Virtual Library

The Virtual Library is a service of Public Health Ontario, providing access to important bibliographic databases relevant to public health, a single point of access to individual health units’ online journals, quick literature searches corresponding to the Ontario Public Health Standards, and many other resources developed by information professionals of the Ontario Public Health Libraries Association.

Login

Access to the Virtual Library is available to all Ontario public health staff. Login with your health unit’s user name and password. If you do not know your user name and password contact the library.

Accessing the Databases

Once you've logged in, select the first option to access the databases. The databases are listed on the next page. Each database reports the type of information you can expect to find and a title list of the journals included. You can search in a single database by clicking on its title or search across multiple databases by checking in the desired boxes and selecting “Continue”.

To search the databases, enter words that describe your research topic into the search boxes and select “Search”.

To learn more about searching the databases, consult the “Help” within EBSCOhost or take EBSCO’s basic online tutorial.

You can also contact the library at any time for more personal help or ask the librarian to conduct the search on your behalf.

Watch this video to learn how
to access the Virtual Library.

Accessing Online Journals

When you've logged into the Virtual Library, select the second option "Publication Finder" to access online journals.

Type in the name of your journal in the search box and hit enter. If you have access to that journal online, the title of the journal will appear in the list of results. Click "Full Text Access" under the journal title to see the sources available for accessing that journal.

Choose a source that includes the year of publication in which you are interested. On the next screen the years of publication are located on the right-hand side. Choose your desired year and then the desired issue. Scroll through the articles of that issue and click on the PDF of your chosen article. Once the PDF file opens, you may print the article or save it in a personal file to which only you have access. Be aware that all journal articles are protected by copyright.

If you cannot get the article you want online, contact your library to obtain a copy.

Accessing Additional Resources

Additional resources are also availabe in the Virtual Library underneath the bibliographic databases. Scroll past all of the databases and you will find “Quick Literature Searches” that provide evidence to support the Ontario Public Health Standards, Knowledge Ontario Databases, and resource documents developed by librarians belonging to the Ontario Public Health Libraries Association. An explanation of the type of information you can expect to find accompanies each resource.