The public computers and printing are not available at all branches today starting at 1pm due to emergency maintenance. The work is expected to take the remainder of the day.
Due to poor air quality, Bookmobile has the following cancellations for Friday, July 17:
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Winona (11am-12pm)
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Queen Victoria (3-4pm)
Regular service is expected to return next week. Thank you for your understanding.
An Orange Air Quality Warning has been initiated for the City of Hamilton by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks beginning July 15, 2026. This alert will remain in effect until a cancellation notice is issued.
Stay safe, Hamilton. www.hpl.ca/hours
Due to online maintenance, Members can not access HPL's catalogue, online services and resources on Sunday, July 19 from 5am-10am. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
As of July 1st, partner library Members can no longer borrow HPL Express items via Overdrive. More to Borrow partner libraries will be offering Lucky Express (Skip the line) titles to their cardholders only. This will help manage wait times for popular titles. Lucky Express is a collection of in demand titles with a seven-day loan period, available with no wait.
Our partners will still be able to borrow titles from the rest of our collection.
www.hpl.ca/more-to-borrow
The What's Happening Guide has been retired and replaced with different communications channels and tactics. You can find the new Summer Reading Flyer here. Watch for future communications updates.
Sunday hours return to Central Library. Beginning July 5, Central is open Noon to 5pm. Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park and Waterdown branches are also open Sundays, 1 to 5pm. hpl.ca/hours
After Hours Study Hall is not available in July and August. Hours will resume Tuesday, September 8. www.hpl.ca/study-halls
LGBT2SQ+ Community Archive
Updated May 1, 2025
Michael Johnstone fonds is the founding collection of the Hamilton 2SLGBTQ+ Community Archive at Hamilton Public Library (HPL).
HPL's Local History and Archives Staff are very familiar with this Archive; it is well organized and described. It is a large Archive with some restrictions for privacy; researchers are asked to schedule a research visit by phone or email.
You can find more information here: https://archives.hpl.ca/index.php/michael-johnstone-fond
Updated July 3, 2018
Hamilton Public Library is grateful to Michael Johnstone for his founding donation to our new LGBT2SQ+ Community Archive. Michael has lovingly captured more than 50 years of Hamilton’s LGBT2SQ+ history – serving as a self-appointed archivist for a segment of the population that has long been marginalized. The collection contains news clippings, photos, meeting minutes, newsletters and more.
The donation was accepted by our Chief Librarian Paul Takala, on Sunday June 17, 2018 during the Hamilton Pride celebration at Gage Park. It will be housed in our Local History & Archives department at Central Library, for the betterment of our fine City and its many rainbow residents.
Thank you very much, Michael.






