Ask a Librarian
The Patient & Family Learning Centres/Libraries at UHN provide reliable and up-to-date health information to patients, families, caregivers, health care providers, and members of the public. Our staff consists of trained Information Specialists and all our services are free and available in multiple languages.
The Patient & Family Learning Centres do not provide medical or treatment advice. Resources provided by the Libraries are for your information only and should not replace a visit with your health care provider
Our Mission
The Patient & Family Learning Centres are committed to:
- Empower UHN patients, families, and caregivers by providing them with timely access to reliable and up-to-date health information that will help them make informed decisions about their health
- Promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about different health conditions in the community by participating in a variety of community events and by giving access to our collections and services to all community member
- Offer a safe space and a non-judgmental environment for all our customers who want to learn more about health and wellness
- Help UHN staff find appropriate consumer health resources that can be used for patient education and health promotion
Finding Health Information in Other Languages
Our friendly staff members can speak different languages. Even if we don't speak your language, we can find reliable health information for you. Our collection of books, videos, audio books and e-books also comes in a variety of languages.
We speak: French, Bosnian, Cantonese, Croatian, German, Hebrew, Mandarin, Russian, Serbian, Spanish.
UHN Patient Education pamphlets
in other languages.
Our Donors
Peter and Melanie Munk are among Canada's most significant philanthropists, having donated more than $300 million to improve healthcare, support higher education and advance public policy.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, Mr. Munk immigrated to Canada in 1948 and led an illustrious business and entrepreneurial career. Notably, he was the founder of Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest gold-mining company in the world. Among his many achievements, Mr. Munk was named a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour.
Melanie Munk is a dedicated philanthropist and volunteer and has played an active role in promoting innovation and excellence at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. Mrs. Munk is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, which honours significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.
The Peter and Melanie Munk Patient & Family Learning Centre and Library at Toronto General Hospital is just one example of Peter and Melanie Munk's generosity, which also included a gift to the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in 2017 that constituted the single-largest gift to a hospital in Canadian history.
To quote Mr. Munk: "You can create wealth. You are entitled to the joy of this creation. But ultimately, society makes it possible, and this wealth should therefore flow back to society."
A friend of the University Health Network since 1986, the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation has given to a variety of programs, including thoracic surgery, orthopaedics, cardiology and transplantation. It is through the support of education, however, that the Helliwell Foundation's most significant and visible impact to UHN has been made.
Building on the late Paul B. Helliwell's steadfast belief in supporting educational causes, the Foundation's generosity led to the establishment of the Paul B. Helliwell Centre for Medical Education, an innovative teaching environment for health professionals. Located at Toronto General Hospital, the centre is home to the Wightman-Berris Academy; a major teaching academy within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Additionally, at Toronto Western Hospital, the Paul B. Helliwell Patient & Family Library provides a variety of resources for patients and their families.
Art Printing Company has been creating and providing Menus, Placemats and Trayliners to the food service industry across North America since 1932.
Since 2004, Art Printing Company has sponsored UHN printed Patient Education resources. This sponsorship has allowed us to bring printing costs down and provide more than 4 million free, reliable resources to patients, families, caregivers and the community.
