Daily print balances for black and white and colour printing change January 2, 2026. The new daily print balance is 40 cents. Members receive four free black and white copies or two free colour copies.
Large format and vinyl printing pricing also change on January 2. Visit https://www.hpl.ca/makerspaces for updates.
Due to limited Staffing, Lynden Branch will be open today from 1-6pm with Extended Access services only. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Bookmobile is off the road from December 25-27, December 31, and January 1st. Visit www.hpl.ca/bookmobile for our Holiday Schedule.
Due to the setup for the Noon Hour Concert, the Fourth Floor at Central Library will be closed on Friday, January 2. Makerspace and Newcomer Learning Centre will remain open. Floors 1-3 have spaces to work and study.
All branches close on Friday, December 26, 2025 for Boxing Day . This includes branches with Extended Access.
All HPL Branches close early on Wednesday, December 24 at 1pm. All locations are also closed on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, and Boxing Day, Friday, December 26. Visit www.hpl.ca/hours for our Holiday Schedule.
All HPL Branches close early on Wednesday, December 31 at 1pm. All locations are also closed on New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1st. Regular service hours resume on Friday, January 2. www.hpl.ca/hours
All branches close on Thursday, December 25, for Christmas. This includes branches with Extended Access.
All branches close on Sunday, December 28, 2025. This includes branches with Extended Access.
All branches close on Thursday January 1 for New Years Day. This includes branches with Extended Access.
Branch Study Halls are paused Friday, December 19, 2025 through Monday, January 5, 2026. Central Library Study Hall hours resume Spring 2026.
www.hpl.ca/study-halls
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.
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."
