Monday, April 28 is the National Day of Mourning to remember and honour those who have died, been injured or suffered illness in the workplace. All HPL Branches will observe a minute of silence at 11am to honour their memories.
April 28: National Day of Mourning
All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Friday, April 25, 2025 - 9:00am
Westdale Branch: Polling Station
Monday, April 28 is Election Day in Canada. Westdale Branch is open 9:30am-9:30pm as a polling station. Please bring one piece of ID to vote. Please note there will be a minute of silence at 11am in honour of the National Day of Mourning.
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Published:
Friday, April 25, 2025 - 9:00am
City of Hamilton IT Maintenance
Due to City IT maintenance, HPL's catalogue and digital resources will not be available on Sunday, April 27 between midnight and 1am. We apologize for the inconvenience.
All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Friday, April 25, 2025 - 9:00am
Extended Access at Freelton Branch Unavailable
Extended Access at Freelton Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.
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Published:
Thursday, April 24, 2025 - 12:00pm
Ancaster Branch - Temporary Closure, May 5-31
From Monday, May 5 to Saturday, May 31, the Ancaster Branch will be temporarily closed due to a roof and HVAC replacement. During this time, service hours will be available at the Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Road West, Ancaster. The last day to pick up your Holds is Thursday, May 1st. Thank you for your understanding.
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Published:
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - 11:00am
Central Library - Microfilm Machine
The digital microfilm machines at Central Library are not working. A single analog machine is available, but it doesn't print. We aim to have the digital devices repaired as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
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Published:
Thursday, April 10, 2025 - 3:30pm
Barton Branch - Roof Repair
Due to the ongoing roof repair project, noise and parking disruptions will continue until April 25. Thank you for your patience.
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Published:
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 - 3:30pm
Sherwood Branch - Basement Renovation
The first phase of renovations will begin at the Sherwood Branch from April 10 to May 2. During this time, noise disruptions may occur throughout the branch due to a basement renovation. Parking, access to the building, and collections will not be affected. Thank you for your patience. www.hpl.ca/sherwood
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Published:
Monday, April 7, 2025 - 8:30am
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.
All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Thursday, April 3, 2025 - 10:30am
History of the Local History & Archives Department
Hamilton Public Library (1890-1913)
The Hamilton Public Library is one of the oldest public libraries in Ontario. In January of 1889, the citizens of Hamilton voted to fund a free public library in the city and the first Hamilton Public Library Board was appointed. The first Main Library opened in September of 1890. In 2015, HPL celebrated its 125th anniversary.
Origins of the Local History & Archives Department
Right from the beginning, one of the mandates of the library system was to emphasize and make available material regarding Canadian and local history. The staff actively collected books, pamphlets and other local materials, which included a large donation of items from Hamilton native, Emerson Bristol Biggar.
The Hamilton Public Library opened a new Main Library in 1913 with funding from Andrew Carnegie. In March of 1914, the newly named Canadiana Room housed a separate and distinct collection of Canadian and local historical materials that were available to the general public in a secure setting, but did not circulate.
Carnegie Library (1913-1980)
Continued Growth
The collection continued to grow, expanding to include books, photographs, scrapbooks, clipping files, pamphlets, microfilm, periodicals, historical memorabilia, and archives on a wide range of local history topics, including sports events, places of worship, notable local people, heritage buildings, and landmarks. In October of 1974, the Special Collections department opened in the Reference Library (in the Bank of Montreal building at the corner of Main and James Street) amalgamating the Local History Collection, the Canadiana Collection, the Archives and the Rare Books Collection.
The Special Collections department was relocated to its current location when the new Central library opened in October of 1980. In 1981, the public access room in the department was named after former Chief Librarian Freda Waldon (1898-1973). The acquisition of several large archival collections (including the Hamilton Spectator negative collection [2 million images], the Ellen Fairclough papers and, most significantly, a large collection of 19th and early 20th century records of the city of Hamilton and the old County of Wentworth) led to the changing of the name of the department in 2008 from Special Collections to Local History & Archives.
