It's Friday, July 20, around 8 PM CST, and it's hard to imagine but incredibly wonderful that right now, hearts are a-flutter the world over because of a book. Tonight, at the stroke of midnight, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the final book in J.K. Rowling's magical and wildly popular "Harry Potter" series, is released to a world breathless with anticipation.
Nothing makes librarians smile quite like a public passionate about books, and one would be hard-pressed to recall another recent book, particularly a work of fiction, that has stirred up the range and depth of feelings caused by Mr. Potter's literary saga. And as if the popularity of the books isn't enough (over a quarter of a billion sold, according to Scholastic.com), the stories have been reimagined into blockbuster films, each awaited with the same giddiness the world is experiencing tonight. The story of Harry Potter has quickly moved into the realms of a timeless literary classic, beloved of children and adults alike.
The Des Plaines Public Library is literally ABUZZ with activity this evening. At the somewhat magical hour of 9:30 PM, when the library is typically closed, we'll be reopening our doors and admitting the new crop of Hogwarts students. (A few Muggles will also be present, hence Hogwarts' humble redecorating as a public library...) The Sorting Hat will place the students into their appropriate houses and then they'll get a chance to test their mettle and magic in a variety of classes taught by Hogwarts' most respected professors. You can probably guess which house claimed the young wizard pictured here...and could he be a Malfoy?
A grand feast will follow all that careful study and then - at the stroke of midnight - 10 very lucky students will receive a free copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
So, what about you? Wild about Harry? Have you seen "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the latest Harry Potter film, which arrived in theaters just a few weeks ago? Did you preorder a copy of the new book and clear your calendar for tomorrow so you can read it right away? And, if you're reading this on Saturday, were you one of the lucky Hogwarts students who spent a wizardly evening at the Des Plaines Public Library this weekend? Click on "Comments" down below and send us your book and movie reviews of the latest "Harry Potter" adventures. If you attended our Harry Potter Extravaganza, let us know if you had a good time! As soon as possible, we'll share photographs and video of this very special event with you - watch here for more details.
The Des Plaines Public Library has lots of Harry Potter books and movies, and even materials relating to Harry Potter. Click here to see everything in our Library Catalog about Harry and his exploits.
I am wondering if I am the only one out there, that is NOT into Harry Potter? I tried the first book and couldn't get into it. Is it me or are there others?
ReplyDeleteP.S. Web Services Librarian-I happened across your blog and kudos to you! It's great, I don't live in D.P. but enjoy reading it. Keep up the good work!
Why, thank you, anonymous! I will do my best to live up to your request for more "good work."
ReplyDeleteAs far as Harry Potter goes - you are in no way alone. In fact, here comes a True Confessions moment, your Web Services Librarian also read only the first Harry Potter book! I have, however, seen a few of the movies, and found them very charming and fun - that may be due more to my crush on Alan Rickman more than anything else, but, it keeps me paying for a ticket every couple of years.
Still, if you could have seen the throngs of children waiting at our doors Friday evening, wild-eyed with delight, you could not help but be thankful for Potter-mania, simply for the fact that it has encouraged kids to read and to think of bookstores and libraries as exciting places. Now that Harry's story has been told, let's hope the reading continues.
Thanks for writing. Anybody out there who attended our Potter event? Anybody out there suffering from Potter fatigue? Anyone willing to share a review of the new book?