Q. How do I join the library, and what are the benefits?
A. All DoH staff have instant access to the library digital collection 24/7 via the library website.
A library membership gives you a barcode and PIN. The benefit is you are signed up to borrow books, order full text journal articles, or ask for a literature search. To join, please fill in this membership form. Library staff will reply during business hours.
Q. I don’t work at Department of Health but I’m a WA Health employee. Can I use the library?
A. You can use the library that is based with the organisation that employs you.
All staff members of WA Health have access to a library in the WA Health Libraries Network. Each library in the network provides one stop access to both statewide and locally purchased resources.
To access the library that belongs to your employer, search here.
Q. I have a library question, who do I speak to?
A. Contact the Librarians on 9222 4352 or email us at Library email. We are available Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
Q. Can I access the library when I’m working from home?
A. Yes you can.
Q. I want some training on using the databases. How do I book this?
A. The Librarians are available to give you personal training on any part of the library website you need help with. Contact us direct by email.
Q. The journal article I need is not available in full text. Can the library access this?
A. Yes. Please fill in this form. Most document delivery can be supplied within 1-2 business days. Sometimes it will take longer.
Q. I need help with a Literature Search. Does the library provide this service?
A. The Librarians can provide a literature search for journal articles. Please fill in this form. We ask for up to 2 weeks notice for us to provide a thorough search.
Q. I’m looking for a...
A. Journal article*: Start with OVID Discovery search bar, in the Search section on our home page. Look for the Articles on a Subject tab.
A. Standards that start with AS or ISO: Please visit the i2i Standards Australia page. You will need to register to log in. Australian Standards are included in the subscription. ISO cost extra to access.
A. Website page: It’s possible we have it linked on the website, look under the Resources A-Z page. If we don't have it, please try Google or contact us Library email.
A. Book: If it doesn’t show up in OVID Discovery, search the Library catalogue by title or author. To request access to a physical book, fill in a Book Loan Request form. Physical items are stored offsite and can usually be retrieved in 24 hours during business days.
A. Journal*: Search for online journals in OVID Discovery, Browzine or eJournals, all available on our home page under the Search tab. Search the Library catalogue for physical journal titles. Physical items are stored offsite and can usually be retrieved in 24 hours during business days. Fill in this form to request a physical journal.
A. Drug or medicine information: The library subscribes to AusDI, Formulary One, Therapeutic Guidelines, Micromedex plus more. Look on the bottom of the home page, under Point of Care and Medication Resources section. Or visit the medications page.
A. Point of care tools: The library subscribes to BMJ Best Practice, Therapeutic Guidelines and Essential Evidence Plus. Look on the bottom of the home page, under Point of Care and Medication Resources. Or visit the point of care tools page.
A. Macquarie Dictionary: This link is available on our home page under the Search tabs.
* for more information see the "How to search the library website - Help Guides" tab on this page.
Q. Does the library have UpToDate?
A. No.
We subscribe to BMJ Best Practice, located on home page in Point of Care Medications Resources section.
Q. Can I search with a DOI number?
A. Yes.
Find the "Look up a Journal Article by DOI or PMID" on front home page, under Search tab. Copy the DOI number only (excluding the doi.org/ at beginning) into the DOI search bar. Click Find article. LibKey will take you to a page where you can either access the full text article, or fill in a document delivery form to request the article.
Q. I’m searching for an article or journal title but I'm seeing an error page. What can I do?
A. Have you cleared your cache?
Sometimes when a website isn't loading properly (or at all!) it might be due to a caching or cookies issue where the stored data may have become corrupted and needs to be cleared from your device.
Press Ctrl+Shift+Del (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac) on the keyboard when on browser screen
Ctrl+Shift+Del (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac) works for every browser type. The options will differ slightly, but the conventions are the same. View the following link for step by step instructions for every browser type.
Problem persists:
If you’ve cleared the cache and the error persists, please contact the DoH library for help:
Phone: 9222 4352 or Library email
Q. I’m getting a Log-in page when I try to search databases. I’ve tried my library barcode and PIN but it won’t give me access.
A. If you are working from home, this page appears because the network wants to ensure you are a DoH staff member. Please enter your WORK login and password to access the library system.
Q. Why won’t my EndNote library open up when I switch computers?
A. EndNote X9.3.1 is not backwards compatible. So if you create or open a library in X9.3.1 and then try to open it again in a previous version it won't work. You will need to upgrade to EndNote X9.3.1 on all the computers you use. Go to the EndNote Guide for further information
Use of e-resources is governed by the licence agreements signed by the Library. Use is restricted to clients of the Department of Health Corporate Library and widespread harvesting and downloading is not permitted.
Please observe the Copyright Act. For more information see the Australian Copyright Council's Information Sheets:
Fair dealing provisions for copying from print resources allow you to copy one article from a journal issue or one chapter from a book. Please comply with fair use provisions when printing or saving from online resources for personal use.
Publications** of the Department of Health are required by law to be deposited with State and National libraries. See Premier's Circular 'Requirements for Western Australian Government Publications and LIbrary Collections' 2021/14
Where a publication is produced by the Department of Health, two (2) copies also need to deposited with the Department of Health Corporate Library.
Publications must also be stored in accordance to the Department of Health's recordkeeping procedures. For further information please contact Record Services (internal access only).
**A publication is any work that has been made available to the public, whether freely or for sale. It includes books, serials, maps, DVDs, CDs, posters and postcards, newspapers and sheet music, video recordings such as films and short films, audio recordings such as music and audio books, and electronic data.
If you want to save time when researching online, LibKey Nomad is for you.
LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that provides one click access to full text from the Library’s subscribed content as well as open access content. If no full text access is available to you, LibKey Nomad will link you to a document delivery request form.
Instructions:
If you don’t already have this extension installed on your WA Health PC, you can easily download and install it on your work or home computer from the following site:
and further down the page, choose your browser.
If you need help please contact DOH.library@health.wa.gov.au