Construction at Concession Branch

Due to construction at the Concession Branch hours are changing temporarily, beginning Fri Aug 7 to mid-September.
Mon-Thu 5-7pm
Fri Closed
Sat 9am-5pm

Published:
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 - 1:15pm
Bookmobile Schedule Modifications

Thu, Aug 6:

  • The 10:30-11:30am Rockton Visit is cancelled. Service is expected to resume next week.

Fri, Aug 7:                    

  • Due to driver availability, all Bookmobile visits are cancelled. Service is expected to resume next week.

Tues, Aug 18:                 

  • The 10:30-11am Visit to the Court at Rushdale is Cancelled

Sat, Aug 22:              

  • Pride Hamilton (Visit Bookmobile 9:30am-4:30pm at Pier 4 Park - 64 Leander Dr.) - All Visits Cancelled (Stoney Creek Arena 10-11am, Riverdale 11:15am-12:15pm and Discovery Centre 2:30-4pm).

Published:
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 - 9:30am
Kenilworth Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order

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

Published:
Thursday, July 30, 2026 - 5:45pm
New Loan Periods - Effective Monday, August 31

As of Monday, August 31, new loan periods will come into effect to shorten the wait time for popular hold items.

DVD Express - 3 days

DVDs and Blu-rays - 7 days (fiction, children's and languages) 

Magazines - 7 days

Bestseller Express - 14 days

DVDs and Blu-rays - 14 days (non-fiction and TV series)

Books - 21 days

Music/Books on CD and Children's Express - 21 days

Please visit www.hpl.ca/borrowing for more details.

Published:
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 - 2:30pm
Study Halls Pause for Summer Break

After Hours Study Hall is not available in July and August. Hours will resume Tuesday, September 8. www.hpl.ca/study-halls

Published:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - 3:00pm

Desjardins Canal Disaster Illustrations

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

The Toronto Railway train breaking through the tressle bridge over the Des Jardines Canal, falling sixty feet into the gulf below. From a sketch by Col. Frank Foster, of Philadelphia. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 265.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

Frightful Accident on the Great Western Railway, March 12th, 1857. Toronto, Ont.: L.D. Campbell, [1857?]. (Original Photographs Collection. Local History & Archives. Hamilton Public Library.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

View of the Disaster of the Great Western Railway at the Desjardins Canal Bridge, Hamilton, C.W. on Thursday March 12, 1857. Hamilton, Ont.: Spectator Office, [1857?]. (Original Photographs Collection. Local History & Archives. Hamilton Public Library.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

View of the accident taken N.W. from Hamilton Bay, suspension bridge in the background. From a photograph by D.C. Beere, Esq. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 272.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

The people living in the vicinity of the broken bridge, hunting around the ruins for the dead and wounded. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 272)

A sketch depicting railway conductors raising the crashed train cars at the scene of the Desjardins Canal disaster in 1857.

The conductors of the railway raising the ruins of the cars. From a sketch by Mr. Lum. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 273.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

Relations and friends searching among the dead bodies laid out in the large room adjoining the station house. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 277.)

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Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

The conductor and two passengers jumping from the last car as it was going over the precipice. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 277.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

Grappling in the canal for the dead. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 277.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

Passengers crossing the canal on the rafts. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 277.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

The German rescuing his friend from the car window. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 277.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

The rescue of the little girl from a cake of floating ice. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 277.)

Desjardins Canal disaster, 1857

The Doyle children carried up the hill by their preserver and a passenger. (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 4 April 1857: 277.)