SmartPay Service Unavailable

HPL's online payment service is not working. We aim to restore it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Published:

Friday, May 22, 2026 - 2:15pm

Lynden Branch Without Power

Lynden Branch has no power. The branch is open but the computers are not working. We are unsure when power will be restored.

Published:

Friday, May 22, 2026 - 12:45pm

Bookmobile Service Update

Due to the Touch-A-Truck event being cancelled, Bookmobile will be visiting its regularly scheduled Saturday sites instead (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

Turner Park - Study Hall Cancellation

Study Hall on Thursday, May 21, is cancelled due to plumbing maintenance. Study Hall will resume on Monday, May 25. Thank you for your patience.

Published:

Wednesday, May 20, 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

Power of the Pen 2026 Contest Entry Form

The 32nd Anniversary of the Power of the Pen Creative Writing Contest opens on Monday, May 4, 2026.

The 32nd Power of the Pen writing competition invites writers ages 12-18 (age as of December 31, 2026) to submit original poetry and short stories in English, French or both languages. Prizes are for 1st- and 2nd-place in seven age groups (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18) in poetry and short story categories. Digital submissions are encouraged.

Please review the Contest Rules.

This year's competition opens May 4, 2026, and closes September 30, 2026. Submit your work via the official entry form. Notification goes out to winners in January 2027.

First Name *

Last Name *

Address *

City *

Postal Code *

Phone Number *

Email *

Age (as of December 31, 2025) *

Library Branch *

Type of Submission

Type of Submission *

Poem

Short Story

*One entry form per submission.

Language

Language *

English

French

Title of Poetry Submission *

Language

Language *

English

French

Title of Short Story Submission *

How did you find out about the Power of the Pen?

How did you find out about the Power of the Pen? *

Check all that apply

AI Statement

AI Statement *

I agree to the full statement.

I understand that my written submission is my own writing and is not copy/paste writing from any other source. I understand that any unethical behaviour will result in an automatic disqualification, without the possibility of resubmission this year.

Other

Upload Submission *

Thank you for submitting your work to the Power of the Pen Creative Writing Contest. Please review contest and formatting rules prior to submission. Winners will be notified in January 2025. All judged submissions will be available for pick-up during the awards ceremony or at your local branch if you are unable to attend the ceremony.

Completing this form gives the Hamilton Public Library your consent to:

Collect your personal information, which will only be used by the Hamilton Public Library to communicate with you about the Power of the Pen contest.
Use you/your child’s original written submission or photograph for publicity.*

*Publicity can include print materials such as posters, brochures, local and social media, in addition to website coverage.

NOTE: Please do not put your name anywhere on your work. Your name must be on your entry form only

_{Personal information contained on this form is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990. MFIPPA\Regulations 29. The information collected will be used in the process of the library’s business. Questions regarding the collection and use of personal information can be directed to: Chief Librarian, Hamilton Public Library, P.O. Box 2700, Hamilton, ON L8N 4E4.}

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