Online Resources and Guest WiFi Access - Sunday, October 12

Due to network maintenance, online resources and Guest Wi-Fi will not be available on Sunday, October 12, from
6 am to 5 pm. Thank you for your patience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 - 2:30pm
Bookmobile Service Modification

On Wednesday, October 8, the Helen Detwiler (320 Brigade Drive) visit has been changed to 11-11:30 am this week. Thank you for your understanding.

 

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Affected Branch: Bookmobile
Nearest Branches: 
Bookmobile Stop: 
Published:
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 - 2:00pm
Delayed Branch Openings 

The following locations have upcoming delayed openings due to Staff training drills. 

Monday, October 20 
Ancaster Branch, 10 am 

Tuesday, October 21 
Central Library, 10 am 
Sherwood Branch, 10 am 

You may visit nearby Branches for your library needs. www.hpl.ca/hours

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 - 2:00pm
Branch Closures - Thanksgiving

All HPL Branches are closed on Thanksgiving Monday, October 13. Bookmobile is off the road. Extended Access and Study Hall services are not available. Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, October 14. Our Virtual Branch is open at hpl.ca.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Monday, October 6, 2025 - 2:00pm
All Branches Closed for October 12

All branches close on Sunday, October 12, 2025 for Thanksgiving. This includes branches with Extended Access.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Monday, October 6, 2025 - 2:00pm
Bookmobile Service Modification

Due to the ongoing Mohawk College Support Staff strike, the Bookmobile visit on Monday, October 6, is cancelled. You may select Terryberry Branch as an alternative location to pick up your Holds. On Wednesday, October 8, the Helen Detwiler visit is changed to 11-11:30 am this week. 

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Affected Branch: Bookmobile
Nearest Branches: 
Published:
Friday, September 26, 2025 - 3:00pm
Interlibrary Loan Service on Pause

Interlibrary Loan (ILLO) service will be temporarily paused starting Friday, September 26, due to continued negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post. We apologize for the inconvenience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Friday, September 26, 2025 - 1:00pm
Replacement and Damage Fees

Bring back your borrowed library items (due Oct 1 or later) within 28 days to avoid a replacement or lost fee. We'll remove the fee when you bring back your overdue items. 

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Thursday, September 11, 2025 - 3:00pm
Kenilworth Branch - Temporary Closure (Sept 2 - Oct 14)

Due to roof repair maintenance, the Branch is temporarily closed from September 2 until October 14. Please visit the Red Hill, Parkdale, and Barton locations as your nearest branches for your library needs. Thank you for your patience.

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Published:
Monday, August 11, 2025 - 8:00am

Greetings from Hamilton

"... come from curiosity to see what it is ..."

Indians always seemed of great interest to travellers from the beginning. Patrick Campbell in his travels in 1791 came across a band of Indians fishing on Lake Geneva, now known as Burlington Bay, which had frozen over; "Their manner of fishing appeared to be somewhat curious. The Indian provides himself with a small spear, of two prongs each prong about six inches long, with a shaft of light wood, about ten feet long. A little false or artificial fish made of wood, so exactly formed and coloured, that it is impossible to conceive it to be any other thing than a real fish, without handling it; when in the water the deception is not to be discovered. A little lead is put into the body of this image to make it sink; a hole is made in the ice, into which the fisherman drops the image, suspended by a small piece of twine, of about a fathom or two long, so exactly fitted in the middle as to make it balance; he then lays flat on his face at the side of the hole, which, as well as himself, he covers with his blanket so close that no light can get in from above; holding the twine in one hand and his spear in the other he tugs and works the thread to make his little fish play, as if alive in the water, which being observed by a ravenous fish, he makes at it to snap it up, and the others who are not so, come from curiosity to see what it is that makes this little fish so sportive and playful, and continue for some time swimming about, which gives a fair opportunity to the Indian, who is ever watchful, to strike them with his spear."

Mr. Campbell also tells of a phenomenal tourist attraction that Hamilton boasts of - a volcano. However, only the Indians knew where it was located and they were not telling.

"Dr. Kerr, of the Indian department, told me he meant to search for it next summer, and flattered himself he would find it out. Whatever is the cause of this singular phenomenon, it must be very deep in the bowels of the earth, as no smoke issues from it, or any crevice or opening to be seen about it."