Central Library - Sunday Hours Paused

Effective Sunday, February 1, Sunday service hours at Central Library will be paused. 

Sunday Hours will continue at Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown Branches from 1-5pm.

www.hpl.ca/hours 

Published:
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 11:00am
Central Library - Daily Hours Update

Starting Monday, February 2, Central Library's daily hours will move back to a 9 am opening instead of 8 am, Monday through Saturday. Please make note of this new service change for your next visit. www.hpl.ca/hours 

Published:
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 11:00am
Central Library – Digital Microfilm Machines

The digital microfilm machines at Central Library are not working. A single analog machine is available in the Local History and Archives Reading Room. This reader does not support printing. We apologize for the inconvenience and aim to have the digital devices repaired as soon as possible.

Published:
Monday, January 19, 2026 - 1:45pm
Online Resources - Update

The following eResources have been recently discontinued in our HPL collections: Novelist, Summa, Summa Kids, and Northstar Digital Literacy. Please visit www.hpl.ca/articles/read-watch-listen for our full listing of online resources for your next read, watch, listen and/or learn.

Published:
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 - 11:00am
Printing Updates

Daily print balances for black and white and colour printing change January 2, 2026. The new daily print balance is 40 cents. Members receive four free black and white copies or two free colour copies. 

Large format and vinyl printing pricing also change on January 2. Visit https://www.hpl.ca/makerspaces for updates.

Published:
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 2:00pm
Replacement and Damage Fees

Bring back your borrowed library items within 28 days to avoid a replacement or lost fee. We'll remove the fee when you bring back your overdue items. 

Published:
Thursday, September 11, 2025 - 3:00pm

Tom Bochsler Collection

Downtown Hamilton from the Niagara Escarpment, 1963
Downtown Hamilton from the Niagara Escarpment, 1963

Tom Bochsler is a well-known industrial photographer who has spent more than five decades as a professional photographer. He was the official photographer for McMaster University, CHCH-TV, CHML radio and other local businesses. He also was a portrait photographer. His specialty, however, is industrial photography, and he has won many awards for his work in this field. He recently donated more than 500,000 negatives and images, spanning the length of his career, to Hamilton Public Library. This now stands as the largest Canadian collection of images from an individual photographer in Local History & Archives.

His book, The Art of Industry, is a 50-year photo-biography that includes events, personalities and the many industries which were part of his everyday photographic experience.