The Fourth Floor will be closed on Friday, February 6, starting at 2 pm for Seedy Saturday event setup. Makerspace and Newcomer Learning Centre will remain open. Floors 1-3 are available with study and work spaces. www.hpl.ca/central
Central Library - Fourth Floor Closure
Published:
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 3:00pm
Red Hill Branch Accessible Door Out of Order
The accessibility door at Red Hill Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly.
Published:
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 1:30pm
Bookmobile Service Modification
Please note the following Bookmobile visit updates.
Tuesday, February 3
Greencedar (4-5 pm) - Cancelled
Thursday, February 5
Rockton (10:30-11:30 am) - Cancelled
Bennetto Visit will be 5-5:30 pm (instead of 4-5:30 pm)
Tuesday, February 10
McMaster University will be 3:30-4 pm (instead of 3:30-4:30 pm
Greencedar will be 5-5:30 pm (instead of 4-5 pm)
Mountview will be 6-6:30 pm (instead of 5:30-6:30 pm)
Published:
Monday, February 2, 2026 - 3:15pm
Mount Hope - Filming
On Monday, February 9, Homestead Drive will be closed from 7:30am-1:30pm (local traffic only) due to filming. From 1:30-7:30pm, there will be intermittent traffic control by Hamilton Police. The Branch will remain open. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Friday, January 30, 2026 - 1:45pm
Carlisle Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order
The accessible washroom at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - 12:30pm
Central Library - Sunday Hours Paused
Effective Sunday, February 1, Sunday service hours at Central Library will be paused.
Sunday Hours will continue at Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown Branches from 1-5pm.
Published:
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 11:00am
Central Library - Daily Hours Update
Starting Monday, February 2, Central Library's daily hours will move back to a 9 am opening instead of 8 am, Monday through Saturday. Please make note of this new service change for your next visit. www.hpl.ca/hours
Published:
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 11:00am
Printing Updates
Daily print balances for black and white and colour printing change January 2, 2026. The new daily print balance is 40 cents. Members receive four free black and white copies or two free colour copies.
Large format and vinyl printing pricing also change on January 2. Visit https://www.hpl.ca/makerspaces for updates.
Published:
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 2:00pm
Replacement and Damage Fees
Bring back your borrowed library items within 28 days to avoid a replacement or lost fee. We'll remove the fee when you bring back your overdue items.
Published:
Thursday, September 11, 2025 - 3:00pm
Beckett Collection
Hamilton Street Railway, 1912
Hubert William Beckett (ca1892-1967) was born in Hamilton. After gaining some renown as an amateur photographer of children, he opened a professional studio in 1925, on James Street South, and was active as a portrait photographer until his deathin 1967 at age 75.
In November of 1972, his collection of negatives and filing cards was delivered to the Hamilton Public Library. This collection consisted of 35.4 metres of photographic negatives, with the corresponding index cards.
In 1977, approximately 14,000 of the negatives were found to be on a cellulose [acetate] nitrate base and therefore highly flammable. These negatives were duplicated and the originals destroyed.
There are approximately 26,000 negatives in the Beckett Collection.
Finding Aid: There is an in-house finding aid to this collection
