The accessible washroom in both the Waterdown library and the lobby of the Waterdown shared facility are out of order. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
In preparation for the 1st Floor renovations, the Sherwood Branch will be closed on Wednesday, May 14. It is expected to reopen on Thursday, May 15 with the completion of the basement renovation. Thank you for your understanding.
Due to City IT maintenance, there may be an intermittent network outage between 8-10 pm during Study Hall on Thursday, May 8. Computers, printers and WiFi may not be available at times. Thank you for your patience.
All HPL Branches are closed on Sunday, May 18, and Victoria Day, Monday, May 19. Bookmobile is off the road. Extended Access and Study Hall services are not available. Our Virtual Branch is open at hpl.ca.
On Tuesday, May 13, a fire drill will be held at 11 am at Central Library. You may visit the Barton or Locke Branches as alternate locations for your library needs. Thank you for your understanding.
Due to the ongoing roof repair project, noise and parking disruptions are expected to continue until the end of June. Thank you for your patience.
From Monday, May 5 to Saturday, May 31, the Ancaster Branch will be temporarily closed due to a roof and HVAC replacement. During this time, service hours will be available at the Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Road West, Ancaster. The last day to pick up your Holds is Thursday, May 1st. Thank you for your understanding.
The digital microfilm machines at Central Library are not working. A single analog machine is available, but it doesn't print. We aim to have the digital devices repaired as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Please be aware of online phishing attempts impersonating Hamilton Public Library and Library Staff. HPL does not solicit paid freelance opportunities through social media or other messaging applications. HPL does not request personal or banking information through social media or require financial compensation when reviewing job applications. Please report phishing schemes to communications@hpl.ca. If you think you are a victim of fraud, please call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
The first phase of renovations continues at the Sherwood Branch. During this time, noise disruptions may occur throughout the branch due to a basement renovation. Parking, access to the building, and collections will not be affected. Thank you for your patience. www.hpl.ca/sherwood
Hamilton Reads 2025
Our narrator and his accidental companion, K. Sohail, inadvertently find themselves on an island wellness retreat impersonating a couple, the Dhaliwals, who have probably been killed in a helicopter crash. After being welcomed by Jerome the robot, the new Dhaliwals eagerly partake of the all-you-stomach buffet, the motivational speechifyings on Trunity by the berobed Brad Beard, and some erotic counselling by Professor Sayer.
But things quickly take an ominous turn when an excursion to a nearby deserted village reveals a guillotine and a haunted chapel. And then one of the retreaters is murdered and the real Dhaliwals show up. Accusations, counter-accusations, and counter-counter-accusations are made, until the whole retreat is caught up in a bizarre trial.
In All You Can Kill, Pasha Malla, with his inimitable absurdist style, collides horror and humour into an utterly unforgettable satire. (From Coach House Books).
Pasha Malla is the author of seven books. His writing has won or been listed for the Giller Prize, the Commonwealth Prize, the Dublin IMPAC, the Trillium Book Award, an Arthur Ellis Award, the Journey Prize, the Hamilton Book Award, and several National Magazine Awards. Pasha teaches in the creative writing program at York University and lives in Hamilton.
Place a hold on a physical copy or eBook of All You Can Kill. Place a hold on a copy or borrow an eBook or Audiobook, narrated by the author.
Participate in events such as an author-led workshop, discuss the novel in a book club and more throughout the year. Check back often as new events are added throughout the year.
Enter the Hamilton Reads Short Story contest. Write a fiction piece on a theme in All You Can Kill or any genre of the book: satire, humour, horror or absurdism. Deadline Oct 31, 2025.
Take the challenge. Grab an All You Can Kill reading challenge bookmark at any HPL branch or Bookmobile, complete the tasks and earn a prize.
Literary Lowdown
Stay up to date about HPL’s Author Series events and workshops. Subscribe to our eNewsletter. Subscribe
Rediscover past Hamilton Reads titles.