business journals covering topics such as marketing, management, accounting and finance, as well as information about specific trades, industries and professions. Additional content includes market research reports, industry reports, country reports, company profiles and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analyses. Video Tutorial [4:40 minutes]
- Business Plan Handbooks – A compilation of business plans developed by small businesses throughout North America. Access is made possible by the Small Business Accelerator at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at UBC with financial support from the Sutherland Foundation.
- Canadian Encyclopedia – A comprehensive information source about Canada and Canadians, for students, the general public and scholars. Includes articles written by experts, as well as web links and multimedia clips. No library card is required to access these resources on the Internet.
- Canadian Reference Centre [EBSCO] – Access “Canadian content” in domestic and international magazines, newspapers, newswires and reference books. Also includes biographies and a large image collection of photos, maps, and flags.
- 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. No library card is required to access this resource on the Internet.
- Consumer Health Complete [EBSCO] – Health information for the general public, patients and health professionals. Includes mainstream medical information and holistic/alternative health information from popular and professional magazines, journals, reference books and reports. Also includes the Lexi-PAL Drug Guide, with up-to-date information on medications, natural products and vaccines available in the U.S. Video Tutorial [5 minuntes]
- Digital Magazines – Online magazines that you can download for free and read on your computer, tablet or smartphone.
- EBSCOhost periodicals – Search the content of more than 10,000 popular and academic magazines, reference books, plus images, covering all subject areas, from current events and history to the arts and sciences. Many Canadian titles are included. Narrow results by date, subject, publication, etc. Video Tutorial [2:25 minutes]
- Edmark Learning Software (LearnNowBC) – LearnNowBC is a single point of entry to distributed learning in British Columbia through the use of Edmark Learning Software.
- Explora Canada – Information for students of all ages on a wide variety of topics, from history and current events to science and technology. Search a variety of sources such as magazines, encyclopedias, primary source documents and more.
- Explora Primary Schools – A research interface for K-5. Simple search that quickly delivers relevant results including articles, essays, and primary source documents to help students feel successful in their research. Easy-to-browse categories organized by popular topic to give students research ideas. Topic overviews that provide students with a starting point for research.
- GreenFile [EBSCO] – Provides information related to all aspects of human impact on the environment, from global warming to recycling to alternate fuel sources and more. Identifies or provides full-text access to scholarly, government and general-interest periodicals and reports.
- Khan Academy – “Learn almost anything for free.” 3300 videos explain many subjects.
- Library 2 Go – Download and listen to best selling and classic audio books 24/7 on your PC, laptop, PDA or MP3 player at home, in the office or anywhere in the world.
Or download and read best selling and classic eBooks anytime on your PC, Laptop, Smart phone, tablet, or other eBook Reader! Also read an online collection of magazines!
Library 2 Go is free; all you need is your library card number. - Points to the Past – Searchable primary source material: maps, photos, newspapers, manuscripts, pamphlets, portraits, sermons, poems, and more. For research, teaching and learning.
- Teen Health & Wellness database – Real life – real answers.
- Vehicle Safety and Inspection Standards Online (In Library Use Only) Current vehicle safety and inspection standards and related BC legislation.
Statistics
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British Columbia Statistics – the central statistical agency of the Province of British Columbia. They offer data services, business and economic statistics, labour and social statistics, population stats, and survey and analysis. |
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The World Bank – The Data Catalogue provides download access to over 2,000 indicators from World Bank data sources. |
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DataBC – Provided by B.C. government department, this site contains thousands of data sets on a wide range of topics. Includes a geographic service to help map data, and tools to help conduct research, analyze statistics, develop apps. |
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Statistics Canada – The official source for Canadian social and economic statistics and products. |
For further useful websites, check West Vancouver Memorial Library’s Statistics & Data page.
Law & Government
Library Databases
Our databases have lots of information from trusted sources that’s typically not available through the Internet. You’ll need your library card to log in.
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British Columbia Codes (in Library Use Only) – Includes the current BC Building Code (including Plumbing Services) and the BC Fire Code. |
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Vehicle Safety and Inspection Standards Online (In Library Use Only) – Current vehicle safety and inspection standards and related BC legislation. |
Websites
Legal
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British Columbia Codes – Includes the current Building Code, Plumbing Code and Fire Code. |
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Clicklaw – An Internet subject guide to authoritative legal resources in BC and Canada. Developed and maintained by the BC Courthouse Library Society. No library card is required to access this resource on the Internet. |
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Clicklaw Wikibooks are collaboratively developed, plain language legal publications that are published and kept up-to-date on a wiki, where they can also be printed and downloaded. They are free to download and share with British Columbians who seek reliable, up-to-date information to address legal problems or learn about the law.
Popular books:
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BC Laws - Free public access to the Statutes & Regulations of B.C. |
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PovNet - Offers connections to local community advocates who can help with applying for EI, Disability, etc. Good resource for lower income individuals. |
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CanLII (Canadian Legal Information Institute) - Provides access to court judgments, tribunal decisions, and statutes and regulations from all Canadian jurisdictions. |
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Courthouse Libraries B.C. - Provides legal information resources and information services, both for members of the legal community and the public. |
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Dial-A-Law - Provided by the People's Law School, this is a library of scripts prepared by lawyers on a variety of popular legal topics. |
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Legal Aid BC’s Family Law - Legal help for people in BC. Self-help guides with step-by-step instructions on topics such as how to file for a divorce and lots of fact sheets on other family law topics such as grandparents' rights, custody, access, divorce, child support, etc. |
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Justice Education Society - Provides information and services to the public (particularly youth and school teachers). |
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People's Law School - a non-profit charitable society providing public legal education and information to British Columbians since 1972. Services include support for un-bundling legal help to meet your budget: Unbundled Legal Services. |
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Department of Justice Canada - Canadian laws, their programs and services, and much more. |
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Office of the Conflict of Interest - Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner’s Annual Reports |
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The Representative for Children and Youth - Legal Resources - Legal information resources designed to provide B.C. children, youth, and the people helping them with legal issues with information about relevant resources. |
Government
| Government of Canada | Canada's primary Internet site which provides information about Canada, the Government of Canada, and its programs and services. |
| Service BC | 700 services provided by BC provincial agencies and federal government. |
| FrontCounter BC | Natural resource ministries and agencies. |
| Government of British Columbia | Access to over 50 government web sites, plus quick, top-of-the-line information directly on the page. |
Legal Resources at Our Library
Homework & Research Help for Kids
Homework Tips
There are loads of resources to help you with your homework. Library databases have lots of useful information that’s not necessarily available through Google. Plus, you know you can trust this information. Many websites can also help you with your homework, but make sure you’re safe while surfing the Internet, that the websites you find are from reliable sources, and learn how to cite those sources.
Library Databases
The “databases” here have lots of information not typically available through the Internet. You’ll need your library card to log into some of them.
|
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Kids Search – Kids in grades 3-8 can have fun searching for information in children’s magazines, reference books or a large image collection. Type in key words or browse in topics such as Arts and Crafts, Geography or Sports. Video Tutorial [3:12 minutes] |
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Khan Academy – “Learn almost anything for free.” 3300 videos explain many subjects. |
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Searchasaurus – Dinosaurs help children in grades K-3 (and their parents) to find information in children’s magazines, reference books and a collection of photos, maps and flags. Video Tutorial [3:30 minutes] |
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LearnNowBC is a single point of entry to distributed learning in British Columbia through the use of Edmark Learning Software. |
Websites
Many libraries have reviewed websites and created lists of recommended children’s websites. Here are a few of our favourites:| North Vancouver District Public Library’s Homework Resources for Kids | Recommended websites for homework. |
| West Vancouver Memorial Library’s Homework Help | Separates topics by grade |
| Great Websites for Kids | A collection of amazing, spectacular, colourful and mysterious sites for kids, parents, teachers and other caregivers (from the American Library Association). |
We’ve also created a list of recommended fun websites for kids.
Can You Trust That Website?
Anyone can build a website, so you need to make sure the ones you’re looking at are from people you can trust. Here’s how:| Evaluating Websites | A How-To Guide for Middle-School Students |
| Evaluating Websites | A Checklist [PDF] |
Internet Safety
| MediaSmarts Games | Online games that teach kids in fun ways all about internet safety, privacy and more. From MediaSmarts: Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy. |
Citing Sources: Writing a Bibliography
What’s a bibliography?
It’s a list of all the books, articles, websites, interviews or movies that you used to create your project or report.Why do I need a bibliography?
It’s important to give credit to the people whose work you used for your report. And it gives you, your teacher and anyone else who reads your report a chance to refer to those sources for more information.How do I write a bibliography?
There are different ways you can do this and your teacher will tell you which they prefer (if they haven’t, just ask them).| Write a Bibliography | By wikihow |
Looking for more information?
Check our Kids page for more information on library programs for kids and other websites to help support kids as they grow up.
Home & Consumer Information
Websites
| ConsumerSearch | Features product reviews from a variety of quality sources. |
| EnerGuide | The Canadian government’s guide to energy-efficient appliances, heating and cooling, and more. |
| FurnaceCompare.com | Ratings and reviews on thousands of air conditioners, boilers, furnaces and heat pumps. |
Health, Medical & Wellness
Library Databases
Our databases have lots of information from trusted sources that’s typically not available through the Internet. You’ll need your library card to log in.
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Consumer Health Complete – Health information for the general public, patients and health professionals. Includes mainstream medical information and holistic/alternative health information from popular and professional magazines, journals, reference books and reports. Also includes the Lexi-PAL Drug Guide, with up-to-date information on medications, natural products and vaccines available in the U.S. Video Tutorial [5 minuntes] |
Websites
| BC Centre for Disease Control | Investigates and evaluates the occurrence of communicable diseases in BC and is the provincial reporting centre. |
| Canadian Mental Health Association | CMHA promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. Each year, CMHA provides direct service to more than 100,000 Canadians through the combined efforts of more than 10,000 volunteers and staff across Canada in over 120 communities. |
| Health Canada | Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health. |
| HealthLinkBC | Call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse, dietitian, or pharmacist. |
| Healthy Canadians | A Government of Canada website that gives you access to reliable, easy-to-understand information about health and safety relating to many aspects of our lives. |
| Kids Help Phone | Canada’s only 24/7 counselling and information service for young people. |
| Kelty Mental Health Resources Centre | Information and resources on topics related to mental health challenges affecting youth and young adults. |
| MedlinePlus | Produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. |
| PLOS Medicine | Public Library of Science: Independent medical journal. |
| Public Health Agency of Canada | The Public Health Agency of Canada aims to promote health, prevent and control chronic diseases and injuries & infectious diseases. They also prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. |
| PubMed Central Canada (unavailable until further notice) | Provides free access to a stable and permanent online digital archive of full-text, peer-reviewed health and life sciences research publications. Unavailable until further notice. |
| SeniorsBC | Provides BC seniors with resources for planning and living a healthy life as they age. Seniors' families and caregivers will find great information here, too. |
| WebMD | Excellent information on any health topic in an easy to understand format. |
| World Health Organization (WHO) | WHO provides information, reports, and data pertaining to a variety of health topics. |
| BC Cancer Agency Library | The BCCA Library provides cancer information to staff, patients, families, the public and health professionals in BC and the Yukon. |
Health Resources at Our Library
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