Online Services

• Catalogue
• OverDrive Ebooks & Audiobooks
• 100 Best Children's Books
• All Gale Databases
• A to Z Maps
• Ancestry.ca
• Canadian Periodicals
• Children's eBooks
• Chilton Auto Repair
• Cochrane Library
• Contemporary Authors
• Digital Projects
• Gale Reference Center
• Gardening Magazines
• Health & Wellness Database
• Literary Criticism
• Quality Information Links
• TumbleBooks
• World Book Online

PARL Rooms

• Information Room
• Business Room
• Echoes of Nature
• Garden Room
• Green Room
• Health & Wellness
• Press Room

Library Services

• Using the Library
• Children
• Teen
• Adult
• Senior
• Writers
• Outreach
• Genealogy
• Reference & Research
• Technology
• WiFi
• Assistive Services
• Meeting Rooms
• Upcoming Events
• About the Library

• You are here:
• Home >
• Library Services >
• Senior Services

Senior Services

Seniors’ Cafes are monthly social events, where guest speakers explore a variety of topics of interest to seniors. Musicians and special presentations are also featured. This is a wonderful opportunity to socialize and access the services at your local library. Light lunch is served.
Currently 4 of our branches offer seniors’ cafes on Mondays from September to May, while the library is closed to the general public.

Antigonish (1st Wednesday of the month at 2:00pm)
Westville (2nd Monday of the month at 10:00am)
Pictou (3rd Monday of the month at 10:00am)
New Glasgow (last Monday of the month at 10:00am)

Book Clubs!
We have several Book Clubs for adults that meet monthly from September to May, depending upon the Library Branch.

River John (1st Thursday of the month)
Pictou (3rd Tuesday & Thursday of the month)
New Glasgow (3rd Tuesday of the month)
Antigonish (3rd Wednesday of the month)
Stellarton the 4th Tuesday of the month.

Writer in Residence

PARL is pleased to offer the Writer-in-Residence program. The Writer-in-Residence acts as a mentor to writers (and readers) of all ages and abilities by giving workshops, reviewing manuscripts, providing criticism and offering advice about publishing.
Join us for a series of sessions to develop your creative writing skills, for drop-in lunch hour writing seminars and/or one on one in-person mentoring sessions. Check for details here...

This is an overview of our services for seniors. Go to Upcoming Events for specific dates, times and locations of events.

The Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library has seven library branches and several rural access sites where books and materials may be borrowed for free by library card holders. Seniors may borrow books from all of the Nova Scotia regional libraries when they become a PARL patron. As well, seniors do not pay late-fee fines on books and materials.

Library cards

Getting a library card is very simple, and the best part is that it is FREE. Library cards are available at all library branches, or may be applied for online .

Online Services

With your Free PARL card, we have numerous online services available to you 24 hours a day – 7 days a week! To name a few - we have our searchable online PARL catalogue (of all our library items), electronic copies of magazines, health and business information ‘rooms’, lists of new books to read, digital historical collections and many links to interesting information and helpful advice.

Genealogy Collection and Historical Archives

In our New Glasgow branch, in association with the Pictou County Roots Society, we hold several archives. During regular library hours, a reference librarian-archivist may be available to assist you with your historical research needs, or provide helpful advice in tracking down family ancestries and interesting historical events.

Wireless Hotspots, Computers, & other gadgets

At all our library branches we have wireless access for those dropping by with their own laptop computers. In addition, we have several individual computer workstations with internet access that may be reserved for patron use. We also have printers, photocopiers, FAX machines, image/document scanners, and other items available for use.

Large Print Books

PARL has an extensive large print book collection. Large print books are un-abridged books, with clear, over-sized, high contrast type, which makes reading easier. The PARL collection is rich with best-sellers, mysteries, romances, westerns, popular fiction, classics, and non-fiction titles.

Talking Books & Audio Books!

Talking & Audio Books are recorded novels, short stories, non-fiction, and other genres. At PARL we have a large variety of books on cassette or compact disc (CDs) available at the library or through Books by Mail & the Seniors Delivery Service.

Talking Book machines and Daisy Readers are available through the library for long-term use; while Audio Books may be borrowed by any library patron, and may be played on a CD player.

Seniors’ Delivery Service

This service is available for seniors living at assisted care facilities, senior community complexes, or who are homebound. These books are delivered monthly by PARL volunteers. For more information on this service, please call 1(866) 779-7761.

Books by Mail

Books by Mail is a free mail-order library for rural residents of Pictou-Antigonish Counties. Library patrons may select materials, such as books, magazines, audio books, DVDs, and videos from the library’s online catalogue. To learn more about the program and whether you are eligible, please contact:

Pictou County Outreach Coordinator
Toll free number: 1(866) 779-7761
Antigonish County Outreach Coordinator
(902) 863-2486

Antigonish

Monastery

New Glasgow

Pictou

River John

Stellarton

Trenton

Westville

Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library Headquarters