Starting the week of February 9, renovation preparations are underway in anticipation of the March 2 start. Computer availability may be limited, and the Living Room space is closed. Renovations are expected to wrap up by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Concession Branch - Upcoming Renovations
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Sherwood Branch - Upcoming Renovations
Renovation preparations are underway in anticipation of the March 2 start. Starting the week of February 23, the 2nd Floor will be closed. The Children's collection will be temporarily available on the 1st Floor. Renovations are expected to wrap up by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Family Day Closure
All HPL Branches are closed on Family Day, Monday, February 16. Bookmobile is off the Road. Extended Access and Study Hall is not available. Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, February 17.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
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
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)
Friday, February 13
Winona (11am-Noon) - Cancelled
Queen Victoria (3-4pm) - Cancelled
Family Day, Monday, February 16
Bookmobile is off the road.
Tuesday, February 17
McMaster University (3:30-4:30pm) - Cancelled
Thursday, February 19
Rockton (10:30am-11:30am) - Cancelled
Bennetto 5-5:30pm (instead of 4-5:30pm)
Published:
Monday, February 2, 2026 - 3:15pm
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
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.
