Endless Ideas: Resources for Staying Connected

Last updated June 2024.

Our team is working on bringing as much of the Library experience to you, at home, as we can. Others around the world and here in Halifax are doing the same—sharing their time and talents to create a sense of togetherness.

Virtual Library

Our "Virtual Library" for Adults, Kids, and Teens will be frequently updated with creative, calming, and caring ways we can all stay connected throughout these uncertain times.

Adults, opens a new window

Discover easy at-home recipes, cozy up for Adult Storytime, engage with us on social media, find the best E-Library tools, opens a new window for you, check out our reading recommendations, or join us for an online program. Find all the links to this content and more in one place, opens a new window.

Teens, opens a new window

Our Teen Services staff help you find creative ways to fill your time and stay connected through how-to blogs, activities, and online programs. Check out our latest content for teens., opens a new window

Kids, opens a new window

We'll never run out of fun and engaging ideas for kids' content. Listen to storytimes from authors and our staff, take part in an online scavenger hunt, or do a science experiment at home. Find videos, tips, and more here., opens a new window

Don't forget about the wealth of free tools and resources available right here on our website! Check out our E-Library., opens a new window

Cool, free content from others

For Adults

Academic journals: Open access content from JSTOR, opens a new window.
Author readings: CBC, opens a new window is keeping a running list of authors sharing their stories online.
Canadian concerts: Canadian musicians are working extra hard to keep our spirits up with a large range of streaming concerts., opens a new window
Connect Over Coffee: Family SOS Greystone Centre, opens a new window is hosting weekly conversation groups on Tuesday mornings.
Couch Concerts: The Kennedy Centre is hosting a series of live performances on their Youtube channel., opens a new window Past concerts are recorded and uploaded.
Education: Curio, opens a new window is offering temporary free access to thousands of programs, documentaries, audio content, and archival material from CBC/Radio-Canada.
Enjoy an Encore: Encore+ YouTube, opens a new window has “access to hundreds of iconic and award-winning Canadian titles. Restored, digitized and yours to enjoy at home or on the go.”
Explore.org: features an amazing selection of live nature webcams, opens a new window from around the world.
Fitness: Here is a wide selection of free, online fitness classes., opens a new window
Gardening: Get growing with our friend Nikki Jabbour, on her YouTube channe, opens a new window l., opens a new window
Ghost Stories: A student at Memorial University created an interactive map, opens a new window of ghost ships and ghost stories from Newfoundland and Labrador. To view the whole map, click here., opens a new window
Harry Potter at Home: The British Library's exhibit "Harry Potter: A History of Magic", opens a new window is available online for wizards of all ages.
Harry Potter Read by Celebrity Guests: Daniel Radcliffe and friends from the Wizarding World (and beyond!) provide weekly readings of all 17 chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone, opens a new window.
Jam with Arkells: The Arkells are hosting Flatten the Curve jam sessions every Tuesday morning from 2-3 pm on their Instagram live., opens a new window
Jigsaw Puzzles: Visit Nova Scotia has created free online jigsaw puzzles, opens a new window of Nova Scotia, including Halifax Central Library.
Levar Burton Reads: Levar Burton hosts a live storytime for adults on Twitter every Friday at 10 pm., opens a new window His weekly podcast, also called Levar Burton Reads, is available here., opens a new window
Listen to Julie Andrews' Library Show Podcast: The actress and her daughter are starting a new library-focused podcast., opens a new window
National Emergency Library: The Internet Archive, opens a new window just made over 1.4 books available digitally, with no holds or waitlists.
Nova Scotia Archives: The Nova Scotia Archives, opens a new window is looking for volunteers to help transcribe handwritten, historical documents to add to its online database.
Patrick Stewart's A Sonnet a Day: Patrick Stewart reads a Shakespeare sonnet a day, opens a new window on Instagram., opens a new window
Symphony Nova Scotia: Symphony Nova Scotia, opens a new window is streaming some of their favorite past performances on social media.
V.E. Schwab's 'No Write Way' Interview Series: Join V.E. Schwab on Instagram Live every Saturday at 4 pm, opens a new window as she talks with other authors about their creative process. Previous interviews are uploaded to her Youtube channel, opens a new window.
Virtual Pow Wow: Drum Beat Productions hosts Indigenous DJs at a virtual Pow Wow using their Twitch streaming platform. They promote upcoming events on their Facebook page, opens a new window and post recordings of past performances on Twitch.tv., opens a new window
Virtual Train Rides: Travel bug itching? Sit back and enjoy the view on these virtual train rides., opens a new window Some streams allow a live chat with the driver.
Watch Opera: The Royal Opera House, opens a new window shares a schedule of shows they'll be streaming on Youtube and Facebook.
YMCA Centre for Immigrant Programs: the YMCA is hosting programming through their social media, opens a new window and through Zoom. For the full schedule, click here, opens a new window.
Zoon Universe: The world’s largest and most popular platform for people-powered research. , opens a new window

For Teens

Audiobooks: Audiobook publisher, Audible, opens a new window, has made a large collection of their child and youth stories free to stream while schools are closed.
Author readings: CBC, opens a new window is keeping a running list of authors sharing their stories online.
Canadian concerts: Canadian musicians are working extra hard to keep our spirits up with a large range of streaming concerts., opens a new window
Couch Concerts: The Kennedy Centre is hosting a series of live performances on their Youtube channel., opens a new window Past concerts are recorded and uploaded.
Education: Curio, opens a new window is offering temporary free access to thousands of programs, documentaries, audio content and archival material from CBC/Radio-Canada.
Ghost Stories: A student at Memorial University created an interactive map, opens a new window of ghost ships and ghost stories from Newfoundland and Labrador. To view the whole map, click here., opens a new window
Harry Potter at Home: The British Library's exhibit "Harry Potter: A History of Magic", opens a new window is available online for wizards of all ages.
Harry Potter Read by Celebrity Guests: Daniel Radcliffe and friends from the Wizarding World (and beyond!) provide weekly readings of all 17 chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone.
Jigsaw Puzzles: Visit Nova Scotia has created free online jigsaw puzzles, opens a new window of Nova Scotia, including Halifax Central Library.
Levar Burton Reads: Levar Burton hosts a live storytime for teens on Twitter every Wednesday at 7 pm., opens a new window His weekly podcast, also called Levar Burton Reads, is available here., opens a new window
Live Cams: Explore.org, opens a new window has live cams for everything from senior dogs to orcas singing under the water.
Nova Scotia Archives: The Nova Scotia Archives, opens a new window is looking for volunteers to help transcribe handwritten, historical documents to add to its online database.
Science: Former NASA engineer turned Youtuber Mark Rober, opens a new window posts educational videos about STEM topics with an all-ages appeal.
Symphony Nova Scotia: Symphony Nova Scotia, opens a new window is streaming some of their favorite past performances on social media.
Virtual Pow Wow: Drum Beat Productions hosts Indigenous DJs at a virtual Pow Wow using their Twitch streaming platform. They promote upcoming events on their Facebook page, opens a new window and post recordings of past performances on Twitch.tv., opens a new window
Virtual Train Rides: Travel bug itching? Sit back and enjoy the view on these virtual train rides., opens a new window Some streams allow a live chat with the driver.
YMCA Centre for Immigrant Programs: the YMCA is hosting programming through their social media, opens a new window and through Zoom. For the full schedule, click here, opens a new window.
Youth Project Nova Scotia: The Youth Project hosts virtual events for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth on social media and on Zoom., opens a new window

For Kids

Audiobooks: Audiobook publisher, Audible, opens a new window, has made a large collection of their child and youth stories free to stream while schools are closed.
Author readings: CBC, opens a new window is keeping a running list of authors sharing their stories online.
Author storytimes: We Are Teachers, opens a new window is keeping a running list of children's authors doing readings online.
Celebrity storytimes: This Screen Actors' Guild YouTube channel, opens a new window is full of actors reading children's books.
First Aid for Feelings: Scholastic and Yale created a free workbook, opens a new window to help children and families cope during the pandemic.
Goodnight with Dolly Parton: This online series, opens a new window launched April 2, and will continue for 10 weeks at 8:00pm ADT.
Ghost Stories: A student at Memorial University created an interactive map, opens a new window of ghost ships and ghost stories from Newfoundland and Labrador. To view the whole map, click here., opens a new window
James and the Giant Peach: Taika Waititi is joined by many other celebrities as they read James and the Giant Peach., opens a new window
Harry Potter at Home: The British Library's exhibit "Harry Potter: A History of Magic", opens a new window is available online for wizards of all ages.
Harry Potter Read by Celebrity Guests: Daniel Radcliffe and friends from the Wizarding World (and beyond!) provide weekly readings of all 17 chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone, opens a new window.
Levar Burton Reads: Levar Burton hosts a live storytime for children on Twitter every Monday at 1 pm., opens a new window
Live Cams: Explore.org, opens a new window which has live cams for everything from senior dogs to orcas singing under the water.
Mabel Murple's Popping Wordspinning World: Nonsense poetry and "utter stuff" from children's author, Sheree Fitch., opens a new window
Magic Tree House Home Adventures: Join author Mary Pope Osborne with trivia, read alongs, and more!, opens a new window
Mo Willems: Tune in every Thursday at 2pm for Thank You Thursdays!, opens a new window with author and illustrator Mo Willems. Check out The Kennedy Center's Youtube page for past episodes of Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems., opens a new window
Nova Scotia Provincial Library: Summer Tour featuring free shows and workshops for children all summer long!
PBS Kids Read-Along: PBS KIDS offers families a place to come together and read along with fan-favorites on YouTube., opens a new window
Author: Christian Robinson premiered his new book "You Matter"
Science Camp: Experience SuperNova at DAL online., opens a new window
Scientific Sounds: Our friend Dr. G shares experiments on his YouTube channel., opens a new window
Science Videos: Former NASA engineer turned Youtuber Mark Rober, opens a new window posts educational videos about STEM topics with an all-ages appeal.
Scholastic Home Base: Home Base, opens a new window is a digital community for kids inspired by several popular Scholastic titles.
Sterling Books Storytime: Every Tuesday and Thursday, opens a new window, the publisher is posting a video of one of their picture book authors reading from their book.
Sunflowers Galore: Build a sunflower house, opens a new window with your family.
Virtual Train Rides: Travel bug itching? Sit back and enjoy the view on these virtual train rides., opens a new window Some streams allow a live chat with the driver.
YMCA Centre for Immigrant Programs: the YMCA is hosting programming through their social media, opens a new window and through Zoom. For the full schedule, click here, opens a new window.