Bookmobile Stop Cancelled

Due to campus events, McMaster University's Bookmobile Visits for today (August 26) and Tuesday, September 2 (3:30-4:30 pm) have been cancelled. Service is expected to resume on Tuesday, September 9. Thank you for your understanding.

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Affected Branch: Bookmobile
Nearest Branches: 
Bookmobile Stop: 
Published:
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 - 12:00pm
Cogeco Email Issues

Cogeco is blocking emails from donotreply@hpl.ca. The estimated time of disruption is unknown as they work through the technical issue. Thank you for your patience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 - 10:30am
Carlisle Branch Accessible Door Out of Order

The accessibility door at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly.

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Affected Branch: Carlisle Branch
Published:
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 - 10:15am
Turner Park Branch- Facility Access

Parking lots, the main entrance and the exterior drop box are currently unavailable. Please use alternate entrances and parking as directed on-site.

Published:
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - 2:30pm
Turner Park - Mid-Day Fire Drill, September 3

Due to a mid-day fire drill, Turner Park Branch and Les Chater Family YMCA are closed for a fire drill from noon-1 pm. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Thursday, August 14, 2025 - 1:00pm
Kenilworth Branch - Upcoming Temporary Closure

Due to roof repair maintenance, the Branch is temporarily closed from September 2 until October 10. Please visit Parkdale and Barton locations as your nearest branches for your library needs. Thank you for your understanding.

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Published:
Monday, August 11, 2025 - 8:00am
Public Computers - Audio Volume

Please note that the audio volume levels on our public computers are having issues. The estimated time of disruption is unknown at this time. Thank you for your patience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Thursday, May 29, 2025 - 4:00pm
Mount Hope Branch Accessibile Ramp Not Available

The accessibility ramp at Mount Hope Branch is damaged. The handrail is not available. The ramp will not be available while being repaired. We aim to fix it quickly.

Published:
Friday, May 23, 2025 - 4:30pm

Historical Ancaster

Established in 1792, Ancaster was briefly known as Wilson’s Mills, after James Wilson who had established a saw and gristmill there. The location was ideal as the Mohawk Road was in existence and at the time was one of the major transportation routes in Upper Canada, connecting the Niagara Peninsula with the northern interior. The following year, the community came to be known as the Township of Ancaster, taking its name from Ancaster, a community located south of the city of Lincoln in the Lincolnshire District of England. The Township of Ancaster became a part of Wentworth County in 1816.

Located beside the natural break in the Niagara Escarpment, and beside a significant creek flowing over it, the police village of Ancaster became the location of a large number of mills that took advantage of the available waterpower. When the government of Upper Canada decided that its capital, Newark (now known as Niagara-on-the-Lake) was located too close to the American border, the choice for the new capital was between Ancaster and York (now Toronto). Ancaster’s pre-eminence at the Head of Lake Ontario region began to decline with the opening of the Burlington Canal, connecting Hamilton Harbour with Lake Ontario, in the 1820’s. Among other factors, competition with the Town of Dundas whose location was on more favourable transportation routes (York Road, Governor’s Road, etc.) led to Ancaster’s dominant commercial position in the area.

By the mid-19th century, the City of Hamilton had attained the dominant position among municipalities and Ancaster was a relative stable, if not declining, community in terms of population, economic activity etc. With the construction of the Hamilton and Brantford Electric Railway reached as far as Ancaster in 1907, the character of the village started to change. More and more Hamilton businessmen found it convenient to work in the city’s downtown core, commuting back and forth to their homes in the expanding residential surveys in Ancaster. At the same time, the Hamilton Golf and Country Club relocated from its course in the west end of the city (now Chedoke Golf Course). Internationally famous golf course designer H.S. Colt laid out the Ancaster location for the Hamilton Golf and Country Club. It remains one of Ontario’s and Canada’s finest golf courses.

In 1973 Bill 155 created the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth. As of January 1, 1974, the predominately rural Township of Ancaster as well as the village of Ancaster itself became known as the Town of Ancaster. On January 1, 2002, the Town of Ancaster was amalgamated with several other communities to form the City of Hamilton. Although the formal end of the municipal body known as the Town of Ancaster happened at that time, Ancaster retains a strong community identity and pride. Its history, traditions and location remain as vital components of the new city’s community of communities.