Fiction:
Enjoy a wide variety of popular, recommended, and award-winning authors. Novels, short stories, historical fiction, thrillers, westerns, mysteries, fantasy, science fiction and romances are available for you to browse and take home. Check out the New Book Shelves for the latest popular titles. Special emphasis is placed on Canadian fiction, and collected, published works by local authors.
Reader's Advisory Service is provided online, and by contacting one of our knowledgeable librarians. Ask for one of our many genre and "if-you-like" booklists.
Book club sets are available for local clubs to borrow. Members of the library's own book clubs are guaranteed access to the monthly book club title.
Guelph Public Library also offers a number of literature databases to help you select titles, review books, and research topics.
Non Fiction:
The Guelph Public Library provides a collection of library materials designed to meet the informational, recreational, and educational needs and interests of the community. Our collection represents a variety of subjects and viewpoints. Although the Library strives to support the educational process and provide materials to meet the research needs of students of all ages, it does not acquire textbooks or other curriculum-related material used by the local school system or other educational institutions, except as such materials also serve the general public.
Highlights of the collection :
- Literature, including criticism, poetry, drama, essays, and humour.
- Biographies, which are distributed throughout the non-fiction section in their respective subject areas.
- Graphic novels.
- Do-It-Yourself books for those who need to repair their home or automobile.
- Consumer Health collection.
- Performing arts, including dance, film, radio, television, and theatre.
- Arts and Crafts, including drawing, painting and photography, handicrafts, and interior decorating.
Check out the New Book Shelves for the latest additions, including popular biographies.
Our book collection is balanced by our growing selection of online databases from various subject areas. Some of our most popular databases deal with literature, health, consumer reports, language learning, current world issues, and do-it-yourself automobile repair.
eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eReaders:
Now you can access electronic books and audiobooks 24 hours per day, 7 days per week from anywhere you have an Internet connection. Guelph Public Library offers a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction eBooks and eAudiobooks through Overdrive and a variety of other online databases including EBSCOhost. Library staff can answer your ebook questions, inform you about upcoming training sessions, and provide you with printed material to help you link to the library's resources with your specific eReader.
Wondering what all the eBook buzz is about? The library offers a selection of KoboTouch eReader for members to borrow. Each Kobo Touch comes pre-loaded with 100 classic titles and five best sellers. Whether you enjoy a good mystery, a steamy romance or the latest book to be adapted for the big screen, there is something for everyone. Each eReader can be borrowed for three weeks, giving you plenty of time to test drive this increasingly popular technology.
Reference Tools:
The Main Branch of the Library has a diverse collection of reference material. It includes city maps of Canada, almanacs, encyclopaedias, telephone directories, association directories, and government guides. This collection includes high in-demand items like consumer price information, investment information, stamp and coin catalogues, social services directories, grant directories and a database. This database may only be used in-house (no remote access).
Some of these items can be found at branch locations so please ask before you make a special trip.
Staff increasingly rely on online sources for reference material. Let us help you find directions from A to B, or lead you to the best sources for medical information. We can show you how to access numerous electronic reference databases that provide cited scholarly information, from journals, books, newspapers, and many other sources. Please consult this link for online research tools available to you through our website.
Magazines and Newspapers:
A. MagazinesThe Guelph Public Library has a large collection of periodicals, many of which are indexed through the online databases available though our website. The majority of these magazines are located in the Adult Department at the Main Branch, however the branches all have their own periodical collections.
Who needs an expensive subscription when you can borrow Maclean's, Sports Illustrated, or People Weekly from your local library!
Our paper collection of magazines is supplemented by our online database subscriptions. Your library card is all you need to access a wide variety of magazines and journals that are indexed and provided in full-text through the various databases offered on our website.
From time to time we also purchase magazines that are not a part of the regular collection for our Special Interest collection. These are housed in the New Books area and contain items such as bridal magazines, car guides, and seasonal craft titles.
All magazines are searchable in the Library's online catalogue and holds can be placed on individual issues. Magazines can be borrowed for 3 weeks except for the current issues at the Main Library.
B. NewspapersCurrent news coverage is provided through our "paper copy" newspaper subscriptions and online database subscriptions. At the Main Library we provide the following newspapers in paper copy:
- Globe and Mail
- Guelph Mercury
- Guelph Tribune
- Hamilton Spectator
- National Post
- New York Times (Sunday Edition)
- Toronto Star
- Waterloo Region Record (formerly K-W Record)
Back issues of the 2 local newspapers are kept for historical purposes. The Guelph Mercury is available on microfilm from 1864 to the present (although some early years are incomplete). Alternatively, library card holders can access articles that appeared in the Guelph Mercury from September 15,1999 to the present through some of our online databases.
Earlier local papers are available on microfilm for various years from 1842-1910.
The Guelph Tribune is available in hard copy for 1986-1987, 2004 to the present. Visitors are encouraged to access the Tribune by microfiche from 1987-2003 (instead of consulting the paper copy). Library card holders can access articles that appeared in the Guelph Tribune from Feb.1, 2008 to the present through our online databases.
Most other newspaper holdings are retained for a 1-3 month period and then discarded. Newspapers (paper copy version) may only be consulted within the library. Full-text access and indexing for the Globe and Mail is provided through online databases from 1977 to the present. We also subscribe to the archives database for the Globe and Mail called The Globe and Mail-Canada's Heritage from 1844. Thanks to leading-edge digital technology and The Globe and Mail, this image-rich database brings the entire archive of Canada's National Newspaper to your desktop.
The archives of the Toronto Star can also be accessed through an online database called Toronto Star - Pages of The Past (access back to 1892). Library card holders can also access articles that appeared in the Toronto Star from 1985 to the present through our online databases.
Community Information:
Information and brochures about community events, organizations, clubs, and municipal services can be accessed through Guelph Public Library. Staff can provide information about careers and business ventures, social service agencies, volunteer and recreation opportunities, and government services. You can also ask us for help obtaining the latest public transit information.
The Main Library offers a wide selection of newspapers, both local and regional. The Guelph Mercury is available in paper copy and through various online databases. Guelph Public Library branches are drop-off centers for used batteries and the Main Library accepts eyeglasses. Killawatt power meters (provided by Guelph Hydro) may also be borrowed to assess your power consumption.
Business Resources:
The Guelph Public Library maintains a separate collection containing various business reference resources. Among these are local area business directories (i.e. Guelph and Kitchener) and the Scott's and Dun&Bradstreet's directories, useful for job hunting and business research purposes.
The business reference collection also contains books regarding franchising, government assistance to businesses, company ownership, and market demographics.
Frequently used items include the Canadian Master Tax Guide as well as some international items such as the Standard & Poor's Register and Hoover's Handbook.
Information staff can direct you to the best tool or community resource to suit your needs, and help you to access some of our online business databases. We offer a variety of eBooks on business topics, as well as general business databases and a small business database called Small Business eCollection. Click here to access these resources.
Career Resources:
The Library maintains a small reference collection of materials specifically for students and job seekers. Canadian scholarship information sources are frequently consulted, as well as career guidebooks and newsletters like Ontario Prospects. Some international job and student information is also available.
Ask Information Staff for our brochure called the Career and Job Search Guide. Guelph Public Library offers a couple of career databases, including Apprenticeship Search and Career Cruising. Whether you are looking to make a career change or trying to decide what you want to be when you "grow up," CareerCruising can help. Check out the interactive career assessment, learn about universities and colleges across the country, find out salary information, or get the inside story on hundreds of careers. Click here to access e-resources.
Circulating books on resumes and cover letters are always available. Information staff can help you access the internet for online course calendars for Canadian universities and colleges. We no longer carry paper copies of these calendars.
Government Documents:
The Guelph Public Library has a separate government document collection consisting of approximately 10,000 items.
Federal Government Documents- Statutes
- Parliamentary Papers (e.g. Bills, Acts, Royal Commissions, etc.)
- Material published by the individual departments or branches within the federal government.
The Library is a selective depository library for federal government documents, meaning that we do not receive all published federal documents, but choose those we feel will be useful in our collection. The University of Guelph Library is a full depository library for federal documents.
Provincial Government Documents- Statutes
- Parliamentary Papers (e.g. Bills, Acts, Office Consolidations, etc.)
- Material published by the individual departments or branches within the provincial government.
We are a full depository library for provincial government documents, choosing those items designated by the government as depository documents.
Municipal Government Documents- Material published by the City of Guelph
- Material published by local government related organizations.
Please note that not all city documents are provided to the Guelph Public Library.
Approximately 90% of our government documents circulate. Any items marked Reference such as Parliamentary (e.g. Acts or Consolidations) or Business (e.g. Statistics Canada) are non-circulating. Most Guelph related documents are non-circulating with a few exceptions. As the government document collection is catalogued using the CODOC system, it is always best to ask the Information staff for assistance in locating the items you would like to look at. More and more government documents are only being published on the Internet. For help locating government documents - ask a Librarian!
Legal Resources:
The Library attempts to maintain a core collection of legal material to which the lay person has ready access. Canadian legal directories are a quick source of information. The library subscribes to Self-Counsel Press publications on a variety of popular legal topics written with the lay person in mind.
We also carry circulating items such as the Highway Traffic Act, Landlord and Tenant Act, and the Criminal Code of Canada. Reference items include looseleaf volumes dealing with diverse topics such as Family Law, Labour Arbitration, etc. Please ask for assistance at the Main Library's Information Desk.
This information is meant to be educational in nature and is no substitute for a professional legal opinion.
Multilingual Resources:
Borrow book titles from our international collection that reflects the many languages in our community. Currently our Main Library collection includes books in:
| Arabic | Hungarian | Portuguese |
| Chinese | Italian | Russian |
| Czech | Slovakian | Japanese |
| Serbian | Dutch | Latvian |
| Spanish | German | Panjabi |
| Ukrainian | Gujarati | Persian |
| Urdu | Hindi | Polish |
| Vietnamese |
Although some of these collections are small, we are able to acquire new items by exchanging them with other libraries in Southern Ontario. You can also ask to borrow multilingual books from other libraries through our Interlibrary Loan service.
Discover some international film "gems" on DVD, in a wide variety of languages. Heartbreaking, interesting, funny, romantic...check out these great selections!
We have recently acquired several collections of DVDs in Chinese, Hindi, and Panjabi that will change or rotate on an annual basis.
Learning a language? Take advantage of our language learning kits, which can be checked out for a three week loan period. We also offer an online database that will help you with practical conversation skills : try Mango Languages. This is available 24 hours a day!
French speakers will appreciate our collection of books (adult and youth), French language DVDs, and musical CDs. You may also explore online databases which access French newspapers and provide French content for various research topics including health information
Archives:
Featured in the Archives are private records that document the history and community life of Guelph. Included are the personal records of community members, elected officials, and community organizations. A variety of mediums are preserved, including photographs, videotapes, sound recordings, maps, plans, drawings, and textual records.
The Archives houses permanently valuable records from Guelph's civic government institutions. These records include council minutes, papers, correspondence and by-laws, and records from standing and special committees, boards, commissions, and civic departments.
Contact the Archivist:
Darcy Hiltz
Guelph Public Library
100 Norfolk Street
Guelph, Ontario
Canada N1H 4J6
519-824-6220 ext 245
Email requests by clicking here
Local History and Genealogy Resources:
Historical information about your city is available at the Main Library. Ask one of the librarians at the Main Library to direct you to:- City Directories
- Local Newspapers (both current and historical)
- Municipal By-laws
- Local History clipping file (with newspaper articles on many Guelph topics, citizens, organizations, and businesses)
- Cemetery Records
- Assessment Rolls
- Fire Insurance Plans
- Census Records
- Couling and Burcher Stokes Inventory (Guelph historic houses)
- Books pertaining to Guelph, including Guelph Historical Society Publications
- Historical Atlases
Ask for our pamphlet on "Researching Your Home In Guelph."
We also house the Reference Library of the Wellington County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.
Library patrons also have "in-library" use of the genealogy database - Ancestry Library Edition .
DVDs, CDs, and More...
Guelph Public Library offers a large and varied DVD collection, including feature films, international cinema, documentaries, and classic films. Our feature film collection highlights dramas, comedies, science fiction, family movies, westerns, war, horror, and much more. Find movie favourites in a variety of categories by searching the catalogue, asking one of our staff, or taking one of our many DVD brochures. Some of our most popular brochures focus on TV Series, Masterpiece Theatre Productions, Mysteries, and Action movies. We also offer nonfiction DVDs including documentaries, biographies, educational copyrighted materials, travel, and do-it-yourself titles. DVDs are available for no charge loan periods of one week. There is no limit on the number of DVDs that you may borrow at one time.
New to Guelph Public Library is our QuickPics shelf of new popular DVDs. These DVDs are available for a shorter loan period of two days. You may select one movie from this shelf, which is conveniently located near the check out desk. No more waiting, as holds are not accepted on these DVDs!
GPL is pleased to announce a new collection of preloaded audio players, called Playaway. We have Adult and Children's fiction and nonfiction titles for customers to borrow. Playaways are popular because they are:
- small, about the size of a deck of cards
- have excellent audio quality
- the titles are "front list" best sellers
We also offer Playaway View for children, which are preloaded video players. Education meets entertainment. Check one out today!
Books on CD, both abridged and full text unrestricted titles, are available to everyone. This collection includes fiction and nonfiction audiobooks. The CNIB collection of DAISY digital talking books is available to those who cannot use regular print. Books on CD and compact discs are available for three-week loan periods. There is no limit to the number of titles that may be borrowed.
Guelph Public Library has a large collection of musical sound recordings on compact discs. A wide variety of music is available for children, teens, and adults. Popular categories in this collection include: Country, Folk, Jazz, Musicals, Pop, Rock, Piano, and Sound Effects.
Music lovers should explore some of our online databases, including Naxos Music Library and Freegal. Naxos Music Library allows you to listen to classical, jazz, folk, and world music. While listening you can read notes on the works being played as well as biographical information about composers. Freegal allows you to download free (and legal) music from a variety of artists and genres from the Sony catalogue, which includes many of today's most popular musicians. You can download 3 songs per week, which are yours to keep!
Kids:
From great storybooks for all levels to a full collection of research sources, our collection of children's materials has something for everyone. Come and visit us today and find out about the wide variety of material, services, and programs we offer free of charge!
Books:Check out our comprehensive collection of fairytales, picture books, and fiction and non-fiction book titles, hardcovers and paperbacks.
Magazines:Discover a great selection of magazines about nature, sports, science and your favourite celebrities. There is something for everyone - from toddlers to school age kids.
Working on a research project? Our paper collection of magazines is supplemented by our online database subscriptions. Your library card is all you need to access a wide variety of magazines and reference sources that are indexed and provided in full-text through the various databases offered on our website. Ask staff to help you use these great resources!
Comic Books:Check out Archie, Superman, Spiderman and all your favourite characters in our extensive collection of comic books.
DVDs:The Children's DVD collection contains a wide variety of family friendly films. Find movie favourites by searching the catalogue, or by asking one of our staff members for recommendations. DVDs may be borrowed for a one week loan period on an adult library card.
Books on CD:Are your children just learning to read? Or are they finding it hard to get involved in the plot of a book? Try exposing them to our wonderful collection of audiobooks. Each book includes all or part of the story read on one or more compact discs.
Playaways:GPL is pleased to announce a new collection of preloaded audio players, called Playaway. We have children's fiction and nonfiction titles for customers to borrow. Playaways are popular because they are:
- small, about the size of a deck of cards
- have excellent audio quality
- the titles are "front list" best sellers
We also offer Playaway View for children, which are preloaded video players. Education meets entertainment. Check one out today!
eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eReaders:Now you can access electronic books and audiobooks 24 hours per day, 7 days per week from anywhere you have an Internet connection. Guelph Public Library offers a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction eBooks and eAudiobooks for children and young adults through Overdrive, Tumblebook Library, TumbleBookCloud and a variety of other online databases. Click here to access the eLibrary (link to eLibrary/index).
Compact Discs:This collection includes a great selection of songs, stories, and poetry for children of all ages. These CDs are a great way to entertain your children during a long car trip or lull them to sleep at night.
Video Games:We are excited to offer a new collection of video games that can be borrowed. Check the ratings for age appropriate games. Included are games for XBox, Wii, and Playstation3.
Teens:
The Main Library features a completely separate collection just for teens. Come and visit us today and find out about the wide variety of materials, services, and programs we offer free of charge!
Books:Enjoy a large selection of fiction and nonfiction book titles, offered in paperback and hardcover.
Magazines:Discover a great selection of magazines on a wide variety of topics, including pop culture.
Working on a research project? Our paper collection of magazines is supplemented by our online database subscriptions. Your library card is all you need to access an assortment of magazines, journals and reference sources that are indexed and provided in full-text through the various databases offered on our website.
Graphic Novels:We offer an impressive selection of graphic novels just for teens. Borrow any of the titles in this ever-expanding collection for free with your library card.
DVDs:The teen DVD collection contains a blockbuster list of popular movies. DVDs may be borrowed for a one week loan period on an adult library card.
Books on CD:Books on CD (both abridged and full text unrestricted titles) are available for teens. This collection includes fiction and nonfiction audiobooks. Books on CD are available for three-week loan periods. There is no limit to the number of titles that may be borrowed.
Music CDs:We have a diverse collection of music CDs that can be borrowed with your library card. Check out a new artist today!
Music lovers should explore some of our online databases, including Naxos Music Library and Freegal. Naxos Music Library allows you to listen to classical, jazz, folk and world music. While listening you can read notes on the works being played as well as biographical information about composers. Freegal allows you to download free (and legal) music from a long list of artists and genres from the Sony catalogue, which includes many of today's most popular musicians. You can download 3 songs per week, which are yours to keep!
Playaways:GPL is pleased to announce a new collection of preloaded audio players, called Playaways. There are separate fiction and nonfiction titles for teens to borrow. Playaways are popular because they are:
- small, about the size of a deck of cards
- have excellent audio quality
- the titles are "front list" best sellers
Now you can access electronic books and audiobooks 24 hours per day, 7 days per week from anywhere you have an Internet connection. Guelph Public Library offers an ever-growing collection of fiction and non-fiction eBooks and eAudiobooks for children and teens through Overdrive, Tumblebook Library, TumbleBookCloud and a variety of other online databases. Click here to access the eLibrary.
Video Games:We are excited to offer a new collection of video games that can be borrowed. Check the ratings for age appropriate games. Included are games for XBox, Wii, and Playstation3.
