City-Wide Outage, Library Service Impacted

The City of Hamilton's cybersecurity-related outage that began Sun Feb 25 continues today, Fri April 26. This outage affects Library services and some programs. Public Wi-Fi is available at most branches with the exception of the Ancaster Branch.

Website log in, self-check kiosks, sorters, public computers, printing, and scanning are not available. Some Makerspace services are available. Extended Access is cancelled. We are working with the City to restore these services and stay tuned to continual updates. Thank you for your patience.

Library Services Available

Staff are available by phone: 289-779-7588, chat, and email. Branches are open. Study Halls are available. Check the event listings for program updates. The Catalogue is available to browse, but you cannot log in or place holds at this time. Thank you for your patience.

Publish Date:

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - 9:15am

Notices

1

Phishing Scheme

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.

Publish Date:

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 9:00am

Total Solar Eclipse April 8

The Countdown is Totality On

The Solar Eclipse has come and gone!

If you would like to donate your ISO safety solar eclipse glasses, return them to any HPL Branch or Bookmobile visit. HPL and McMaster University have teamed up with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Hamilton Centre to collect and redistribute. Thank you for returning your glasses.

Get Equipped for the Eclipse – Safety Glasses - Out of Stock!

You should never look at the sun without proper protection. During most of the total solar eclipse, you should only look directly at the Sun if you are using protective eyewear.

HPL no longer has solar glasses. More than 80,000 were distributed to the public. You may be able to pick up a pair at Haldimand Public Library branches, McMaster University, Six Nations Public Library.

Safe Solar Eclipse Viewing

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon partially or totally covers the Sun. It is fascinating, but it is important to guard against damage to your eyes. Follow these options for safe viewing.

Safety First

Use approved solar eclipse viewers that meet international standard ISO 12312-2. Glasses distributed by Hamilton Public Library are provided by McMaster University and meet these standards. Make sure the glasses are not damaged or scratched before use. Sunglasses, even those with a very dark tint, are NOT sufficient protection.

Don’t Get Burned

Staring at the sun without protection may cause damage to your retina (the tissue at the back of your eye). This damage can occur without any sensation of pain. The injury can be temporary or permanent.

Watch Online

Watch an online livestream of the event from a verified source such as NASA Live. Alternatively, check out a recording of the eclipse after it has happened.

For more information visit 2023 Eclipse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Monday April 8, 2024.

The eclipse will begin in downtown Hamilton around 2:03 p.m., totality will be around 3:18 p.m. and will last 1 minute and 50 seconds, the eclipse will end around 4:31 p.m. For the exact time at your location visit 2024 Eclipse Simulator

No, Hamilton is on the edge of the totality path, so some areas will not be in totality. These areas will still experience an eclipse, but the sun will not be totally blocked out. To see if your location is in totality and for the exact time at your location visit 2024 Eclipse Simulator .

The path of totality is where observers will see the Moon completely cover the Sun.

In the path of totality, where the Moon completely covers the Sun, the sky will become dark, as if it were dawn or dusk. For those who only experience a partial solar eclipse, the sky will appear slightly darker than it was before the eclipse, depending on how much the Moon blocks the Sun in their location.

You can expect the temperature to drop about 5 degrees Celsius, depending on the humidity and cloud cover at your location.

Space Reads for Earthlings

Browse a celestial selection of books about solar eclipses, the stars and the universe.

Far Out Science and Space-Themed Programs

Become one with the night sky inside the McMaster portable planetarium, learn about Stars, Planets and More with the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers Club and take part in a Solar Eclipse themed STEAM Learning Lab. April 8 is also your headquarters for PA Day fun, with morning programming for kids of all ages.