Harry Potter Mania - a Librarian's Perspective

The shipment came in on July 18^th, after an agreement was signed that the books were not to go into circulation before the release date. The books were then locked in the office of the Library Manager and a staff email went out with strict instructions; the books would be shipped via courier to each of the county branches on Friday but were not to be checked in until Saturday, July 21^st, the actual release date of the book. Those who had holds on the book would receive it in order of their placement on the list.

The highly coveted book is, of course, the latest and last in the Harry Potter series - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Some staff members, including myself, were disappointed to find out that the books would be locked up. We confessed that we'd wanted to skim through it before they were shipped out. We're not alone either - the internet is flurried with spoiler reports from the lucky ones who have obtained advanced copies. So intense is the spoiler activity that J.K. Rowling herself has made a public request to keep the spoilers secret.

On her website diary, dated July 18^th, she writes, "As launch night looms, let's all, please, ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press on the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'd like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day. In a very short time you will know EVERYTHING!"

Demand for the book has caused a commotion in our library. Normally we allow new books to be checked out for two weeks and regular books for three, and staff has the privilege of having an extra two weeks added to their check out times. One staff member suggested that the books be checked out for two weeks to satisfy the heavy demand, but another argued that young readers might not be able to finish the book in two weeks, since the book comes in at seven hundred eighty-four pages. It was determined that staff could keep their extra two weeks check out time, but were "strongly encouraged" to bring the book back timely.

With benefits like this, what's to stop a staff member from checking out his/her copy early on Friday, when the books will be delivered to their respective branches? As it turns out, another librarian will be monitoring the records. "If one goes to a patron Friday, I can tell where and when it happened...and someone will be in trouble," he intoned.