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

2025-26 Writer in Residence

Wir 2026

Meet Saumiya Balasubramaniam

Saumiya Balasubramaniam is the 2025-26 Writer in Residence. During her eight-month stint, September 2025-April 2026, she will mentor creative writers in the Hamilton community, providing feedback on submissions in one-on-one meetings.

She writes poetry, essays, features and award-nominated picture books for children, such as When I Found Grandma, Two Drops of Brown in a Cloud of White and When I Visited Grandma.

Her debut picture book, When I Found Grandma, which was published in 2019, was listed in the Globe and Mail’s seven books to help kids make sense of the world list in 2019. It was nominated for the 2020 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and won the 2019 Spirituality and Practice Award.

Balasubramaniam’s books have been featured in CBC’s best Canadian picture books, top books to look out for, and the Toronto Public Library’s top five picks of the year.

Her works have been translated into French and Swedish.

Welcome Reception

Thursday September 11
6:30 to 8:00 pm
Central Library, Hamilton Room
55 York Blvd., Hamilton

Meet Saumiya at Central Library and learn more about the Writer-in-Residence program.

Register Now

Schedule an Appointment

Creative writers in Hamilton are invited to book a free 45-minute one-on-one consultation (in-person or virtual) with Saumiya. Schedule an Appointment.

Writing Workshop - Picture Book Master Class

Saturday October 4 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Central Library; Hamilton Room

Join Saumiya for a workshop on writing picture books, part of the 2025–26 Writer-in-Residence program. Register Now

More about Saumiya: saumiyabooks.com

About the Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer in Residence Program: english.humanities.mcmaster.ca/mabel-pugh-taylor-writer-in-residence


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