Beginning March 16, the Hamilton Public Library (HPL) will require anyone entering the Central library branch in Downtown Hamilton to have a valid HPL library card.
Hamilton’s Chief Librarian Paul Takala stated the measure is necessary “to address concerns about the safety and security of staff and library members while minimizing disruption for residents who use the Central Library.”
“The entry check-in process we are proposing will scan library cards upon entry,” Takala stated. “This will be checked against our current suspended members list.”
Takala stated the HPL will continue to provide ‘Inspire’ library cards to those with limited traditional identification, and that everyone remains welcome in the library – provided they are respective of the space and of others.
“The ongoing damage that is being done to HPL’s ability to engage residents at the
Central Library requires collective action,” Takala wrote in his latest update to the Library Board. “The protocol is designed to ensure that people visiting Central can obtain a library card or pass and use the library, provided they are willing to identify themselves and be accountable for their actions within the library.”
The decision follows months of deteriorating safety conditions at the downtown branch over the winter, which library management outlined during a February 19 Library Board meeting.
The situation had become so severe that Takala stated the HPL was considering a full closure of the branch.
In response to the situation, the HPL has already eliminated Sunday hours at the downtown branch and implemented a 9:00 a.m. weekday opening time instead of the previous 8:00 a.m. as it seeks to ensure a safe environment within its existing budget and staffing resources.
Takala hopes implementing access control will address the safety issues being experienced.
The HPL is currently installing sensors in all Central library that alert staff “in cases of lack of movement or substance detection,” and buzz locks to better control access to washrooms.
If the measures are unsuccessful—should the situation at Central worsen or serious new safety or security incidents arise—the Hamilton Library Board has given the Chief Librarian authority to enact an emergency temporary closure of the Central Library for up to one month.
The HPL has 193,356 active cardholders, which represents approximately 32.7 per cent of Hamilton’s population.
The entry requirement will be formally approved at a meeting of the Library Board scheduled for Wednesday, March 11.
The Library Board meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m. It is held in the 5th floor boardroom at the Central Library, and is also livestreamed.
RELATED
Chief Librarian Paul Takala spoke on As It Happens during Friday’s episode, begins at around 12:00.
Production Details
v. 1.1.0
Published: March 6, 2026
Last updated: March 7, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
v. 1.0.1 added link to As It Happens (9:40 p.m.)
v. 1.1.0 more information added to story, including link to HPL Board meeting info. (12:30 a.m. on March 7)
This is despicable. The public library is one of the last remaining third spaces available for people to exist in without prejudice or payment. Enacting police state measures won’t solve the problems that are being touted as the motivation for this decision – investing in social supports to address the very real problems of illegal drug use, unaffordable housing, and the failure of our government to make minimum wage a realistic living wage are just the beginning of the solution. Perhaps Hamilton should examine the underlying pressures on its citizens, rather than slapping an authoritarian band-aid on the problem and calling it a day.
So…members scan a card and security ensures its scanned?….Or….is this just a measure to make sure the cards are valid? Who will stop a non member….a gate?
Sad.
But as was pointed out in a recent Spectator opinion piece, dealing with this crisis should not be on library staff.
This is a failure of senior levels of government to deal with the affordable housing and opioid crises.
My mother was a librarian I’ve heard a lot of events and I agree that it shouldn’t be on them to police patrons, the security there used to help .
The opiod crisis is everywhere and never easy to manage but federal, provincial and municipal branches have to work together, Ford cut programs to help those in crisis.
There was a halfway house across the street, guy gets a day pass for good behaviour walks through the library into Sealed Art and stabs a 60 year old 17 times. (details are foggy but you get the point). There’s no gov program to set that person right, we’d have to make stricter laws, decide on where prison related programs are built etc.