All branches closed on Friday, April 18, 2025 for Good Friday. This includes branches with Extended Access.
All branches closed on Sunday, April 20, 2025 for Easter Sunday. This includes branches with Extended Access.
All branches closed on Monday, April 21, 2025 for Easter Monday. This includes branches with Extended Access.
The digital microfilm machines at Central Library are not working. A single analog machine is available, but it doesn't print. We aim to have the digital devices repaired as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Due to the ongoing roof repair project, noise and parking disruptions will continue until April 19. Thank you for your patience.
The first phase of renovations will begin at the Sherwood Branch from April 10 to May 2. During this time, noise disruptions may occur throughout the branch due to a basement renovation. Parking, access to the building, and collections will not be affected. Thank you for your patience. www.hpl.ca/sherwood
Please be aware of online phishing attempts impersonating Hamilton Public Library and Library Staff. HPL does not solicit paid freelance opportunities through social media or other messaging applications. HPL does not request personal or banking information through social media or require financial compensation when reviewing job applications. Please report phishing schemes to communications@hpl.ca. If you think you are a victim of fraud, please call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
Online Images

The City of Hamilton's cybersecurity-related outage has affected some of the services offered by HPL. Our online image database PreView is unavailable, and we are unable to provide a timeline for its return. Some images, such as postcards, can be found online on Flickr. You are also welcome to visit the archives where photographs are available by request. Kindly note that such requests require specific subjects or people of interest, which can be researched in our Where-to-Look Index.
PreVIEW is your portal to our digital image collection. More than 13,000 images are available at present, with more being added all the time.
PreVIEW features images from many of our image collections, and depicts locations from all over the world, with a particular focus on Hamilton's local history. In fact, most of the images featured on the Local History & Archives website, which you are currently using, are freely available on PreVIEW.
The city of Hamilton's cybersecurity-related outage has affected some of HPL's services. Our online image database, PreVIEW, is unavailable, and we are not able to provide a timeline for its return. Some images, such as postcards, can still be found online on Flickr.