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Central Library Notice
On April 13, 2021 HPL was notified that a person working at Central Library tested positive for COVID-19. They were last on site on April 8.
The person was wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and maintained physical distancing. Central has been cleaned thoroughly multiple times since April 8.
Please contact Public Health or your healthcare professional if you experience symptoms. We wish them a quick and full recovery. Please continue to monitor yourself for symptoms and stay home when sick.
HPL will issue updates as directed by Hamilton Public Health.
Affected Branch:
Publish Date:
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 - 12:15pm
HPL Catalogue New Look
A new look is coming to HPL's catalogue on Tuesday April 20. Explore and enjoy larger book cover images, simpler tools, easier navigation and other design improvements.
Publish Date:
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 - 12:00pm
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 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
