Branch Closures - Thanksgiving

All HPL Branches are closed on Sunday, October 12, and Thanksgiving Monday, October 13. Bookmobile is off the road. Extended Access and Study Hall services are not available. Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, October 14. Our Virtual Branch is open at hpl.ca.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Friday, October 3, 2025 - 2:00pm
Bookmobile Service Modification

Due to the ongoing Mohawk College Support Staff strike, the Bookmobile visit on Monday, October 6, is cancelled. You may select Terryberry Branch as an alternative location to pick up your Holds. On Wednesday, October 8, the Helen Detwiler visit is changed to 11-11:30 am this week. 

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Affected Branch: Bookmobile
Nearest Branches: 
Published:
Friday, September 26, 2025 - 3:00pm
Interlibrary Loan Service on Pause

Interlibrary Loan (ILLO) service will be temporarily paused starting Friday, September 26, due to continued negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post. We apologize for the inconvenience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Friday, September 26, 2025 - 1:00pm
Replacement and Damage Fees

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. 

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Thursday, September 11, 2025 - 3:00pm
Kenilworth Branch - Temporary Closure (Sept 2 - Oct 14)

Due to roof repair maintenance, the Branch is temporarily closed from September 2 until October 14. Please visit the Red Hill, Parkdale, and Barton locations as your nearest branches for your library needs. Thank you for your patience.

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Published:
Monday, August 11, 2025 - 8:00am

Junior Librarian-in-eResidence

Ainara Alleyne seated beside a pile of HPL books.

That's a wrap! Thanks to Ainara Alleyne, our first Junior Librarian in Residence for her time, energy and passion. Stay tuned for updates on how you can apply to be our next Junior Librarian in Residence. 


Hamilton Public Library welcomed our first Junior Librarian-in-eResidence, Ainara Alleyne from January 2021 to December 2021. She is a Grade 6 student who loves to read and recommend books that celebrate diversity and culture through characters and themes. 

Looking for school age reader recommendations? Complete the Which Book Next online form to receive Librarian approved print and/or digital materials. With over 67 hand-selected fiction and non-fiction titles, there’s a variety of books or eBooks for children and teens.

The achievements of Viola Desmond — the woman who appears on our $10 — is cause for celebration. Ainara explains why in this video. Learn more about Viola in this Discover at Home activity page.

CBC logoWatch CBC's The National recent interview with the avid reader, at HPL's Turner Park Branch.
Ainara discusses how her love of reading has evolved and shaped her reading choices.

Learn more about Ainara in a recent CBC News article.

2021 Just One Wish Kindness Award RecipientAnia, HPLs Junior Librarian in Residence holding her award

Congratulations to our 2021 Junior Librarian-in-eResidence, Ainara, who received a 2021 Just One Wish Kindness Award. The award recognizes Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board students age 4-18 who show kindness to themselves, peers, and the community.

Ainara, 12, is notable for creating Ainara’s Bookshelf on Instagram. Her mission: to find, read, recommend and celebrate books featuring diverse characters. Since January 2021 she has been doing the same as HPL’s Junior Librarian-in-eResidence.