The Bookmobile visit to the Helen Detwiler location on Wed Jul 29 is cancelled.
Bookmobile Service Modification
Published:
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 - 9:00am
Express Items via OverDrive - Partner Libraries Update
As of July 1, Partner Library Members can no longer borrow HPL Express items via OverDrive. More to Borrow partner libraries offer Lucky Express (Skip the Line) titles to their cardholders only. This helps manage wait times for popular titles. Lucky Express is a collection of in-demand titles with a seven-day loan and no wait time.
Partner Library Members can borrow titles from the main collection.
hpl.ca/more-to-borrow
Published:
Monday, July 6, 2026 - 10:00am
What's Happening Guide Changes
The What's Happening Guide has been retired and replaced with different communications channels and tactics. You can find the new Summer Reading Flyer here. Watch for future communications updates.
Published:
Monday, June 29, 2026 - 3:00pm
Sunday Hours Return to Central Library
Sunday hours return to Central Library. Beginning July 5, Central is open Noon to 5pm. Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown branches are also open Sundays, 1 to 5pm. hpl.ca/hours
Published:
Monday, June 29, 2026 - 1:00pm
Study Halls Pause for Summer Break
After Hours Study Hall is not available in July and August. Hours will resume Tuesday, September 8. www.hpl.ca/study-halls
Published:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - 3:00pm
Hamilton Reads 2023 - Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted
Motl is middle-aged, poor, nerdy, Jewish and in desperate need of a shave. Since having his balls shot cleanly off as a youth in WWI, he's lived a quiet life at home in Vilnius with his shrewd and shrewish mom, Gitl, losing himself in the masculine fantasy world of cowboy novels by writers like Karl May--novels equally loved by Hitler, whose troops have just invaded Lithuania and are out to exterminate people like Motl. In his dreams, Motl is a fast-talking, rugged, expert gunslinger capable of dealing with the Nazi threat. But only in his dreams.
An imaginative and deeply felt exploration of genocide, persecution, colonialism and masculinity--saturated in Gary Barwin's sharp wit and perfect pun-play--Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy is a one-of-a-kind novel of sheer genius.
- Penguin Random House Place a hold on a physical copy or eBook of Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy.
The Author
Gary Barwin is the author of 26 books including this year’s Hamilton Reads selection, Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy which won the Canadian Jewish Literary Award. His national bestselling novel Yiddish for Pirates won the Leacock Medal for Humour and the Canadian Jewish Literary Award, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction and the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and was long listed for Canada Reads. He lives in Hamilton, Ontario.
Place a hold on a physical book or eBook of Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy.
Join a book club to discuss Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy.
- If you are interested in discussing this year’s Hamilton Reads selection with your fellow bookworms, there is a book club near you.
- Staff Lists featuring this title.
- Recommended if you like this title.
