The Medical Officer of Health for the City of Hamilton is issuing a Cold Weather Alert effective tonight, Friday, February 6. A Cold Weather Alert is issued when current or anticipated weather conditions are at or below minus 15 degrees Celsius or minus 20 with wind chill. This alert will remain in effect until a cancellation notice is issued. Please visit www.hamilton.ca/cold for locations and resources to stay warm and safe.
Cold Alert - Warming Places
Published:
Friday, February 6, 2026 - 2:45pm
Central Library - Living Room Renovation Preparation
Starting Tuesday, February 10, the First Floor Living Room will be unavailable due to renovation preparations. Study and work spaces are available on Floors 2-3.
Please note the Noon Hour Concert on Friday, February 13, will be held at Terryberry Branch instead.
Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Friday, February 6, 2026 - 9:00am
Central Library - Fourth Floor Closure
The Fourth Floor will be closed on Friday, February 6, starting at 2 pm for Seedy Saturday event setup. Makerspace and Newcomer Learning Centre will remain open. Floors 1-3 are available with study and work spaces. www.hpl.ca/central
Published:
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 3:00pm
Red Hill Branch Accessible Door Out of Order
The accessibility door at Red Hill Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly.
Published:
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 1:30pm
Bookmobile Service Modification
Please note the following Bookmobile visit updates.
Tuesday, February 10
McMaster University will be 3:30-4 pm (instead of 3:30-4:30 pm
Greencedar will be 5-5:30 pm (instead of 4-5 pm)
Mountview will be 6-6:30 pm (instead of 5:30-6:30 pm)
Published:
Monday, February 2, 2026 - 3:15pm
Mount Hope - Filming
On Monday, February 9, Homestead Drive will be closed from 7:30am-1:30pm (local traffic only) due to filming. From 1:30-7:30pm, there will be intermittent traffic control by Hamilton Police. The Branch will remain open. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Friday, January 30, 2026 - 1:45pm
Carlisle Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order
The accessible washroom at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - 12:30pm
Central Library - Sunday Hours Paused
Effective Sunday, February 1, Sunday service hours at Central Library will be paused.
Sunday Hours will continue at Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown Branches from 1-5pm.
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
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
HPL Surpasses One Million eBook and eAudiobook Checkouts
Hamilton Public Library Surpasses One Million eBook and eAudiobook Checkouts in 2020
Becomes a top public library system worldwide in total digital circulation
Hamilton, Ontario – October 19, 2020 – Hamilton Public Library (HPL) reached a record-breaking one million digital book checkouts in 2020. This accomplishment illustrates the continued growth and importance of libraries and digital lending of eBooks and eAudiobooks, especially in a year with building closures and service disruptions due to the global pandemic. HPL is one of 75 public library systems worldwide on track to surpass one million checkouts by the end of this year. (2019 complete list here).
HPL provides members 24/7 access to eBooks and eAudiobooks through OverDrive’s Libby reading app. Reader interest and use has grown each year; HPL readers checked out more than six million eBooks and eAudiobooks since 2009.
The highest-circulating eBook borrowed in 2020 at HPL is the Hamilton Reads title, Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice. The top-circulating categories include mystery, romance and children/young adult. HPL also works with OverDrive to help local students connect with HPL through OverDrive’s Sora reading application. HPL card holders also have access to digital collections in Mississauga and Burlington library systems.
The Top 10 eBook titles borrowed through HPL’s digital collection in 2020:
- Moon of the Crusted Snow: A Novel by Waubgeshig Rice
- Becoming* by Michelle Obama
- Where the Crawdads Sing* by Delia Owens
- Nine Perfect Strangers: A Novel by Liane Moriarty
- Past Tense: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child
- The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Reckoning: A Novel by John Grisham
- Blue Moon: Jack Reacher Series, Book 24 by Lee Child
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Harry Potter Series, Book 1* by JK Rowling
- The Guardians: A Novel by John Grisham
The Top 10 eAudiobook titles borrowed through HPL’s digital collection in 2020:
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Harry Potter Series, Book 1* by JK Rowling
- You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
- Moon of the Crusted Snow: A Novel by Waubgeshig Rice
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
- The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders
- Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
- Becoming* by Michelle Obama
- The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer
- Where the Crawdads Sing* by Delia Owens
- Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
*Title is listed on both lists
“Hamilton is a city of readers! Hamiltonians are the reason we’ve reached this milestone – and two months earlier than expected! This year, Hamilton read many eBooks, including the Hamilton Reads 2020 title. Hamilton also listened to eAudiobooks, and branched out across genres,” says Lisa Weaver, HPL’s Director of Collections. “In 2020, library members also asked for more Canadian authors, Indigenous titles and diverse voices for youth and adults. We look forward to working with OverDrive and Hamilton readers to keep Hamilton reading in 2021.”
To find great digital books, such as the Ontario – Together We Read title, Coming Up For Air by Sarah Leipciger, register online for a library card. Available to anyone who lives, works or studies in Hamilton. Readers can use any major device, including Apple(R), Android™ and Chromebook™. The adaptive reading and listening platform is convenient on most devices. Visit hpl.ca or download the Libby app to borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks anytime, anywhere.
