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.
Concession Branch Children's Area Reduced Service
Published:
Monday, March 9, 2026 - 11:30am
Bookmobile Service Modifications
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.
Published:
Friday, March 6, 2026 - 1:45pm
HPL Telephone Main Line Roll Back
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.
Published:
Friday, March 6, 2026 - 9:15am
Valley Park Community Centre Closure
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.
Published:
Friday, February 27, 2026 - 11:00am
Concession Branch: Renovations
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.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Sherwood Branch: Renovations
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.
Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
Central Library - Living Room Renovation Preparation
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.
Published:
Friday, February 6, 2026 - 9:00am
Carlisle Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order
The accessible washroom at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - 12:30pm
Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway Locomotive #51 “Oberon”
The Great Western Railway Company of Canada Papers (1862-1879) were presented to the Hamilton Public Library by Mr. Frank Jones in September 1966, along with an interesting story about their being saved from destruction, as recounted below:
"In November 1963, a Canadian National Railway storehouse at the foot of Queen Street North in Hamilton was destroyed with all of its contents by order of the railway management. The storehouse contained all of the papers and records of the Great Western Railway Company of Canada from, probably, about 1854 until its absorption by the Grand Trunk Railway in 1882.
Employees of the Steel Company of Canada at their Ontario Works, which property adjoins the railway yard, picked up a few sheets which had blown onto the Steel Company property and brought them to Mr. Frank Jones of the Industrial Relations General Office. Realizing their value and historical importance, Mr. Jones at once made enquiries about the preservation of the rest of the records, but by that time it was too late.
Thus the early railroad paylists, casualty reports, time sheets, and in fact, most of the papers connected with the beginning of the railroad history in Hamilton were destroyed by persons in authority who lacked all sense of the value of early railroad documents.
The papers were presented to the Hamilton Public Library in September of 1966 by Mr. Frank Jones."
Mary Harrington Farmer
September 1966
1. Pay lists
Dec. 21, 1862 - Jan. 3, 1863 Windsor inside loco dept. - 1
Jan. 4 - 17, 1863 Mechanical dept. - 2
Jan. 4 - 17, 1863 Windsor inside loco dept. - 3
Jan. 18 - 31, 1863 Mechanical dept. - 4
Jan. 18 - 31, 1863 Windsor inside loco dept. - 5
Feb. 1 - 14, 1863 Mechanical dept. - 6
Feb. 1 - 14, 1863 Hamilton inside loco dept. - 7 to 12
Jan. 4 - 17, 1863 Hamilton inside loco dept. - 13 to 18
Jan. 18 - 31, 1863 Hamilton inside loco dept. - 19 to 24
Jan. 4 - 17, 1863 Niagara Toronto inside loco dept. - 25
Jan. 4 - 17, 1863 London inside loco dept. - 26
Jan. 18 - 31, 1863 Niagara toronto inside loco dept. - 27
Jan. 18 - 31, 1863 London inside loco dept. - 28
2. a. Time Sheets
Pages 29 to 75
August 1875
October 1875
December 1875
February 1876
April 1876
June 1876
August 1876
For:
E. Burk
W. Pouley
W. Steers
J. Lister
C. Farr
M. Mullin
A. Collins
2. b. Time Sheets
Pages 76 to 103
May 1878
July 1878
September 1878
November 1878
January 1879
March 1879
May 1879
For:
W. McLean
J. Sullavan
E. Richardson
H.F. Kivell
J. McGrory
E.L. Richardson
A. McDonald
J. Males
G. Bunn
J. Brierley
M. McCardall
3. Engine drivers' returns
Aug. 6, 1881 Engine no. 116 - 104
Aug. 6, 1881 Engine no. 344 - 105
Aug. 7, 1881 Engine no. 344 - 106
Aug. 8, 1881 Engine no. 344 - 107
Aug. 8, 1881 Engine no. 116 - 108
4. Casualty reports
July 11, 1874 Hamilton station - 109 to 110
Feb. 25, 1876 St. Thomas station - 111 to 112
5. Telegraphic train order
Dec. 24, 18-- Order to train no. 12 at Galt - 113
-------- Printed instructions to train
operators, by C. Stiff,
superintendent - 114
