Ancaster Branch is closing early April 29 2025, due to a power outage. We aim to have it restored quickly.
Ancaster Branch - Closed due to Power Outage
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Published:
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 6:00pm
Internet outage at Valley Park Branch
The internet at Valley Park Branch is working intermittently. We apologize for the inconvenience.
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Published:
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 5:00pm
Turner Park Branch - Roof Repair
Due to the ongoing roof repair project, noise and parking disruptions are expected to continue until the end of June. Thank you for your patience.
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Published:
Monday, April 28, 2025 - 10:00am
Extended Access at Freelton Branch Unavailable
Extended Access at Freelton Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly. Apologies for the inconvenience.
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Published:
Thursday, April 24, 2025 - 12:00pm
Ancaster Branch - Temporary Closure, May 5-31
From Monday, May 5 to Saturday, May 31, the Ancaster Branch will be temporarily closed due to a roof and HVAC replacement. During this time, service hours will be available at the Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Road West, Ancaster. The last day to pick up your Holds is Thursday, May 1st. Thank you for your understanding.
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Published:
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - 11:00am
Central Library - Microfilm Machine
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.
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Published:
Thursday, April 10, 2025 - 3:30pm
Sherwood Branch - Basement Renovation
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
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Published:
Monday, April 7, 2025 - 8:30am
Phishing Scheme
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.
All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Thursday, April 3, 2025 - 10:30am
Research Your House
New House in Westdale
Various sources can be used to document the history of a building. Except for well-known Hamilton-area homes, most do not have a ready-made history to consult. Therefore, the researcher must construct a history from scratch using available sources. This process can take time, and unfortunately, some properties may have very few, if any, historical records. To support your research, please refer to the Houses and Property Research Guide.
Local History and Archives contains various potentially useful resources to research houses. These records include:
These directories show names, addresses and telephone numbers for the Hamilton-Wentworth region.
Researchers and genealogists use city directories to trace individuals, families and businesses. They usually include an alphabetical listing of adult residents, with their occupations and addresses.
Tax assessment records help accurately date a building's construction and disclose its original owner and list of occupants.
These records detail the chain of ownership of a property using plan and lot number.
Local History and Archives has several large scale maps that show the shape, size and exact location of individual buildings.
If your building was known by a name in addition to its address, you can search under that heading in our card catalogue. In the Local History and Archives reading room, check the Where-to-Look card catalogue under Hamilton – Street Address and Number or Hamilton – Name of house for a citation to the Image Collection. You can also check photographs of the street the house is located on to see if your building is shown.
There are also specialized finding aids for other collections available in Local History and Archives.
To obtain more information about the people associated with the building, you may wish to check family papers, clipping files, census returns, genealogical indexes, funeral home indexes, cemetery indexes, promotional booklets, photographs, local publications and other sources within Local History and Archives.
Check in the Where-to-Look under the surname or ask for assistance at the Local History and Archives Information Desk.
There are also invaluable records that can be requested through the City of Hamilton's Property Record Search and through the Ontario Land Registry (OnLand).
