Guide to services

What is included in the library membership?

Take a virtual tour and learn about the library services

Our librarians can save you time and their expertise ensures a thorough search. Ask for a list of articles on any clinical or research topic.

The librarian will search:

  • MEDLINE and other subject-specific databases
  • the library’s e-resources and book collection
  • the web and other resources (as appropriate)

Download articles from the search results or ask the library to obtain them for you.

Make a request

Access ebooks through the library catalogue including online versions of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, DSM-5 and other key texts.

  • Print book delivery (return by Canada Post for free throughout the province)
  • UBC print books are available (loan for free)
  • Books from other lending libraries are available (cost recovery charges may apply)

Search the catalogue

Access the online collection of over 6,000 full-text e-journals includes American Journal of Psychiatry, BMJ, The Lancet, Mayo Clinic Proceedings and numerous titles from the Clinics of North America series.

Search online journals

Point of care and drug tools

AccessMedicine, BMJ Best Practice, ClinicalKey, DynaMed and CPS (formerly RxTx) offer current guidance on disease management.

Browse point of care and drug tools

Access full-text articles through CINAHL, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE and PsycInfo.

Search the databases

AccessMedicine, BMJ Best Practice, ClinicalKey, DynaMed and CPS (formerly RxTx) offer current guidance on disease management.

Browse point of care and drug tools

Get personalized alerts

Sign up for email subscriptions to:

  • Cites & Bytes monthly newsletter of clinically relevant citations from the medical literature
  • Customized monthly automated searches on clinical topics of your choice

Learn more about personalized alerts

Learn how to use the online resources with a librarian

Set up an online meeting with library staff and get personalized one-on-one training on how to use the library resources.

Request a meeting with a librarian

Earn CPD credit for using library services

Use of many library services and resources can be claimed for CPD credit.

Learn more about CPD opportunities

How much is library membership?

Library membership Library services E-resources Cost
Active registrants Included Included Included with annual licence renewal
Retired registrants Included Included $100/year
Eligible non-registrants Included No access $120/year

Strategic priorities

Provide physicians and surgeons in BC with high quality, reliable, and current clinical information to protect the public.

Service delivery
  • document delivery
  • literature searches
  • teaching and outreach
Service transformation
  • integrate the library’s services into physicians’ electronic practice
Outreach and promotion
  • provide teaching opportunities for physicians to better navigate information resources
Organization capacity
  • determine additional efficiencies and streamline processes

FAQs

Library and CanadaQBank

Full access to the library and CanadaQBank for the following registration classes:

  • academic
  • administrative
  • assessment
  • clinical observership
  • conditional – disciplined
  • conditional – practice limitations
  • conditional – practice setting
  • emergency – family
  • emergency – specialty
  • former (library services)
  • full – family
  • full – podiatric surgeon
  • full – specialty
  • osteopathic
  • provisional – family
  • provisional – specialty
  • retired – life
  • special
  • surgical assistant
CanadaQBank only

Registrants in the educational – medical students registration class have access to CanadaQBank.

Verify your CPSID and password. You can reset your password if you have forgotten your password.

If you require assistance, call the College at 604-733-7758 or 1-800-461-3008 and speak with a College services representative.

Yes. Search the list of e-journals held by the library on the Books and Journals page.

Yes. Some ebooks and e-resources are available to download to your device.

The initial loan period is three weeks and may be renewed to a maximum of three months if there are no holds placed upon the item.

A return label is included with the book:

  1. Attach the label to a padded envelope.
  2. Drop it into a Canada Post mail box.

Books may also be returned to the concierge at 669 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Yes. Email your suggestions to medlib@cpsbc.ca.

We will review your request regarding availability and currency and let you know if the title will be included in the library’s holdings.

Library hours of service

Address
300–669 Howe Street
Vancouver BC V6C  0B4 Canada
Hours
Monday to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone
604-733-6671
Toll free
1-800-461-3008
Fax
604-737-8582
Ask general questions, make a request for a literature search, request an article

How can we help?

Do you have questions? Connect with library staff.