string connStr = "Provider=PervasiveOLEDB;Data Source=Demodata;"; OleDbConnection conn = new OleDbConnection(connStr); try { conn.Open(); string sql = "select First_Name from person"; OleDbCommand cmd = new OleDbCommand(sql, conn); OleDbDataReader reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(); while(reader.Read()) { listBox1.Items.Add(reader["First_Name"]); } conn.Close(); } catch( OleDbException e) { Console.WriteLine(e.ToString()); }