DIY Car Repair... At the Library!

Do you have an amateur mechanic in your family? Do you know someone who is using their down time to repair a car?  Do you know a student interested in becoming a mechanic? If so, they might want to check out the Chilton Library. The Chilton Library is a comprehensive database of car repair manuals, step-by-step procedures, wiring diagrams, and much more. In addition to vehicle specific repair manuals, there are Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) test quizzes for anyone wanting practice towards professional certification. 


To access the Chilton Library, visit the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library website. Select the collections tab and scroll down until you find Chilton Auto Repair. You will need your library card and if you don't already have a card, you can apply for one on the PARL website. Once you are on the Chilton Library homepage, you can find the manual specific to your vehicle by selecting the year, make, and model of the car you are looking to repair. That part is simple, the rest is up to you! 

If your amateur mechanic likes to read about cars in addition to fixing them, they might be be interested in some of the car magazines on PressReader. You can also find PressReader under the collections tab.

The following titles are a few examples of the many magazines you can find on PressReader:

BBC Top Gear Magazine
Car and Driver
Classic Ford
Classics Monthly






Car repair is rarely free but a library card certainly is! Check out what your library has to offer today!

A Primer on PressReader

You may have heard by now that PARL has subscribed to a new service called PressReader. PressReader is a collection of over 7000 digital newspapers and magazines in more than 100 languages from more than 60 countries. With so much content, there is sure to be something of interest to everyone. 

You can find all the information you need to access PressReader from the PARL website. You will need your free library card and your PIN, which is usually the last four digits of your phone number.  If you don't have a card, you can request one online from our website. 

Once you are signed in, browse away for titles that might interest you. You can select different categories, search by language, or by country. In addition to the many newspapers and magazines for adults, there are also a variety of magazines for children and youth. You can scroll down the list of categories until you find "For Kids & Tweens". 

The following titles are just few examples of magazines that children and teens might be interested in reading on PressReader. 

110% Gaming is packed with stories about Minecraft, Fortnite, and other games, plus updates from favorite YouTubers. This magazine is sure to appeal to any young gamer. 















Canadian Geographic features articles about plants, animals, and various other topics. There are also quizzes and games so children can test their knowledge.

















Young Rider is geared towards kids who love horses and ponies and includes articles about animal care, riding tips, and much more. But be warned, there is a classifieds section so don't be surprised if your young horse or pony enthusiast comes away with a bit of a wishlist! 

While you are browsing for magazines for your children, keep an eye out for magazines and newspapers that might interest you as well. If you are looking for the latest news on COVID-19 or want to escape with topics like entertainment or crafts, fashion or fishing, cooking or cars, you will find something in PressReader. 

Happy Reading!

Talking to Children About the Coronavirus

I think it is safe to say that we are all in uncharted territory right now. Routines have gone by the wayside, parents and/or guardians may be working from home (if they are lucky enough to still be working) or they may be putting their own health at risk by heading out to work in one of the essential services that are still available to us. This is a very confusing time for everyone, especially children who are missing their friends, family members, teachers, and other people that they are used to seeing on a regular basis. 

To help families navigate this difficult time, we have compiled a few resources that may be useful in explaining the current situation to children. 

Nosy Crow, a small publishing company based out of the UK, has created a free information book explaining the coronavirus to children. The book was illustrated by Axel Sheffler, illustrator of a very popular children's book called the Gruffalo, and was developed with input from Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. You can download the book in PDF format  or read the book directly from their website. 

Little Puddins is a blog and resource site run by Amanda Mc Guinness (The Autism Educator) a parent of children with special needs. Her printable handout Coronavirus Social Narrative  is a helpful tool to for parents of children with autism.

You may also find some helpful books that can be downloaded from OverDrive. You will need a library card to access these books so if you don't already have one, you can apply for one on our website. 

Germs are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick 

This book is aimed at children ages 4-7 and teaches children what germs are, what they do, and why it is so important to keep them from spreading. 

Tracking an Epidemic by Tamara B. Orr 

This book tasks readers with following clues and using the scientific method to find out what happens during the spread of an epidemic. 

Engineering Solutions for Epidemics and Pandemics by Kara Rogers

This book is geared towards older children and teens and explores epidemic and pandemic threats and approaches to disease detection, prevention, and surveillance. 

Young children might enjoy the catchy TumbleTune  'Til the Virus Ends, available via our website on TumbeBooks.  

Web Resources

PBS Kids has some great articles on their website. Here are two that might be of interest.

• How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus 
• How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus

Talking to Kids About COVID-19 from Anxiety Canada.

Scholastic has some articles geared towards teachers and broken down by grade level. 

Please let us know if you have any helpful resources that can be added to this site.