The Virtual Library

Evidence-based information for busy professionals

What is the Virtual Library?  

The Virtual Library provides access to appropriate, relevant and reliable, evidence-based journals, databases and information and a highly qualified professional librarian. The Librarian provides services to professionals and access to the best possible tools and information to support informed decision-making from wherever they are working.

Safeguard’s has joined in a partnership with Woodstock General Hospital (formerly Shared Library Services) and is now part of the Western Ontario Health Knowledge Network (WOHKN) which in turn is a partner with the Canadian Virtual Health Library.  This network helps to achieve equitable access to quality, vetted information for professionals through a sustainable business model.

What is included in a Subscription?  

Join the Virtual Library and access:

• Databases
• Electronic journals
• e-books resources
• Dictionaries and Directories
• Clinical decision making tools (e.g. eCPS)
• Librarian Services
• Tutorials
• Related webinars

What are the Benefits?

A shared Virtual Library allows everyone to:

• gain greater access to a wide range of journals, databases and books at a greatly reduced price.
• access evidence based information more easily with librarian support
• decrease duplicate licensing and leverage collective spending power.
• leverage existing initiatives by using available infrastructure.
• leverage, support, and value core librarian competencies.
• protect and promote the health and well-being of people through the diffusion of evidence-based practice and by increasing the collective knowledge base of professionals.

Safeguards will continue to survey the human services sector to ensure there is a full complement of journals and resources to meet the needs of our sector.

What is the role of the Librarian?  

Knowledge provision: Finding, extracting, and delivering relevant information (e.g., latest research, best practices, new therapeutic approaches) to staff to support Safeguard’s mandate of providing state-of-the-art training and resources.  Finding information is usually not the problem for staff but finding the most relevant and highest-quality information is the role of the librarian.

Knowledge education: Educating staff in efficient searching skills and “where-to-look” for the evidence-based information to save staff considerable time and effort.

Operational Knowledge Access: Creating an information portal oriented specifically to the needs of staff and gathering appropriate knowledge-based resources in a “one-stop shopping” experience.

Knowledge Translation: Exchanging, synthesizing, and integrating information in a logical and user-friendly way to help contextualize and apply it in real-life settings.  This could include creating summaries of new evidence.

Knowledge Accumulation: Monitoring and evolving library services and resources to ensure the areas of greatest need and potential return on investment are met/exceeded.

Strategic Knowledge Access: Positioning Safeguards to be part of leading-edge developments in health libraries both regionally and nationally.

Environmental Scan Knowledge: Managing vendor relations to set up trials of useful resources and databases, negotiate licenses for these products, and handling login and access issues to streamline the use of these resources by staff in numerous locations.

Librarian: Linda Wilcox, Hons. B.A., M.L.S.

 3 Ways to Learn More About the Library

Sign up for a free Webinar: Learn About the Virtual Library with Linda Wilcox, Librarian

Visit the Virtual Library on your own to explore the possibilities. NOTE: Full access is only available upon registration.

In-Depth Demonstration: Contact Linda Wilcox, Librarian, at lwilcox@wgh.on.ca if you would like a personalized tour and demonstration of the library.  She is happy to show you how it works and how she can help you with searches.

Register now to the Virtual Library : $450+HST /subscriber  

Learn more about registration and join the Virtual Library through Safeguards Training and access all the resources, librarian services and related webinars