Due to poor air quality, Bookmobile has the following cancellations for Friday, July 17:
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Winona (11am-12pm)
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Queen Victoria (3-4pm)
Regular service is expected to return next week. Thank you for your understanding.
Bookmobile Stops Cancelled
Published:
Thursday, July 16, 2026 - 8:00am
Air Quality Warning
An Orange Air Quality Warning has been initiated for the City of Hamilton by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks beginning July 15, 2026. This alert will remain in effect until a cancellation notice is issued.
Stay safe, Hamilton. www.hpl.ca/hours
Published:
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 - 2:00pm
HPL Catalogue and Online Resources Not Available - Sunday, July 19
Due to online maintenance, Members can not access HPL's catalogue, online services and resources on Sunday, July 19 from 5am-10am. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Published:
Monday, July 13, 2026 - 3:00pm
Express Items via OverDrive - Partner Libraries Update
As of July 1st, partner library Members can no longer borrow HPL Express items via Overdrive. More to Borrow partner libraries will be offering Lucky Express (Skip the line) titles to their cardholders only. This will help manage wait times for popular titles. Lucky Express is a collection of in demand titles with a seven-day loan period, available with no wait.
Our partners will still be able to borrow titles from the rest of our collection.
www.hpl.ca/more-to-borrow
Published:
Monday, July 6, 2026 - 10:00am
What's Happening Guide Changes
The What's Happening Guide has been retired and replaced with different communications channels and tactics. You can find the new Summer Reading Flyer here. Watch for future communications updates.
Published:
Monday, June 29, 2026 - 3:00pm
Sunday Hours Return to Central Library
Sunday hours return to Central Library. Beginning July 5, Central is open Noon to 5pm. Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown branches are also open Sundays, 1 to 5pm. hpl.ca/hours
Published:
Monday, June 29, 2026 - 1:00pm
Study Halls Pause for Summer Break
After Hours Study Hall is not available in July and August. Hours will resume Tuesday, September 8. www.hpl.ca/study-halls
Published:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - 3:00pm
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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.
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Canadiana Collection
The Canadiana collection includes books about Canada, written by Canadians, published by Canadians, or having something to do with the history of Canada.
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Research Your House
Research your house with our wealth of resources useful in historical building research.
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Genealogy: Research Your Family
Local History & Archives has many resources to help you research your family history.
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History of the Local History & Archives Department
A brief history of the LH&A Department of Hamilton Public Library
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Government Documents Collection
Access more than 70,000 free Canadian Government publications, digitized by Internet Archive Canada.
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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.
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Historical Records of the City of Hamilton
Historical records for the City of Hamilton
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City Directories
City Directories show an alphabetical listing of street addresses which can be cross-referenced with an alphabetical listing of surnames.
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Local History and Archives on Historypin
Historypin is an image-mapping project using archival photographs
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Rare and Unusual
There are many rare and wonderful treasures in Local History and Archives.
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The "Where-to-Look" Index
This amazing resource is an up-to-date source for finding information about Hamilton in Local History and Archives
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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
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Where is LHA?
Visit Local History and Archives at Central Branch, 3rd floor.
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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.
