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
Bookmobile Service Modification

Due to poor air quality, the Bookmobile visit at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is cancelled today, Wednesday, July 15. The Rosedale visit is shortened to 5-5:30pm (instead of 5-6:30pm). Regular service is expected to return next week. Thank you for your understanding.

Published:
Monday, July 13, 2026 - 8:00am
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

Media Releases

HAMILTON – Wed Jan 22, 2025 - Hamilton Public Library (HPL) recently welcomed four new Peer Support Workers, Misty Thaler, Mike Lavelle, Paul Dolhun and Harrison Wheeler to Central Library.   


HAMILTON, ON – Jan 9, 2025 – Hamilton, if you need inspiration for your 2025 read, watch, listen lists, check out the top borrows from 2024.   Classics such as Anne of Green Gables were as popular among HPL cardholders last year as superstar Taylor Swift’s music and books by Jeff Kinney and Sarah J. Maas.  


HAMILTON, ON – August 29, 2024 – Award-winning playwright and performer Anna Chatterton is the 2024-25 Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer in Residence.


HAMILTON, ON – August 23, 2023 – Multi-award-winning local poet and author Jaclyn Desforges is the 2023-24 Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer in Residence.


HAMILTON, ON – June 19, 2024 – Hamilton Public Library (HPL) welcomed representatives from Internet Archive, Woodland Cultural Centre and Liberian Learning Center to HPL's Central Library on Monday (Jun 17) to emphasize the importance of digitally preserving the customs, cultures, languages, stories and histories of those silenced around the world.


HAMILTON, ON – June 10, 2024 – Hamilton Public Library’s Summer Reading Club is packed with fun and fascinating activities and reading adventures for kids and teens. Registration is now open. Get your free reading tracker, stickers, and book, earn prizes, and enter contests. Official Blast Off Parties are Friday June 28.  


HAMILTON, ON – May 3, 2024 – Hamilton Public Library invites you into a world of provocative short stories with this year's Hamilton Reads selection, the celebrated Chrysalis by Hamilton's Anuja Varghese. Winner of the 2023 Governor General's Literary Award, Chrysalis is a collection of genre-blending stories of transformation and belonging that centre around women of colour, queerness, family and community.


HAMILTON, ON – February 12, 2024 – Hamilton Public Library celebrates Black History Month and the life and legacy of Hamilton jazz legend Jackie Washington with a Noon Hour Concert by Blues musician Harrison Kennedy and Stewart Memorial Church Choir at Central Library February 16.


HAMILTON, ON – December 19, 2023 – Hamilton Public Library cardholders read and watched more than five million physical and digital items in 2023. Here are the Top 10 lists based on the most checked-out and renewed titles at HPL’s 23 branches and Bookmobile.


HAMILTON, ON – May 12, 2022 – First Canada issued a resounding well done for author Norma Dunning’s short story collection Tainna: The Unseen Ones. Now it’s Hamilton’s turn to do the same.


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