HPL's online payment service is not working. We aim to restore it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.
SmartPay Service Not Available
Published:
Friday, May 22, 2026 - 2:15pm
Bookmobile Service Modification
Due to Driver availability, Bookmobile has the following schedule modifications for the month of June. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Bookmobile Service June Modifications
Tuesday, June 2:
- McMaster University - Cancelled
Friday, June 5:
- Winona - Cancelled
- Queen Victoria - Cancelled
Saturday, June 6:
- All Regular Sites are Cancelled due to a Special Event
Published:
Friday, May 22, 2026 - 12:00pm
Bookmobile Service Update
With the cancellation of Touch-A-Truck, Bookmobile will instead visit its regularly scheduled Saturday sites at Stoney Creek Arena, Riverdale and Discovery Centre. www.hpl.ca/bookmobile
Published:
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 2:30pm
Central Library - Fax Machine Out of Order
Please note that the fax machine is currently out of order. The estimated time of repair is unknown. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 12:00pm
Staff Professional Development Day - All Branches Closed
All HPL Branches are closed on Friday May 29, for Staff Professional Development. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access service is not available. Regular service hours resume on Saturday May 30.
Visit our Virtual Branch at hpl.ca for our online resources and collections.
Published:
Thursday, May 14, 2026 - 12:00pm
Central Library: Children's Area Renovation on 2nd Floor
Renovations are currently underway for the 2nd Floor Central Children's Area. Programs are still being offered as scheduled and there is a temporary pop-up Children’s Area on the northeast side of the 2nd Floor (near the Piano Room), including access to collections and train tables. Construction is expected to be completed by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 9:00am
Sherwood Branch: Renovations
As of Monday, March 2, Sherwood Branch's 2nd Floor is closed due to renovations. Makerspace, Children and Teen's collection are temporarily available on the 1st Floor. All programs will be held in the basement program room. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Hamilton Public Library Blazes a Way to the Must-Read Book of the Year
HAMILTON, ON – May 5, 2021 – Blaze Island is Hamilton Public Library’s Hamilton Reads 2021 title. The ecological thriller about climate change is written by Canadian author Catherine Bush.
As a Category 5 hurricane sweeps the eastern seaboard of North America, it leaves devastation and despair in its path. The storm disrupts the present and stirs up the past for Miranda and her father Alan who escape to an isolated cove in Canada’s Maritimes. In the aftermath of the storm, their lives are turned upside-down.
Author Catherine Bush is “thrilled and honoured” to have Blaze Island chosen for Hamilton Reads 2021. “I look forward to discussing my book with readers and setting off together on journeys of discovery and resilience.”
“While the pandemic shapes our immediate lives, the climate crisis goes on gaining force. When it comes to transforming the future, acts of imagining are as essential as any other gesture. We need to story our way into new possibilities,” the author adds.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, books have been an escape and a common ground for many people” says Lisa Weaver, HPL’s Director, Collections and Program Development. “This has been a record-breaking year for borrowing books at HPL. Hamilton loves to read and Blaze Island opens the door to many important conversations regarding climate change and caring for our environment.”
Hamilton Reads is HPL’s annual literary celebration in which the community is invited to discuss and examine several themes in one book. Blaze Island joins a long list of several great Hamilton Reads titles including Lawrence Hill’s The Illegal, Miriam Toews’ All My Puny Sorrows and Tom Wilson’s Beautiful Scars, to name a few.
Among the new features this year is Telephone Stories, in which HPL Staff read the Prologue and Chapters 1-5 of Blaze Island. Coming in mid-May. Dial 905-546-3200 and follow the prompts. Hamilton Reads also includes online concerts, author visits, programs, book clubs and more this year, to allow Members to connect safely with each other. Visit hpl.ca/hamilton-reads for details about the author, book and updates on events.
Blaze Island is currently available as a book and eBook. An eAudiobook is available, via OverDrive, in Fall. Borrow with a library card or sign up for an eCard today at hpl.ca.
About Hamilton Public Library
The Hamilton Public Library is a vibrant hub for information and culture, providing our diverse community the Freedom to Discover. As one of the largest library systems in Canada, Hamiltonians will discover something new at our 22 locations, two bookmobiles, or through our extensive digital collections. Visit us online at hpl.ca. Connect with us on Twitter @hamiltonlibrary and Facebook at HamiltonPublicLibrary.
