Cold Weather Alert for the City of Hamilton

Cold Weather Alert for the City of Hamilton January 22, 2026.

The temperature is expected to plummet below minus 15 Celsius. For warm place hours visit hpl.ca/hours

For a list of shelters and health information visit www.hamilton.ca/cold

Published:
Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 5:00pm
Parkdale Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order

The accessible washroom at Parkdale Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.

Published:
Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 3:30pm
Microsoft Service Outage affecting email delivery

Microsoft is currently experiencing an outage in the Office 365 services. This is causing some emails from @hpl.ca addresses to fail to be delivered. We appologize for the inconvenience. 

Published:
Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 3:30pm
Locke Branch - Filming Nearby

Filming will take place at 86 Homewood Avenue from January 28-30, 7 am-11 pm. Production vehicles and equipment will be located on the north side of Stanley Avenue between Locke Street South and Kent Street. This will impact the availability of side-street parking. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 3:00pm
Bookmobile Stops Cancelled

The Rockton Bookmobile visit (10:30-11:30am) today, Thursday, January 22 is cancelled. Service is expected to resume next week. 

Published:
Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 9:00am
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.

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

Spectator File By Date. 1939-1947, 1948-1949, 1950-1953, 1954-1959

Spectator negatives S File By Date 1939-1947

1939 Royal visit

March 1943 Red Cross

May 23, 1944 Moose Hall File [some glass negatives]

V.E. Day

July 1946 Spectator Strike

July 1-6, 1946 Hamilton Centennial. Parades & costumes

July 1946 Aerial pix of Ha. During Steel Strike

July 27, 1946 Ker, David. Wedding. At horse show with Mrs. Ker

July 27, 1946 Ker, F.E. Horse show. Wedding of daughter

July 1946 Provincial Police re Strike. Stelco. At "Star" re Stelco Strike 1946

Oct. 1946 Rockton [sic] Rockton Fair

Oct. 1946 Smithville. Fair and reunion.

Bank robbery

Oct. 1946 Dick Murder Trial #1

Oct. 1946 Dick Murder Trial #2

Jan. - Feb. 1947 Dick Murder Trial #3

June 1947 Dundas. Buildings, scenes, etc.

Aug. 47 / May 48 Keen Family. Wedding/daughter with diploma

 

Spectator negatives S File By Date 1948-1949

Jan. 1948 Grimsby. Fire. Lincoln Memorial Hospital

March 13, 1948 HMCS Star. Open House.

[also some Nov. 21, 1947]

Aug. 1948 Liberal Convention

Sept. 1948 Progressive Conservative Convention. Ottawa

Oct. 1948 El Rancho

Nov. 1948 Investiture. Toronto

Winter 1948 Ice Boating on Bay

Feb. 1949 Ont. Good Roads Convention. Toronto

Feb. 10, 1949 Ont. Legislature Opening

March 25, 1949 Hamilton Street Railway Report

July 4, 1949 DeCew Falls. Hydro

Aug. 8, 1949 Ambersley, "Irish Davey" Murder at his "house"

Sept. 1949 Noronic. Fire at Toronto

Nov. 15, 1949 Beverly Creek changed course. (Chas. Robertson farm, 7th concession)

Dec. 7, 1949 Municipal candidates. Election of Dec. 7/49

Dec. 8, 1949-Feb. 6,1950 Jackson File #1

 

Spectator negatives S File By Date 1950-1953

1950 Rail strike

Jan. 26, 1950 Hamilton General Hospital. Laboratories under Dr. Deadman

Feb. 2,3,4, 1950 Canadian Figure Skating Championship St. Catharines

Feb. 6, 1950-May 2, 1950 Jackson File #2

1950 Strike. Garbage

Aug. 10, 1950 Local 5 [garbage strike]

Nov. 2, 1950 McMaster University

Nov. 25, 1950 Van Wagner's Beach. Storm

before 1951 Army. RHLI

before 1951 Bartonville

1951 [Aug. 11] Moore wedding

1951 Spectator booth at 1951 Industrial Fair

March 8, 1951 St. Joseph's Mother House. Old File [Aug. 3, 1951]

Nov. 8, 1951 Hamilton Pumping Station. Filtration Plant. Old File

1952 Aerial shots of Hamilton & District

Sept. 1952 Ancaster, Ont. Incorporation

Nov. 1952 Hamilton Cotton Company Strike

1952-3 Miss Burkholder's Features

1953 #1 [Miscellaneous]

1953 #2 [Miscellaneous]

1953 Grafton

May 18, 1953 Liberal Convention

Aug. 1953 Election Campaigns

July 1953 Transport Strike

Nov. 24, 1953 Thistle Club Centennial

 

Spectator negatives S File By Date 1954-1959

1954 Cancer Clinic Opening

July 24, 1954 Wentworth County Centennial

Aug. 8, 1954 Aerial pix. Hurricane Hazel

1955 Lake Swim

March 24-26, 1955 Niagara on the Lake. Ice jam & Port Dover ice

Aug. 13, 1955 Hurricane Connie

Sept. 28, 1955 G.T. French - Book binding

Jan. 18, 1956 Candid shots. City Hall Council meeting (dispute strike question Loc. 700)

Feb. 1, 1956 Legislature Opening

Oct. 23, 1956 One way streets

1957 Summer Safety pix

July - Aug. 1958 Princess Margeret [sic] visit

Oct. 13, 14, 15, 1959 Plowing match