Due to online maintenance, Members can not access HPL's catalogue, online services and resources on Sunday, July 19 from 5am-10am. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
HPL Catalogue and Online Resources Not Available - Sunday, July 19
Published:
Monday, July 13, 2026 - 3:00pm
Cool Places - Heat Alert in Place
The Medical Officer of Health for the City of Hamilton has initiated a Heat Warning beginning today, Monday, July 13. Heat Warnings stay in effect until they are cancelled or escalated to an Extended Heat Warning. All HPL Library locations are Cool Places. Stay hydrated, Hamilton. www.hpl.ca/hours
Published:
Monday, July 13, 2026 - 9:30am
Bookmobile Service Modification
Bookmobile Service Modifications
Wed, July 15:
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Helen Detwiler Cancelled
Published:
Monday, July 13, 2026 - 8:00am
Express Items via OverDrive - Partner Libraries Update
As of July 1st, partner library Members can no longer borrow HPL Express items via Overdrive. More to Borrow partner libraries will be offering Lucky Express (Skip the line) titles to their cardholders only. This will help manage wait times for popular titles. Lucky Express is a collection of in demand titles with a seven-day loan period, available with no wait.
Our partners will still be able to borrow titles from the rest of our collection.
www.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 Spectator Daily Negatives
Hamilton Spectator Daily Negatives
This lists the regular negatives held by Special Collection. These are the day to day negatives (Black & White and Colour) taken by Spectator photographers of people, places, events, etc. Each day the Spectator published, an envelope was created for that day. All the photographs used that day are noted on the front of the envelope (usually the description is rather vague: ie. "girl with dog"). The negatives taken by staff that were filed in the envelope are checked off. Photographs supplied by outside (ie. without a negative) will not be checked off. These could be photographs provided by stringers or picked up off one of the wire services. There are no negatives for these in the collection. Negatives that have been removed for any reason will usually have a notation next to them citing the reason for removal. Some of the citations will have the notation S File next to them. (see the section labelled "S File" for a detailed breakdown of our holdings). Except for the S Files noted in this finding aid we do not own any other of the S Files specified. They are still at the Spectator.
Colour negatives from 1964 to 1976 are stored in the same type of envelope as the Black & White negatives. As less colour was used, each envelope may contain several weeks or even months worth of colour negatives. On the outside of each envelope is noted the date a colour negative was used and a description of the subject. Colour negatives are filed at the end of each year of regular negatives. The Black & White negatives begin at July 28, 1955 and end at September 1990. Beginning with the negatives from September 5, 1987 the Black & White and Colour negatives are filed together. All negatives past the final dates listed are still held by the Hamilton Spectator. Following is a chronological listing of our holdings for both Black & White and colour negatives. This listing also notes gaps in the collection.
There is no index for these day to day files. In order to locate a specific negative for a patron they must be able to provide us with the date that the photograph appeared in the newspaper (day/month/year). Even if they have the exact date, there is no guarantee that the negative will be in the envelope marked for that day.
