Internet outage and Binbrook Branch Closed

The internet at Binbrook Branch is not working and the branch is closed.

Published:

Saturday, July 18, 2026 - 10:15am

Bookmobile Stops Cancelled

Due to poor air quality, Bookmobile has the following cancellations for Friday, July 17:

Winona (11am-12pm)
Queen Victoria (3-4pm)

Regular service is expected to return next week. Thank you for your understanding.

Published:

Thursday, July 16, 2026 - 8:00am

Air Quality Warning

An Orange Air Quality Warning has been initiated for the City of Hamilton by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks beginning July 15, 2026. This alert will remain in effect until a cancellation notice is issued.

Stay safe, Hamilton. www.hpl.ca/hours

Published:

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 - 2:00pm

HPL Catalogue and Online Resources Not Available - Sunday, July 19

Due to online maintenance, Members can not access HPL's catalogue, online services and resources on Sunday, July 19 from 5am-10am. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Published:

Monday, July 13, 2026 - 3:00pm

Express Items via OverDrive - Partner Libraries Update

As of July 1st, partner library Members can no longer borrow HPL Express items via Overdrive. More to Borrow partner libraries will be offering Lucky Express (Skip the line) titles to their cardholders only. This will help manage wait times for popular titles. Lucky Express is a collection of in demand titles with a seven-day loan period, available with no wait.

Our partners will still be able to borrow titles from the rest of our collection.
www.hpl.ca/more-to-borrow

Published:

Monday, July 6, 2026 - 10:00am

What's Happening Guide Changes

The What's Happening Guide has been retired and replaced with different communications channels and tactics. You can find the new Summer Reading Flyer here. Watch for future communications updates.

Published:

Monday, June 29, 2026 - 3:00pm

Sunday Hours Return to Central Library

Sunday hours return to Central Library. Beginning July 5, Central is open Noon to 5pm. Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown branches are also open Sundays, 1 to 5pm. hpl.ca/hours

Published:

Monday, June 29, 2026 - 1:00pm

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

Loans

Materials from the Local History and Archives collection may be loaned to other institutions or organizations only under the following circumstances:

Authorization is obtained from the Manager, Local History and Archives (or designate).

Documentation is provided for the loan.

The borrower ensures adequate insurance, display, care and handling of the material on loan. If at any time Local History and Archives determines that the material on loan is not being cared for adequately, the Manager, Local History and Archives (or designate) may cancel the loan and request the immediate return of the material.

Digital Preservation

A responsive and relevant archive requires ongoing adaptation to technological change to ensure present-day records are safe and accessible for the people of Hamilton in the future. Digital information is important to our collective culture, knowledge base and history. Recognizing that analog and digital media both have different long-term preservation needs, Local History and Archives supports the active digital preservation systems and practices required to ensure a duty of care is extended to born digital and digitized material.

Collections Representation

Hamilton Public Library's Local History and Archives collections do not yet fully represent the many people and voices that make up Hamilton. The Archives is committed to a concerted effort to recognize, reflect, and amplify diverse voices and perspectives.

Records and descriptions of material held by Local History and Archives contain language or depictions of people which includes problematic wording, cultural references and stereotypes that are no longer used or appropriate today. The presence of materials in the Local History and Archives collection does not constitute an endorsement of their content or viewpoints.

Local History and Archives will actively update archival descriptions, contextualize records and develop a collection that illustrates the history of all Hamilton’s peoples.

Reappraisal and Deaccession

Material added to the Local History and Archives collection shall be held until such time as it is deemed to no longer fit the approved acquisitions policy and is deaccessioned. All information pertaining to the deaccessioning and disposition of material will be retained in the Archives' records.

Guiding Principles for Reappraisal and Deaccession

Archivists must use professional judgment when reappraising collections. Exceptions are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Although it is an important collection management tool, reappraisal does not always lead to deaccessioning.
To ensure consistency, the process should be systematic and both procedure and outcomes thoroughly documented.
Reappraisal and deaccession is a responsible archival practice for better management of collections.

Considerations for Reappraisal and Deaccession

Legal issues of ownership of collections.
Ethical issues regarding the disposition of collections in a transparent manner.
Donor relations.
Resource allocation.

Conflict of Interest

As per the Library Board’s Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy, Local History and Archives library employees will not formally, through trade or purchase for their own personal use, enjoyment, or profit, collect for their personal benefit archival materials which fall within the broad acquisition mandate of Local History and Archives.