Due to construction at the Concession Branch hours are changing temporarily, beginning Fri Aug 7 to mid-September.
Mon-Thu 5-7pm
Fri Closed
Sat 9am-5pm
Construction at Concession Branch
Published:
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 - 1:15pm
Bookmobile Schedule Modifications
Thu, Aug 6:
- The 10:30-11:30am Rockton Visit is cancelled. Service is expected to resume next week.
Fri, Aug 7:
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Due to driver availability, all Bookmobile visits are cancelled. Service is expected to resume next week.
Tues, Aug 18:
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The 10:30-11am Visit to the Court at Rushdale is Cancelled
Sat, Aug 22:
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Pride Hamilton (Visit Bookmobile 9:30am-4:30pm at Pier 4 Park - 64 Leander Dr.) - All Visits Cancelled (Stoney Creek Arena 10-11am, Riverdale 11:15am-12:15pm and Discovery Centre 2:30-4pm).
Published:
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 - 9:30am
Kenilworth Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order
The accessible washroom at Kenilworth Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Thursday, July 30, 2026 - 5:45pm
New Loan Periods - Effective Monday, August 31
As of Monday, August 31, new loan periods will come into effect to shorten the wait time for popular hold items.
DVD Express - 3 days
DVDs and Blu-rays - 7 days (fiction, children's and languages)
Magazines - 7 days
Bestseller Express - 14 days
DVDs and Blu-rays - 14 days (non-fiction and TV series)
Books - 21 days
Music/Books on CD and Children's Express - 21 days
Please visit www.hpl.ca/borrowing for more details.
Published:
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 - 2:30pm
Study Halls Pause for Summer Break
After Hours Study Hall is not available in July and August. Hours will resume Tuesday, September 8. www.hpl.ca/study-halls
Published:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - 3:00pm
Local History and Archives Policy
Policy Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to outline the mandate, scope and objectives of the Hamilton Public Library’s Local History and Archives collections and archival activities and the authority under which the department operates.
This policy articulates the key objectives with respect to the acquisition, preservation and access to materials in the Local History and Archives collections which will reflect the Mission Statement and Strategic Priorities of the Hamilton Public Library. The policy outlines process and expectation to assure transparency, accountability and preservation of trust.
Key Points Summary
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The library’s Local History and Archives Policy outlines the key principles and key objectives of the library’s archival collection development and access.
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The Local History and Archives Policy outlines the key criteria for the acquisition, access and reappraisal of archival materials.
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A central role of Local History and Archives is to collect, preserve and make accessible materials which illustrate the history of the Hamilton area and its peoples.
Definitions
Accession is the formal acceptance into custody and recording of an acquisition.
Acquisition is an addition to the holdings of a repository.
Archival Processing is the physical and intellectual control work done by archives employees to fully prepare archival materials for use, access and long-term preservation.
Deaccession is the removal of material from the holdings of a repository.
Digital Preservation is the management and protection of digital information to ensure authenticity, integrity, reliability, and long-term accessibility of digitized and born-digital information.
Digitization is the process of transforming analog information into digital form.
Preservation encompasses actions taken to extend the useable life of material and records by minimizing physical and chemical deterioration, preventing loss of information and ensuring continual access and use over time.
Reappraisal is the process of identifying material that no longer merits inclusion in a repository.
