Due to the ongoing roof repair project, noise and parking disruptions are expected to continue until the end of June. Thank you for your patience.
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.
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.
Extended Access at Freelton Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.
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.
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.
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
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.
The accessible washroom at Barton Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
-
Research Your House
Research your house with our wealth of resources useful in historical building research.
-
Genealogy: Research Your Family
Local History & Archives has many resources to help you research your family history.
-
History of the Local History & Archives Department
A brief history of the LH&A Department of Hamilton Public Library
-
Maps
These plans are valuable maps for building research. They are large scale maps that show shape, size and exact location of individual buildings. They provide detail about the construction materials, outbuildings and neighbourhoods.
-
Government Documents Collection
Access more than 70,000 free Canadian Government publications, digitized by Internet Archive Canada.
-
Tax Assessment Records
Tax assessment records can help in accurate dating of the construction of the building as well as disclosing the original owner and a list of occupants.
-
Historical Records of the City of Hamilton
Historical records for the City of Hamilton
-
City Directories
City Directories show an alphabetical listing of street addresses which can be cross-referenced with an alphabetical listing of surnames.
-
Local History and Archives on Historypin
Historypin is an image-mapping project using archival photographs
-
Rare and Unusual
There are many rare and wonderful treasures in Local History and Archives.
-
The "Where-to-Look" Index
This amazing resource is an up-to-date source for finding information about Hamilton in Local History and Archives
-
Local History and Archives Rules of Use
Local History and Archives Rules of Use: an outline of member's responsibilities in partnering with staff to preserve the Local History and Archives collection
-
Where is LHA?
Visit Local History and Archives at Central Branch, 3rd floor.
-
Parks Police
In the early 1940's, vandalism and other occurrences began to increase in frequency in the parks. Fred Marshal, one of Hamilton's parks superintendents, worked to reverse this trend.
-
History of Gore Park
Gore Park has been a meeting place for Hamiltonians since the early 1800s.