Hospital Library and Archives
SickKids Hospital Library is one of the oldest paediatric hospital libraries in North America. Established in 1919 by Dr. Alan Brown, it is a primary resource for the Hospital’s clinical, research and educational activities and is frequently visited by staff, undergraduate, graduate and post graduate students, observers, and our patients’ families.
The library provides state-of-the art access to thousands of book titles and journals. The library currently subscribes to 300 print journals, seven journal databases, 420 e-books and 1200 e-journals with a primary emphasis on paediatrics.
SickKids library collects and stores information in print and electronic formats. In compliance with licensing agreements, electronic access is limited to internal use by staff and visitors.
Library staff provide orientation to the library’s collections and can help with literature searches. The library shares the collection by routinely filling requests from other libraries throughout North America. Books can be borrowed by staff and renewed in person or by phone.
SickKids Archives collects and maintains the records and artifacts used or developed by the Hospital, the Research Institute and SickKids Foundation. Information dates back to the early days of the Hospital and includes photographs, samples of Pablum—a cereal that was first developed at SickKids, and surviving equipment that was used in patient care such as baby bottles, arm restraints, scales, syringes, and glass teaching slides. Archives staff provide reference service to hospital staff and visiting researchers by appointment.
Visit the Hospital Library and Archives section.