HPL's online payment service is not working. We aim to restore it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.
SmartPay Service Not Available
Published:
Friday, May 22, 2026 - 2:15pm
Bookmobile Service Modification
Due to Driver availability, Bookmobile has the following schedule modifications for the month of June. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Bookmobile Service June Modifications
Tuesday, June 2:
- McMaster University - Cancelled
Friday, June 5:
- Winona - Cancelled
- Queen Victoria - Cancelled
Saturday, June 6:
- All Regular Sites are Cancelled due to a Special Event
Published:
Friday, May 22, 2026 - 12:00pm
Bookmobile Service Update
With the cancellation of Touch-A-Truck, Bookmobile will instead visit its regularly scheduled Saturday sites at Stoney Creek Arena, Riverdale and Discovery Centre. www.hpl.ca/bookmobile
Published:
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 2:30pm
Central Library - Fax Machine Out of Order
Please note that the fax machine is currently out of order. The estimated time of repair is unknown. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 12:00pm
Staff Professional Development Day - All Branches Closed
All HPL Branches are closed on Friday May 29, for Staff Professional Development. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access service is not available. Regular service hours resume on Saturday May 30.
Visit our Virtual Branch at hpl.ca for our online resources and collections.
Published:
Thursday, May 14, 2026 - 12:00pm
Central Library: Children's Area Renovation on 2nd Floor
Renovations are currently underway for the 2nd Floor Central Children's Area. Programs are still being offered as scheduled and there is a temporary pop-up Children’s Area on the northeast side of the 2nd Floor (near the Piano Room), including access to collections and train tables. Construction is expected to be completed by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 9:00am
Sherwood Branch: Renovations
As of Monday, March 2, Sherwood Branch's 2nd Floor is closed due to renovations. Makerspace, Children and Teen's collection are temporarily available on the 1st Floor. All programs will be held in the basement program room. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
The "Where-to-Look" Index
Where-To-Look Catalogue
The Where-to-Look is a major reference tool in Local History and Archives, and has been part of the Hamilton Public Library since the 1930s. This is a unique catalogue of subject index cards telling members 'where to look' to find the information they are interested in researching. Library staff have indexed books, periodicals, newspapers, archives and many other sources since the original Where-to-Look was started. The information within is updated regularly, and currently contains more than 250,000 references to information concerning people, events, buildings, companies, churches, etc., all relating to Hamilton and the surrounding area.
Born from practicality and necessity, Local History and Archives' "Where-to-Look" is an indispensable fixture of the department, connecting staff and members to what they need to find within Local History and Archives' collections. Visit Local History and Archives today, and staff will happily show you how to use it in your own research.
