Get Connected

Welcome to the Barrie community! The Barrie Public Library offers a variety of services for newcomers, including online programs and digital resources.

Visit Information Barrie for information for newcomers related to immigration, citizenship, housing, employment, English language learning, healthcare, childcare, transportation, recreation, education, and more.

Join our Newcomer Email List

Don't miss a thing! Sign up to receive information about upcoming programs and services for newcomers in the Barrie area. You may unsubscribe from the list at any time.

Become a Member

If you live, work or study in Barrie, live in Oro-Medonte, are a Georgian College student, or belong to the Midland or Orillia Public Libraries, you can register for a free library card.

Programs

We have free programs specifically for English Language Learners - from conversation practice to citizenship classes. View our upcoming programs below, or visit our online calendar to register.

English Conversation Club

Practice English, meet new friends, and learn more about life and culture in Canada. Challenge yourself to build your speaking confidence! Library staff will lead small group discussions via telephone or Zoom conference to help you build your vocabulary, improve your confidence, and practice your conversation skills. Registration required.

Spanish Conversation Club

Learning Spanish? Come practice in a fun, friendly, online Zoom conference. Intermediate speakers of Spanish are welcome for casual conversation. Registration required.

Kaffeeklatsch am Telefon

Sprechen Sie Deutsch! Join in on a telephone conference in German. Native speakers and intermediate learners are welcome. Registration required.

Events Calendar

full calendar

Digital Library

Mango Languages

Mango provides lessons for language learning in over 70 different languages, including courses for English Language Learners.

Press Reader

Full-colour, full-page images of over 6,000 newspapers from 120 countries in 60 languages. Features include automatic translation and the ability to listen to articles.

Community Resources

Local Immigration Partnership - Simcoe County provides a variety of settlement services for newcomers. Find information on what's available in their brochure.

Georgian College - Georgian College offers resources for newcomers that include the Job Finding Club, Newcomer Employment Services, and occupation-specific language programs.

Simcoe County LINX - Learn more about public transit in Simcoe County.

Canadian Citizenship

Thinking about applying for Canadian Citizenship? Here are some resources to help you get started.

Find out everything you need to know by downloading the official study guide from the Government of Canada. This is free, and contains information about the history of Canada, our government, and more.

The Canadian Citizenship website also has helpful information about how to apply, and what to expect during the interview and test.

Learn more about Canada using the Canadian Encyclopedia. This resource includes information with interactive features, including maps, games, quizzes, and study guides.

The Canadian Practice Citizenship Test contains over 100 multiple choice questions based on the official study guide.

Newcomers