Bookmobile Service Modifications

Due to driver availability, Bookmobile is off the road for the following. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Wednesday, March 18
Swansea 10-10:30am - Cancelled
Helen Detwiler 11am-Noon - Cancelled
Warplane Museum 3-4pm - Cancelled

Friday, March 20
Winona 11am-Noon - Cancelled
Queen Victoria 3-4pm - Cancelled

Tuesday, March 24
McMaster 3:30-4:30pm - Cancelled
Greencedar 4:30-5pm (instead of 4-5pm)

Wednesday, March 26
Rockton 10:30-11:30am - Cancelled
Meadowlands 3:30-4pm - Cancelled
Bennetto 5-5:30pm (instead of 4-5:30pm)

Published:
Monday, March 16, 2026 - 10:15am
Central Library - New Library Card Check-in Process

Starting Monday, March 16, adults 18+ are required to show their Library card to access Central Library. This is a temporary measure to ensure safety for all. Thank you for your patience in advance.

Published:
Friday, March 13, 2026 - 5:45pm
Central Library - Fourth Floor Closure, March 18

The 4th Floor will be closed on Wednesday, March 18, 11:30 am-2:30 pm for a Magic Show. Makerspace and Newcomer Learning Centre will remain open. Study and work spaces, including Study Pods, are available on Floors 2-3. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 8:00am
Central Library - Fourth Floor Closure, March 21

The 4th Floor will be closed on Saturday, March 21, 9 am-4 pm, for a March Break event, SciFUN Day. Makerspace and Newcomer Learning Centre will remain open. Study and work spaces, including Study Pods, are available on Floors 2-3. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 8:00am
Concession Branch Children's Area Reduced Service

A Children's area activity table, including the children's computers at Concession Branch are unavailable due to a facility issue. We aim to fix them as soon as possible.

Published:
Monday, March 9, 2026 - 11:30am
Bookmobile Service Modifications

With the recent closure of Six Nations Public Library, HPL's Bookmobile will change its bi-weekly visits to weekly starting Friday, March 13.

Starting Tuesday, March 17, Court at Rushdale moves to bi-weekly on Tuesdays (10:30am-11am), instead of Fridays.

www.hpl.ca/bookmobile

Published:
Friday, March 6, 2026 - 1:45pm
HPL Telephone Main Line Roll Back

HPL's original phone number is back in service. Please call 905-546-3200. The 289-779-7588 number, created due to the 2024 cybersecurity incident, is also working.

Published:
Friday, March 6, 2026 - 9:15am
Valley Park Community Centre Closure

From March 23 until April 12, Valley Park Community Centre will be closed for renovations, reopening April 13. Pool and changerooms will remain closed until early summer 2026. 

Valley Park Branch will remain open during the renovations for your library needs.

www.hpl.ca/valley-park

Published:
Friday, February 27, 2026 - 11:00am
Concession Branch: Renovations

As of Monday, March 2, Concession Branch's Living Room and Makerspace areas are closed. (The next nearest Makerspaces are Sherwood and Terryberry Branches.) Seating may be limited at times. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm
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
Central Library - Living Room Renovation Preparation

Starting Tuesday February 10, the First Floor Living Room is closed due to renovation preparations. Study and work spaces are available on Floors 2-4. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Friday, February 6, 2026 - 9:00am
Carlisle Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order

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

Published:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - 12:30pm
Home > Spectator Collection Antiquarian Photographs

Spectator Collection Antiquarian Photographs

Introduction

Forty original photographs (most late 19th or early 20th century) of Hamilton and area were transferred from the Spectator Library to Special Collections [now Local History & Archives] in 1990. They have all been copied by the Hamilton Public Library photographer and (with 5 exceptions) identified, mounted and added to the Picture Collection under the following headings. The number after the heading refers to the Local History & Archives negative number.

The original photographs are in storage.

Headings

Hamilton - Schools - Queen Victoria School (#02528)

Hamilton - Streets - King Street East (Photographer Lyonde) (#02529)

Hamilton - Storms - 1898 (Main & Hughson Streets: Photographer G. Lees) (#02530)

Hamilton - Canals - Desjardins Canal (Photographer: Lyonde) (#02531)

Hamilton - Harbour (#02532)

Hamilton - Hospitals - Ontario Hospital (Photographer: William Farmer) (#02533)

Hamilton - Schools - Central School (#02534)

Hamilton - Parks - Ainslie's Woods (Photographer: Lyonde) (#02535)

Hamilton - Churches - All Saints Church (#02536)

Hamilton - Churches - St. Thomas Anglican Church (#02537)

Hamilton - Churches - Macnab Street Presbyterian Church (corner Macnab and Jackson Streets before the Sunday School was built) (#02538)

Hamilton - Schools - Murray Street School (#02539)

Hamilton - Hospitals - General Hospital (#02540)

Hamilton - Hospitals - Ontario Hospital (#02541)

Hamilton - Hotels - Ocean House (#02542)

Hamilton - Hospitals - General Hospital (#02543)

Hamilton - Hospitals - Ontario Hospital (Photographer: William Farmer, 1889) (#02544)

Hamilton - Incline Railways - Hamilton & Barton Incline Railway (#02545)

Hamilton - Industries - Sanford, W.E. Manufacturing Co. (#02546)

Hamilton - Cemeteries - Hamilton Cemetery (#02547)

Hamilton - Roads - Mountain Roads - Beckett Drive (#02548)

Hamilton - Schools - Cannon Street School (Photographer: William Farmer, 1889) (#02549)

Hamilton - Canals - Burlington Canal (Ocean House in background) (#02550)

Hamilton - Militia - Drill Hall (Photographer: William Farmer, 1889) (#02551)

Hamilton - Churches - All Saints Church (#02552)

Hamilton - Canals - Burlington Canal (#02553)

Hamilton - Schools - Hess Street School (Photographer: William Farmer, 1889)

Hamilton - Libraries - Hamilton Public Library (1890-1913) (#02555)

Hamilton - Storms - 1898 (Main Street West. Photographer: G. Lees) (#02556)

Hamilton - Organizations & Societies - Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (Photographer: C.S. Cochran) (#02557)

Hamilton - Historic Houses - Balquihidder [the photograph is actually of Wesanford] (#02558)

Unidentified lady with cello (Photographer: Lyonde) (#02559)

Hamilton - Organizations & Societies - Royal Templars of Temperance (James Street North at the north-west corner of Vine St.) (#02560)

Hamilton - School - Picton School (The corner of a shack adjoining to the east is a builder's convenience while St. Lawrence Church is being erected. Photographer: William Farmer) (#02561)

Hamilton - Schools - Collegiate Institute (Opened 1866 as Grammar School and changed in 1871 to High School and then Collegiate Institute. 1899 renovated and re-opened as Caroline Street Public School. 1930 Caroline Street Pre-Vocational School then Boy's Handicraft School. 1941 renamed F.W. McBeth School for Boys then closed. 1948 expropriated. 1949 razed) (#02562)

Hamilton - Churches - St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (#02563)

Hamilton - Schools - Ryerson School (#02564)

Waterfall (#02565)

Waterfall (#02566)

Waterfall (#02567)

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