Aligning information specialists with hospital programs allows them to build up specialized knowledge and understanding of client needs and tailor acquisitions to meet the needs of hospital staff.
Your St. Michael's Hospital Photo ID is your library card and gives you access to all library resources and those of other libraries through our Interlibrary Loan service.
Books and journals may be renewed once if there are no requests by another client. Email hslibrary@unityehealth.ca or call 416-864-5059 to renew items on your library account.
You may return items to the Information Desk during open hours (10:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday). When the Library is closed, please use the drop-box located across from the east elevators, to the right of the Computer Lab entrance. This drop-box is accessible even when the glass panels enclosing the Library are locked.
The Health Sciences Library is grateful for donations of books and journals, however our shelving and storage space is limited. Please contact us before you donate so we can properly determine whether or not we are able to add your items to our collection.
To donate materials contact us at hslibrary@unityhealth.to or call 416-864-5059. Please prepare a list of the materials for donation as follows:
We also have a list of charities accepting items. Contact us for details. If accepted, donations become the property of Unity Health Toronto Library Services, and will be kept, discarded, sold, or removed by discretion of the Library.
Due to the high volume of requests to use the library space for photo and video shoots, and in consideration that our library is usually very busy, photography shoots in the library are possible only during the following hours: weekdays between 8 and 9am
Our first priority is to provide an environment conducive to research and study. All questions regarding this policy should be directed to the manager of library and information services, Zack Osborne (zachary.osborne@unityhealth.to) 416-360-4000 ext. 77694.
The objectives of the Systematic Review Partnership policy are to:
Access the Systematic Review Partnership policy in the Unity Health Toronto CPPS (Corporate Policies & Procedures System) here (internal link), or contact us to receive a copy of the policy.
The primary purpose of the Computer Lab is to support independent learning and continuing education for all St. Michael's Hospital staff, students, and physicians. The library and its learning lab are the only drop-in space available for independent learning. In order to ensure this space is available for independent learning, the lab is generally not available for group training activities. Hospital clients needing to conduct group training should use one of the SMH corporate training rooms (call IT at x5751 to book). If these rooms are not available you may be able to book the library lab by emailing hslibrary@unityhealth.to.
Please note that the following limitations will apply:
A few administrative notes when booking our lab:
Visit the Computer Lab page for more information about the booking process.
Printing and photocopying at Scotiabank Health Sciences Library is reserved for learning resources (library or learning material only) in accordance with the following copyright notice:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Single copies or portions of library materials required for the purposes of research, private study, criticism, review or news reporting may be reproduced in accordance with the library’s Copyright Policy.
The copyright law of Canada governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyright material. Certain copying may be an infringement of the copyright law. This library is not responsible for infringing copies made by the users of these machines.
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To print from a Health Sciences Library computer, please make sure you select Cannonball on SMHPS05.SMH.SMHROOT.NET as your printer.
If you are logged into your personal account and cannot find "Cannonball on SMHPS05.SMH.SMHROOT.NET" in your list of printers, you will need to add the printer:
1. Click the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar, at the bottom left corner of the desktop, to open the search box.
2. Type in "control panel" to access the Control Panel page.
3. Select Hardware and Sound then View Devices and Printers.
4. Select Add a printer and then click "The printer that I want isn’t listed."
5. Select "Find a printer in the directory, based on location or feature" and click Next.
6. Select "SMH.SMHROOT.NET" from the directory dropdown menu.
7. Type in "Cannonball" in the Name field and click Find Now.
8. Select "Cannonball LKSI-3-Health Research Library" under Search results, then click OK.
9. The message “You’ve successfully added Cannonball” will appear on the screen.
10. Click Next and then Finish.
Library Services at Unity Health Toronto supports the education, research, and evidence-based decision-making in patient care for all physicians, staff, and learners at Unity Health Toronto. Accordingly, the focus of its collections is to support evidence-based medicine, practice and decision-making, research, education and learning at each hospital site.
Scope of Collection
The Library’s collection strives to include core, supporting, and peripheral resource materials for the programs, departments, and clinical practice across the Unity Health Toronto network. In addition to developing a valuable collection for core subject areas, priority is given to materials relating to the strategic objectives of Unity Health Toronto. In-depth collection selection criteria are detailed within an internal procedures document and is available upon request.
Special Collections
In addition to core collections supporting specific programs, departments, and clinical practice, Library Services curates special collections to further meet the information needs of staff, physicians, students and volunteers. Special collections are developed to offer information on various topics related to, but not necessarily supporting the provision of, healthcare practice or medicine. Library Services collaborates with departments, programs, and individuals to develop new special collections that would further support the information needs of the health network. Suggestions for new materials in the existing special collections, or recommendations to create a new special collection may be shared with the library by contacting the Manager of Health Information & Knowledge Mobilization.
Format of Collections
Collection formats include print, digital or electronic, and web-based monographs, periodicals, and online resources. Other formats will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on factors such as cost, access, space, and anticipated use of the resource.
Library Services upholds a "digital first" policy of practice. Priority will be given to purchasing online or digital copies of resources in the interests of access and accessibility to offer greatest possible use. Acquiring a resource in print will be considered if a digital copy is not available, if the resource is more suitable as a print copy, or if the price of a digital copy exceeds its use/value.
Currency of Collections
Library Services strives to keep the collection as current as possible based on budget, availability, and demonstrated use and demand of a title. When new editions for resources are released and purchased, we will keep the previous edition so that we only have 2 editions of a particular resource at a time: one current edition and one previous edition. Materials suggested for purchase that are older than ten years will be evaluated on a case by case scenario.
Please contact hslibrary@unityhealth.to for more information about library collections, the rationale and decision-making criteria for resource acquisitions and de-accessioning of titles, and our Library Collections policy and procedures.