The Medical Officer of Health for the City of Hamilton has initiated a Heat Warning beginning today, Monday, July 13. Heat Warnings stay in effect until they are cancelled or escalated to an Extended Heat Warning. All HPL Library locations are Cool Places. Stay hydrated, Hamilton. www.hpl.ca/hours
Cool Places - Heat Alert in Place
Published:
Monday, July 13, 2026 - 9:30am
Ancaster Branch Elevator Out of Order
The elevator at Ancaster Branch is not working. We're working to get it fixed quickly.
Published:
Saturday, July 11, 2026 - 10:45am
Express Items via OverDrive - Partner Libraries Update
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
Published:
Monday, July 6, 2026 - 10:00am
What's Happening Guide Changes
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.
Published:
Monday, June 29, 2026 - 3:00pm
Sunday Hours Return to Central Library
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
Published:
Monday, June 29, 2026 - 1:00pm
Study Halls Pause for Summer Break
After Hours Study Hall is not available in July and August. Hours will resume Tuesday, September 8. www.hpl.ca/study-halls
Published:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - 3:00pm
2025 Power of the Pen Winners
Congratulations to the 2025 Awardees and Honourable Mentions on their literary works.
Winners and Honourable Mentions will be contacted to pick up their prizes at the Awards Gala being held on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
Poetry
Age 12
1st- Norah Yanover, Dont Marry Too Quickly...
2nd- Alyssa Salas-Lynch, Yin and Yang
Honourable Mention:
Samuel Vandenberg, A Turtle and a Bunny
Age 13
1st- Maia Embuldeniya-Fernando, Revolutions
2nd- Tofarati Okewole, Rosyln
Honourable Mentions:
Laura Bruinsma, Peyto Lake
Age 14
1st- Lyric Brown, The Hollow
2nd- Jared Stassen, Freedom Flight
Honourable Mentions:
Jillian Harris, Hockey
Age 15
1st- Anna Metza, Dear Rainbow
2nd- Sibel Zorab, The Alchemist
Honourable Mentions:
Olivia Haas, My First Day of High School
Age 16
1st- Asher Berkelaar, A Piano
2nd- Nifemi Okewole, Walking Skeleton
Honourable Mention:
Lana Verzberger, Pen of Shadows
Age 17
1st- Freda Osayande, Red Bones/ Golden Blood
2nd- Catarina Almeida-Sales, Born Wrong
Honourable Mentions:
Erica Game, The Sun and the Moon
Age 18
1st- Marie Njoroge, A Raindrop's Journey
2nd- Rami Naamna, Precipitation from Concrete Perspectives
Honourable Mentions:
Sama Gilani, Suffocating in Fresh Air
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Poetry (French)
1st- Oliver Prang, Le calme de la forêt (The Calm of the Forest)
2nd- Oliver Kronwald, Echos d'adieu
Honourable Mention:
Alexis Pereira, Les réfugiés de la mer
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Short Story
Age 12
1st- Gavin Middleton, The Whisper That Woke Ruffles
2nd- Hazal Koc, The Mockingbird
Honourable Mentions:
Yulbin-Emma Yim, Towards the Horizon
Age 13
1st- Cadence Harris- Bad Parenting
2nd- Anabia Zia- The Library Between Worlds
Honourable Mentions:
Micah Richards, The Colony Catastrophe
Age 14
1st- Hunter Chrea, Unravelling
2nd- Lucia Mostacedo, Someday, Somehow, Someway
Honourable Mentions:
Joanne Zhang, Secrets Within Sound
Age 15
1st- Marlena Bock, The Cursed Prince
2nd- Tali Sela, The Mud Monster
Honourable Mention:
Nimrah Mahmood, The Promise of The Red Blankets
Age 16
1st- Teodora Jovicevic, In Every Life
2nd- Asher Berelaar, Phantasmagoricalities and Fantasies
Honourable Mention:
Mia Mijatovic, Me, Myself, and Why?
Age 17
1st- Jonathan Middleton, How a Cannonball Cracked Open the Truth
Alivia Jonkman- The Chest
Honourable Mention:
Julia Maas, The Exchange
Age 18
Hassan Al-Nasih, The Little Fish
Alec Aird, King of the Hill
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Short Story (French)
Corissa Lemmond, Son Collier D'Emeraude
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The Hamilton Association Young Poet's Award Winner:
Tofarati Okewole - Roslyn
Honourable Mention
Marie Njoroge - a Raindrop's Journey
Maitland Banting Silver Quill Award Winner:
Jonathan Middleton - How a Cannon Ball Cracked Open the Truth
For previous years, please visit the Local History & Archives Department at the 3rd floor of the Central Library.
