The accessibility ramp at Mount Hope Branch is damaged. The handrail is not available. The ramp will not be available while being repaired. We aim to fix it quickly.
The Stoney Creek Arena and Millgrove Bookmobile visits on Saturday May 24 are cancelled. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Extended Access at the Freelton Branch is not working. Please visit during staffed hours. We aim to fix it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.
The Sherwood Branch has following service limitations due to construction:
- 1st Floor closed to the public
- 2nd Floor collections (teen, children, and graphic novels) available
- 2nd Floor: Limited browsing of Express Adult Fic and Express DVDs
- Holds pickup on the 2nd Floor
- Reduced number of public computers on 2nd Floor
- Printing and copying available on 2nd Floor
- Seating is reduced
- Parking, washroom and elevator access available
Please refer to hpl.ca/events for up-to-date program listings. Most programs will continue as normal on the 2nd Floor or in the basement.
All HPL Branches are closed on Friday May 30 for Staff Development. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access is not available. HPL's online card registration, catalogue and eResources are not available until 5pm due to scheduled maintenance. All branches reopen Saturday May 31.
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.
Until Saturday May 31, the Ancaster Branch is temporarily relocated to the Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Road West, Ancaster. The Wilson Street branch is closed for a roof and HVAC replacement and is expected to reopen on Monday June 2 at 9:30am.
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.
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.
Brown / Hendrie Album

After the death of Mrs. William Hendrie in 1975, her heirs sold the family home Gateside, on Aberdeen Avenue, and offered to Local History & Archives many papers, journals, scrapbooks, etc. which had been stored in the attics.
The Hendries were prominent in Hamilton from the 1850s and Mrs. Hendrie's father, Adam Brown (1826-1926) had been a Member of Parliament, Hamilton's Postmaster, a businessman, churchman, active in many charitable organizations and a promoter of all things Canadian. The correspondence covers the years from the late 1850's to 1924. The earlier letters are mostly between members of the Brown and Kough families, but with Lily Brown's marriage to William Hendrie in 1901, the Hendrie family came to play a larger part.
In terms of photographs, this collection contains a series of exterior and interior shots of the home allowing us a personal glimpse into the lifestyle of one of Hamilton’s more prominent families. The correspondence and journal give a remarkable picture of life in Hamilton over a span of nearly 75 years, and an equally remarkable picture of a Victorian family as it evolved through the First World War and its aftermath.