Please note the following service changes.
Saturdays
Riverdale (150 Violet Drive): 11:15 am-12:15 pm (previously stopped on Tuesdays at 11 am-12 pm)
Discovery Centre (Pier 8, Seasonal): 2:30-4 pm (new time)
Please note the following service changes.
Saturdays
Riverdale (150 Violet Drive): 11:15 am-12:15 pm (previously stopped on Tuesdays at 11 am-12 pm)
Discovery Centre (Pier 8, Seasonal): 2:30-4 pm (new time)
The Branch is open today, Friday, January 9. Our elevator by the parking lot entrance is out of order.
To use our second elevator, enter through the Mohawk Road entrance (which features a ramp) and use the elevator located in the middle of the building. The estimated time of disruption is unknown. Thank you for your understanding.
The following eResources have been recently discontinued in our HPL collections: Novelist, Summa, Summa Kids, and Northstar Digital Literacy. Please visit www.hpl.ca/articles/read-watch-listen for our full listing of online resources for your next read, watch, listen and/or learn.
The accessibility door at Waterdown Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly.
Daily print balances for black and white and colour printing change January 2, 2026. The new daily print balance is 40 cents. Members receive four free black and white copies or two free colour copies.
Large format and vinyl printing pricing also change on January 2. Visit https://www.hpl.ca/makerspaces for updates.
Bring back your borrowed library items within 28 days to avoid a replacement or lost fee. We'll remove the fee when you bring back your overdue items.
The 31st Power of the Pen writing competition invites writers ages 12-18 (age as of December 31, 2025) to submit original poetry and short stories in English, French or both languages. Prizes are for 1st- and 2nd-place in seven age groups (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18) in poetry and short story categories. Digital submissions are encouraged.
Categories:
Participants can enter poems and short stories in English and French:
Prizes:
A published writer, teacher or reviewer judges entries in each category for originality, style, general presentation, spelling and grammar. There are 1st and 2nd-place winners in the seven age categories (12-18) for poetry and short stories in English and French.
First and second-place entries qualify for the Hamilton Association for the Advancement of Literature, Science and Art Maitland Banting Silver Quill and Young Poet awards. The winner in each category receives $250.
*French entries are not included in the HAALSA prize selection.
First-prize winners in each age category receive $100 and 2nd prize winners receive $25. All award winners receive a certificate and a copy of the Power of the Pen publication.
How to Enter:
This year's competition opens May 5, 2025, and closes September 30, 2025. Submit your work via the official entry form. Notification goes out to winners in January 2026.
For more information, please email mnichols@hpl.ca.
Note to Teachers:
If you are submitting a short story or poem on behalf of a student, please ensure a completed official entry form accompanies each written submission.