Printing and photocopying are not working at Dundas Branch. We're working to get these working again as soon as possible.
Filming will take place near the Locke Branch from August 4 to 8, which will impact traffic flow and parking. We apologize for the inconvenience.
- East and West Side of Locke Street South
- North and South Side of Herkimer Street
- North and South Side of Stanley Avenue
On Monday, August 4, Civic Holiday, due to IT network maintenance, HPL's catalogue will be searchable, but Holds and Library accounts, as well as online resources, will not be available. However, WiFi will remain accessible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
The internet at Lynden Branch is not working. We aim to have it fixed quickly.
All branches close on Sunday, August 3, 2025 and August 4, 2025 for the Civic Holiday. This includes branches with Extended Access.
The following Bookmobile visits are modified on:
Thursday, July 31
- Bennetto and Kinsmen - Cancelled
Friday, August 1
- Winona Park - Cancelled
Monday, August 4 - All Bookmobile visits cancelled
Thursday, August 7
- Rockton 10:30-11:30 am - Moved to Rockton Elementary School 670 Hwy 8 (this date only)
The parking lot elevator at Terryberry Branch is not working. Members will need to use the accessible ramp at the Mohawk entrance and the inner elevator. We're working to get it fixed quickly.
Please note that the audio volume levels on our public computers are having issues. The estimated time of disruption is unknown at this time. Thank you for your patience.
The accessibility ramp at Mount Hope Branch is damaged. The handrail is not available. The ramp will not be available while being repaired. We aim to fix it quickly.
Hamilton Reads 2021 - Blaze Island
Miranda lives on a small island in Newfoundland with her father Milan/Alan, a weather scientist living in hiding. When a stranger washes up on their doorstep during a Category 5 hurricane, her world is forever altered. A compelling retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest, Blaze Island is a timely story about environmentalism and community.
“Riveting and morally complex, Blaze Island is a beautiful, kaleidoscopic work that offers a resounding reply to the question of how literature might wrestle with the deepest threat facing the planet, anthropogenic climate change. In the absence of saviours and easy consolation, what Bush has created is an allegory of hubris and humility and an exhilarating space in which to re-imagine multi-species relationships and stories.”
— Kyo Maclear, author of Birds Art Life

Join a book club to discuss Blaze Island or The Tempest.
If you want more reading suggestions with similar themes to those found in our Hamilton Reads 2021 title, Blaze Island by Catherine Bush, watch these Reads We recommend videos in which HPL Staff provide a synopsis of each suggested read. You can also watch Hamilton reads-related events and presentations on the full Hamilton Reads 2021 playlist on YouTube.
Recommendations and read-a-likes