Staff Professional Development Day - All Branches Closed

All HPL Branches are closed on Friday, May 29, for Staff Professional Development Day. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access service is not available. Regular service hours resume on Saturday, May 30.

Visit our Virtual Branch at hpl.ca for our online resources and collections.

Published:
Thursday, May 14, 2026 - 12:00pm
Concession Branch - Filming in the Area

Please note that filming will take place nearby on the following dates.

May 18 – Filming Preparation (All Day)

May 19 – Filming (7am – 4pm), Concession Street (between Upper Wentworth and East 21st)

  • BIA Patio at 534 Concession will be temporarily removed on May 18 and reinstalled on May 20.
  • Traffic flow may be disrupted, and some parking spaces will be occupied by production vehicles and equipment.
Published:
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 8:00am
Greensville Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order

The accessible washroom at Greensville Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.

Published:
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 10:15am
All Branches Closed - Sunday, May 17

All HPL Branches are closed on Sunday, May 17. Bookmobile is off the road. Extended Access service is not available.

Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, May 19. Visit hpl.ca for our Virtual Branch.

Published:
Monday, May 11, 2026 - 10:15am
All Branches Closed - Victoria Day, Monday, May 18

All HPL Branches are closed on Monday, May 18. Bookmobile is off the road. Extended Access and Study Hall services are not available. Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, May 19. 

Published:
Monday, May 11, 2026 - 10:15am
Bookmobile Service Modification

Due to Driver availability, Bookmobile has the following schedule modifications for the month of May. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Wednesday, May 13:               

  • Swansea - Cancelled
  • Helen Detwiler - Cancelled
  • Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum - Cancelled

Thursday, May 14:                

  • Rockton - Cancelled
  • Mohawk Gardens - Cancelled
  • Meadowlands - Cancelled

Monday, May 18: All Bookmobile sites closed

Published:
Monday, May 4, 2026 - 12:00pm
Software Maintenance - Victoria Day, Monday, May 18

Due to software maintenance, HPL library's catalogue, online services and library accounts will not be available between 8am and 7pm on Monday, May 18. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Friday, April 24, 2026 - 9:00am
Central Library: Children's Area Renovation on 2nd Floor

Renovations are currently underway for the 2nd floor Central Children's Area. Programs are still being offered as scheduled and there is a temporary pop-up Children’s Area on the northeast side of the 2nd floor (near the Piano Room), including access to collections and train tables. Construction is expected to be completed by late Spring. Thank you for your patience during this time.

Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 9:00am
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

Greetings from Hamilton

"She was most intrigued with the variety of plants ..."

Shortly, after Campbell 's journey, one of Hamilton 's better known tourists arrived; Mrs. John Graves Simcoe. She was most intrigued with the variety of plants in the area. Mr. Green (Billy Green the scout's father) named them all for her to write down:

"Ginseng...sarsaparilla, golden thread ... consumption vine... Poison vine...Madder, toothache plant... sore throat weed; dragon's blood; Adam and Eve ... droppings of beech; enchanter's nightshade ... dewberries; wild turnip..."

Her experience with the food of the area was slightly more appealing than the Rev. Christmas'.

"They prepared me some refreshment at this house, some excellent cakes, baked on the coals; eggs; a boiled black squirrel; tea, and coffee made of peas, which was good; they said coffee was better'. The sugar was made from black walnut trees, which looks darker than that from the maple, but I think it is sweeter."

She stayed at the King's Head Inn, where most of the earliest travellers stayed. It would have been of particular, interest to her as it had been ordered erected "for the accommodation of travellers" by her husband.

"It is beautifully situated at a small portage which leads from the head of a natural canal connecting Burlington Bay with Lake Ontario , and is a good landmark. There are eight rooms in this house, besides low wings behind it, joined by a colonnade, where are the offices. It is a pretty plan. I breakfasted in a room to the S.E., which commands the view of the lake on the south shore, of which we discern the Point of the Forty-Mile Creek, Jones' Point and some other houses. From the rooms to the N.W. we see Flamborough Head and Burlington Bay . The sand cliffs on the north shore of Burlington Bay look like red rocks. The beach is like a park covered with large, spreading oaks."