Starting Monday, March 16, adults 18+ are required to show their Library card to access Central Library. This is a temporary measure to ensure safety for all. Thank you for your patience in advance.
The 4th Floor will be closed on Wednesday, March 18, 11:30 am-2:30 pm for a Magic Show. Makerspace and Newcomer Learning Centre will remain open. Study and work spaces, including Study Pods, are available on Floors 2-3. Thank you for your patience.
The 4th Floor will be closed on Saturday, March 21, 9 am-4 pm, for a March Break event, SciFUN Day. Makerspace and Newcomer Learning Centre will remain open. Study and work spaces, including Study Pods, are available on Floors 2-3. Thank you for your patience.
A Children's area activity table, including the children's computers at Concession Branch are unavailable due to a facility issue. We aim to fix them as soon as possible.
With the recent closure of Six Nations Public Library, HPL's Bookmobile will change its bi-weekly visits to weekly starting Friday, March 13.
Starting Tuesday, March 17, Court at Rushdale moves to bi-weekly on Tuesdays (10:30am-11am), instead of Fridays.
HPL's original phone number is back in service. Please call 905-546-3200. The 289-779-7588 number, created due to the 2024 cybersecurity incident, is also working.
From March 23 until April 12, Valley Park Community Centre will be closed for renovations, reopening April 13. Pool and changerooms will remain closed until early summer 2026.
Valley Park Branch will remain open during the renovations for your library needs.
As of Monday, March 2, Concession Branch's Living Room and Makerspace areas are closed. (The next nearest Makerspaces are Sherwood and Terryberry Branches.) Seating may be limited at times. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
As of Monday, March 2, Sherwood Branch's 2nd floor is closed due to renovations. Makerspace, Children and Teen's collection are temporarily available on the 1st floor. All programs will be held in the basement program room. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Starting Tuesday February 10, the First Floor Living Room is closed due to renovation preparations. Study and work spaces are available on Floors 2-4. Thank you for your patience.
The accessible washroom at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Regional Collection
What is the CCBC Regional Collection?
Hamilton Public Library’s Local History and Archives (LHA) houses a collection of 18,000 children’s books published between 1976 and 2024 and written by authors such as Robert Munsch, Gordon Korman, David Robertson and Kathy Stinson.
Where did this collection come from?
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre donated part of its vast collection to Hamilton Public Library in February 2020. The rest of its collection is dispersed across the country at the Education Library at the University of British Columbia, the Rutherford Library at the University of Alberta, the Elizabeth Dafoe Library at the University of Manitoba, the Mount Saint Vincent University Library in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and eventually the Toronto Metropolitan University Library. Other regional collections may include published works after 2024.
What is the purpose of the CCBC Regional Collection?
The purpose of the collection is to preserve Canada’s literary history and provide the public with access to this vast collection of published works. This collection is ideal for studying the history of children’s publishing in Canada or exploring a large selection of Canadian children’s books.
Where will the collection be on display?
A small selection of this collection is on display in LHA on the 3rd Floor of Central Library.
How can members access the collection?
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Members must visit LHA on the 3rd Floor at Central Library to request specific title(s). Titles are added weekly to this extensive catalogue.
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LHA Staff will locate the item(s) during regular business hours. It may take time due to the thousands of items in the collection.
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Accessing CCBC material is subject to LHA Reading Room Rules of Use. Members must show their identification (library card or other valid ID). These are non-circulating material(s) and must stay in the Reading Room. The Reading Room is a quiet study area. Food is not permitted and water must be in a sealed container.
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When finished, Members should return the CCBC item(s) to Staff at the LHA Information Desk.
How can a Member tell if an item is part of the CCBC collection?
It is listed in the catalogue as Canadian Children's Book Centre and In-Library Use Only.
Can CCBC materials be checked out?
No. CCBC materials can only be used in the Reading Room of LHA. (see above). Members who want to check out a title can ask Staff for help locating a circulating copy.
Additional Information









