Carlisle Branch - Early Closure

Carlisle Branch will close Early on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 due to poor weather.

Published:

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 1:15pm

All Branches Close at 4pm Today

Due to worsening weather, all HPL Branches will close at 4 pm today, Wednesday, February 18. Bookmobile is off the road. Study Halls and Extended Access are not available. Staff is available by telephone, email, or chat between 4-8pm.

Stay tuned for updates on Thursday morning.

Published:

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 1:00pm

Greensville, Red Hill, Valley Park Branch Closure

Greensville, Valley Park (closed at 1:30), and Red Hill Branch (closed at 12:30pm) will be closed on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 due to poor weather.

Published:

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 7:00am

Bookmobile Stops Cancelled- Wednesday February 18

All Bookmobile stops are cancelled today, Wednesday, February 18, 2026 due to poor weather.

Published:

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 7:00am

Carlisle Branch Accessible Door Out of Order

The accessibility door at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly.

Published:

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - 2:30pm

Central Library - Jackson Square Entrance

On Wednesday, February 18, the Jackson Square Entrance's sliding doors are scheduled for repairs. Please use York Boulevard as an alternate entrance. Thank you for your patience.

Published:

Friday, February 13, 2026 - 12:00pm

Concession Branch - Upcoming Renovations

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.

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

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.

Thursday, February 19
Rockton (10:30am-11:30am) - Cancelled
Bennetto 5-5:30pm (instead of 4-5:30pm)

Wednesday, February 25
Swansea 10:00-10:30am - Cancelled
Helen Detwiler 11:00am-12:00pm - Cancelled
Warplane Museum 3:00-4:00pm - Cancelled

Friday, February 27
Winona 11:00am-12:00pm - Cancelled
Maplewood 2:30-4:00pm - Cancelled

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.

www.hpl.ca/hours

Published:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 11:00am

Local History and Archives Policy

Loans

Materials from the Local History and Archives collection may be loaned to other institutions or organizations only under the following circumstances:

Authorization is obtained from the Manager, Local History and Archives (or designate).

Documentation is provided for the loan.

The borrower ensures adequate insurance, display, care and handling of the material on loan. If at any time Local History and Archives determines that the material on loan is not being cared for adequately, the Manager, Local History and Archives (or designate) may cancel the loan and request the immediate return of the material.

Digital Preservation

A responsive and relevant archive requires ongoing adaptation to technological change to ensure present-day records are safe and accessible for the people of Hamilton in the future. Digital information is important to our collective culture, knowledge base and history. Recognizing that analog and digital media both have different long-term preservation needs, Local History and Archives supports the active digital preservation systems and practices required to ensure a duty of care is extended to born digital and digitized material.

Collections Representation

Hamilton Public Library's Local History and Archives collections do not yet fully represent the many people and voices that make up Hamilton. The Archives is committed to a concerted effort to recognize, reflect, and amplify diverse voices and perspectives.

Records and descriptions of material held by Local History and Archives contain language or depictions of people which includes problematic wording, cultural references and stereotypes that are no longer used or appropriate today. The presence of materials in the Local History and Archives collection does not constitute an endorsement of their content or viewpoints.

Local History and Archives will actively update archival descriptions, contextualize records and develop a collection that illustrates the history of all Hamilton’s peoples.

Reappraisal and Deaccession

Material added to the Local History and Archives collection shall be held until such time as it is deemed to no longer fit the approved acquisitions policy and is deaccessioned. All information pertaining to the deaccessioning and disposition of material will be retained in the Archives' records.

Guiding Principles for Reappraisal and Deaccession

Archivists must use professional judgment when reappraising collections. Exceptions are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Although it is an important collection management tool, reappraisal does not always lead to deaccessioning.
To ensure consistency, the process should be systematic and both procedure and outcomes thoroughly documented.
Reappraisal and deaccession is a responsible archival practice for better management of collections.

Considerations for Reappraisal and Deaccession

Legal issues of ownership of collections.
Ethical issues regarding the disposition of collections in a transparent manner.
Donor relations.
Resource allocation.

Conflict of Interest

As per the Library Board’s Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy, Local History and Archives library employees will not formally, through trade or purchase for their own personal use, enjoyment, or profit, collect for their personal benefit archival materials which fall within the broad acquisition mandate of Local History and Archives.