Health Care Assistant

Okanagan College Alumni Library Card

An Okanagan College  Alumni Library Card allows in-person borrowing of many print materials as well as renewals and requests. Go to the OC Alumni website and complete an email request for an Alumni Library Card. The Alumni office will contact you when your Library card is ready for pickup on the campus you selected.  Your card can be renewed annually at any OC campus library.  Your Alumni Library card is free.

Your OC Alumni Library card gives you community borrower privileges.  These privileges allow loans of circulating books in the OC Library collection as well as online renewals.   Books can be requested from any OC campus library.  You can also request help from OC research librarians.  Community borrower privileges do not provide off-campus access to Library databases.  Many OC Library licensed resources can be used in-person on-campus. Ask for help with guest access in the Library.

For more information call an OC campus library:

Kelowna 250-862-5452
Penticton 250-490-3951
Salmon Arm 250-804-8851
Vernon 250-503-2654         

Some BC college and university libraries provide community borrower privileges.   Many charge a fee for these borrowing privileges.  Also ask about in-library guest login to computers and on-site database access.

Students registered at BC public college or university may request a free community borrower card at most BC public post-secondary libraries.  Refer to the Council of Post-Secondary Library Directors (CPSLD) webpage on reciprocal borrowing for a list of participating libraries.  Access may allow in-library computer user and in-library guest access to databases. 

Most British Columbia Health Authorities provide Library services for their employees. These services often include online access to licensed databases such as CINAHL and other resources.

• Interior Health Authority (IHA)
  • Apply for a password to access the Interior Health Authority 'Library services for physicians and staff'. 
  • The IHA Library also provides links to reliable sources of 'Medical health library for patients'.

Check for Library services at other BC health authorities (Fraser Health Authority, Northern Health Authority, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Vancouver Island Health Authority)

Many public libraries provide general health information.   Most BC public libraries are part of regional library systems such as  Okanagan Regional Library or Cariboo Regional District Library.  Most public libraries are part of a larger library federation including Kootenay Library Federation, North East Library Federation, North Central Library Federation, North Coast Library Federation, IslandLink Library Federation, and Public Library Interlink (Greater Vancouver public libraries).  Check for the closest public library by checking the provincial government BC Libraries website.

At your home public library register for a BC OneCard decal so you can use your public library card at any participating public library in BC.  OneCard decals are available from participating BC libraries. You can also return materials to any participating library in BC.

Okanagan Regional Library (ORL)

Your free ORL membership gives access to both print borrowing and access to a range of digital resources.  Your ORL Library card must be obtained in-person but you can access online resources from home after obtaining your card. For more information go to the Okanagan Regional Library website.

Penticton Public Library

Serving the municipality of Penticton this public library is not included in the Okanagan Regional Library system.   For more information go to the Penticton Public Library website.