HPL's online payment service is not working. We aim to restore it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.
SmartPay Service Not Available
Published:
Friday, May 22, 2026 - 2:15pm
Bookmobile Service Modification
Due to Driver availability, Bookmobile has the following schedule modifications for the month of June. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Bookmobile Service June Modifications
Tuesday, June 2:
- McMaster University - Cancelled
Friday, June 5:
- Winona - Cancelled
- Queen Victoria - Cancelled
Saturday, June 6:
- All Regular Sites are Cancelled due to a Special Event
Published:
Friday, May 22, 2026 - 12:00pm
Bookmobile Service Update
With the cancellation of Touch-A-Truck, Bookmobile will instead visit its regularly scheduled Saturday sites at Stoney Creek Arena, Riverdale and Discovery Centre. www.hpl.ca/bookmobile
Published:
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 2:30pm
Central Library - Fax Machine Out of Order
Please note that the fax machine is currently out of order. The estimated time of repair is unknown. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 12:00pm
Staff Professional Development Day - All Branches Closed
All HPL Branches are closed on Friday May 29, for Staff Professional Development. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access service is not available. Regular service hours resume on Saturday May 30.
Visit our Virtual Branch at hpl.ca for our online resources and collections.
Published:
Thursday, May 14, 2026 - 12:00pm
Central Library: Children's Area Renovation on 2nd Floor
Renovations are currently underway for the 2nd Floor Central Children's Area. Programs are still being offered as scheduled and there is 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. Construction is expected to be completed by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 9:00am
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
Ice Harvesting
The ice harvest on Hamilton Harbour was considered by some to be the first harvest of the year. During the winter months the ice companies had to lay up enough ice to get the city residents through the sweltering summer months.
Ice harvesters cut out the first blocks as best they can to make an open space. With the removal of each block a longer channel opens. Horses are brought in and the big ice blocks are towed shoreward along these open channels.
The great ice sheds along the bayfront were filled to capacity during this harvest and you could see sleighs loaded with blocks of ice moving up the streets constantly.
One ice firm in the 1920's prided itself on cutting 4 tons of ice per minute for a total of 2,000 tons of ice daily.
With the increasing popularity of electric refrigeration, as well as the growing pollution of the bay's waters, the picturesque job of ice harvesting gradually faded away.
