Due to scheduled maintenance, public computers at Study Hall locations (Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown) will be unavailable beginning at 9:00 PM this evening. The work is expected to be completed by midnight.
Study Hall Locations: Public Computers Unavailable
Published:
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - 2:30pm
Concession Branch - Renovations, April 7-10
Please note that there is higher than usual noise levels and odors due to renovations taking place this week. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Published:
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - 2:30am
Terryberry Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order
The accessible washroom on the 1st floor at Terryberry Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Saturday, April 4, 2026 - 12:00pm
Central Library: SAD Therapy Lamp Out of Order
The Seasonal Affective Disorder therapy lamp on the 2nd floor at Central Library is out of order. The estimated time of disruption is unknown at this time. For more locations, please visit Light Therapy Lamps | HPL.
Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 10:00am
Central Library: Children's Area Renovation on 2nd Floor, March 30-April 27
Starting March 30, renovations for the 2nd floor Central Children's Area will begin. Programs will still be offered as scheduled and there will be a temporary pop-up Children’s Area on the northeast side of the 2nd floor (near the Piano Room), including access to collections and train tables. Thank you for your patience during this time.
Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 9:00am
Bookmobile Service Modifications
Due to driver availability, Bookmobile is off the road for the following. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Wednesday, April 15
- Swansea 10:00-10:30 am - Cancelled
- Helen Detwiler 11am-Noon - Cancelled
- Warplane Museum 3-4 pm - Cancelled
Thursday, April 16
- Rockton 10:30-11:30 am - Cancelled
- Mohawk Gardens 2:30-3 pm - Cancelled
- Meadowlands 3:30-4 pm - Cancelled
Tuesday, April 21
- Greencedar 5:30pm-6:30pm (instead of 4-5pm)
- Mountview 5:30-6:30 pm - Cancelled
Friday, April 24
- Winona 11 am-Noon - Cancelled
- Maplewood 2:30-4 pm - Cancelled
Tuesday, April 28
- McMaster 3:30-4:30 pm - Cancelled
Wednesday, April 29
- Swansea 10-10:30 am - Cancelled
- Helen Detwiler 11 am-Noon - Cancelled
- Warplane Museum 3-4 pm - Cancelled
Published:
Monday, March 16, 2026 - 10:15am
Central Library - New Library Card Check-in Process
Starting Monday, March 16, adults 18+ are required to show their Library card to access Central Library. This is a temporary measure to ensure safety for all. Thank you for your patience in advance.
Published:
Friday, March 13, 2026 - 5:45pm
Valley Park Community Centre Closure
From March 23 until April 12, Valley Park Community Centre will be closed for renovations, reopening April 13. Pool and changerooms will remain closed until early summer 2026.
Valley Park Branch will remain open during the renovations for your library needs.
Published:
Friday, February 27, 2026 - 11:00am
Concession Branch: Renovations
As of Monday, March 2, Concession Branch's Living Room and Makerspace areas are closed. (The next nearest Makerspaces are Sherwood and Terryberry Branches.) Seating may be limited at times. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Sherwood Branch: Renovations
As of Monday, March 2, Sherwood Branch's 2nd floor is closed due to renovations. Makerspace, Children and Teen's collection are temporarily available on the 1st floor. All programs will be held in the basement program room. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Carlisle Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order
The accessible washroom at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - 12:30pm
Hamilton Reads 2026
With the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, the Vietnam War ended, but the refugee crisis was only beginning. Among those who fled by boat was Vinh Nguyen, alongside his family—while his father, who escaped separately, mysteriously disappeared.
Decades later, Nguyen searches for answers, piecing together fragments of memory, history, and loss. Moving across refugee camps, abandoned homes, and reimagined lives, The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse explores displacement, identity, and what it means to live with what cannot be recovered. (HarperCollins Canada)
Vinh Nguyen is a writer and educator whose work has appeared in Brick, Literary Hub, and The Malahat Review. He is a nonfiction editor at The New Quarterly and co-editor of several academic works on refugee and diasporic writing. His writing has been shortlisted for a National Magazine Award and received the John Charles Polanyi Prize in Literature.
Take part in Hamilton Reads
Place a hold on a physical copy or borrow the eBook or audiobook.
Enter the Short Story Contest
Submit an original, unpublished story inspired by the book (up to 2,000 words). Open to HPL members with categories for students, seniors (55+), and general Members. Winners receive cash prizes and publication on hpl.ca. Deadline: November 1, 2026.
Join the Reading Challenge
Read one themed book each month, track your progress online, and be entered into monthly prize draws. Discover new titles or work through your to-be-read list.
Hamilton Reads Finale
Thursday, November 26: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Central Library
Attend a live reading and conversation with Hamilton Reads author Vinh Nguyen about his book The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse. Winners of the 2026 Hamilton Reads Short Story Contest will also read from their work.
Literary Lowdown
Stay up to date about HPL’s Author Series events and workshops. Subscribe to our eNewsletter. Subscribe
Rediscover past Hamilton Reads titles.
