Study Hall on Thursday, May 21, is cancelled due to plumbing maintenance. Study Hall will resume on Monday, May 25. Thank you for your patience.
Turner Park - Study Hall Cancellation
Published:
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - 12:00pm
Staff Professional Development Day - All Branches Closed
All HPL Branches are closed on Friday May 29, for Staff Professional Development. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access service is not available. Regular service hours resume on Saturday May 30.
Visit our Virtual Branch at hpl.ca for our online resources and collections.
Published:
Thursday, May 14, 2026 - 12:00pm
Greensville Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order
The accessible washroom at Greensville Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 10:15am
Central Library: Children's Area Renovation on 2nd Floor
Renovations are currently underway for the 2nd Floor Central Children's Area. Programs are still being offered as scheduled and there is a temporary pop-up Children’s Area on the northeast side of the 2nd Floor (near the Piano Room), including access to collections and train tables. Construction is expected to be completed by late Spring. Thank you for your patience.
Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 9:00am
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
The History of the Bookmobile
HPL staff, including Chief Librarian Freda Waldon, with the Travelling Branch on December 4, 1956
Mayor Lloyd D. Jackson and Freda Waldon, Chief Librarian with the HPL Schools Branch on April 15, 1961
Our library on wheels is a very special and unique part of HPL’s public services, allowing us to go beyond the brick and mortar and connect with our many communities in the city of Hamilton.
The first time there was a mention of having a travelling branch for the Hamilton Public Library was in an article in Globe & Mail dated November 16, 1949. Then Chief Librarian Freda Waldon mentioned the idea of having a travelling branch whose chief function was to serve outlying areas beyond a one mile radius from existing library branches. It wasn’t until May 7, 1954 that talks of a possible bookmobile was discussed in city council.
Two years later, on December 20, 1956, the first bookmobile rolled onto the streets of Hamilton.
In a Hamilton Spectator article dated January 5, 1957, they talked about how the five stops of the Bookmobile were very popular among children, citing an example of one boy who went back five times, each time bringing someone with him and encouraging them to register for a library card. Another proof of the Bookmobile’s popularity was its February 1957 circulation exceeding that of the Main Library’s circulation.
Now, the Hamilton Public Library has two bookmobiles and services 12 neighbourhood stops and 25 senior residences. For 2014, the Bookmobile’s circulation was at around 123,000. Since October 1973, our bookmobiles have also offered movies in its collection.
The Bookmobile will continue to serve communities that do not have a library branch in their vicinity and provide materials for seniors who cannot travel far anymore. Our friendly staff will surely provide a personalized service and find the perfect material for you.
Find a Bookmobile stop near you!
Children visiting the HPL Schools Branch circa 1950s
