As the publication of an eighth “Harry Potter” story loomed and in anticipation of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, a film based on a Hogwarts textbook, releasing in November, libraries  planned magic- and Muggle-filled fetes. On July 31, the official script for Jack Thorne’s play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany, was made available to the world. It is the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play had its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30. As many fans know, July 31 also is the birthday of Harry Potter—and his creator. Since it's been almost 10 years since the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the literary world has been anxious to see what the Hogwarts clan has been up to since then. Check out how libraries around the country marked the occasion, and add your own festivity plans to the comment section below. Eti Berland, Head Librarian, Saul Silber Memorial Library, Blitstein Institute of Hebrew Theological College, Skokie, IL We host an intergenerational children's literature book club, which includes our college students, alumni, faculty, friends, a prepublished author, an author, and, most important, children! Inevitably, our book discussions turn to Harry Potter, so we've embraced it and host a yearly Harry Potter/fantasy genre celebration. Our participants created amazing and delectable treats for last year's celebration. We also watched parts of Library of the Early Mind, the 2010 documentary film about children’s literature, in which Arthur A. Levine discusses acquiring [the first Harry Potter book]. We also looked at and discussed images from the New York Public Library "ABC of IT" exhibit.

Leanne Statland Ellis and daughter, Layla, dressed up as Hermione and Hedwig.

This year, we celebrated with a sorting hat activity, an epic Harry Potter trivia quiz, Harry Potter coloring, and a graffiti board for people to respond to the question, "Why Fantasy?" The last was inspired by Graeme Whiting's article “The Imagination of the Child” and Scholastic's Harry Potter response boards. We also had mini–Harry Potter puzzles, thanks to my first BookExpo America trip. While waiting for Cursed Child to come out, we took a page out of SLJ's book and had young patrons do 30-Second Booktalks to help provide excellent suggestions of fantasy reading for our community. A couple of our participants, Leanne Statland Ellis and her daughter, Layla, even dressed up for our party (as Hermione and Hedwig). During our first book club this fall, we're planning an informal reading to bring the magic of the stage play to our library—and to introduce our new students to the wonders of the book club. MaryAnn Burden, Youth Services Librarian, Chester Library, NJ We’re having a Harry Potter party for middle school and high school kids, but I've told the fourth and fifth graders, who are huge fans, that they can come, too.  Activities include having a trivia contest, making two potions, and a few crafts. [We’ll also] have Hogwarts snacks and Butterbeer. I have a few door prizes to give away, too, including a copy of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Jerri Heid, Youth Services Manager, Ames Public Library, IA We have been hosting a Semester of Hogwarts, which began in June. This semester we’ve had Harry Potter movie Saturdays, showing the the first movie and each subsequent film, building up to the Harry Potter birthday party in July. [We’ll also have] three different trivia contests—one for families, one for teens, and one for adults—called Harry Potter Battle of Books in August. In September, our Teen Advisory Group will be organizing a Harry Potter 5K fundraiser run event. The semester will end with the Yule Ball in January. The [event] is in partnership with the School of Education at Iowa State University and [has taken place] with the help of some interns, great volunteers, and an awesome teen librarian and a library director, giving me all those capabilities and permissions I’ve needed.

Flyer for Emmet O'Neal Library's Harry Potter–themed Financial Literacy program

Matthew Layne, Young Adult Librarian, Emmet O'Neal Public Library, Mountain Brook, AL At a Teen Advisory Board meeting last fall, a few teens were lamenting how much they missed the Harry Potter programs of their youth. I decided to transform an ongoing financial literacy series for teens I was working on into seven parts [thematically linked to the “Harry Potter” books], and have an eighth program, which would be a Hogwarts-style feast. In the first program, students got sorted into their houses with a four-sided die and the sorting hat. We made wands, discussed basic budgeting issues facing young people, and watched the first film. For the second, we made Butterbeer floats and I brought in a college counselor from one of our local schools to talk about options when choosing a school. The third focused on Alabama databases that teach college readiness skills. We also made chocolate frogs with these really cool molds I picked up off Amazon and the type of melting chocolates you can pick up at any craft store. The fourth was another aspect on budgeting. We talked about saving for big-ticket items and the perils and pluses of credit cards and loans. For our fifth, we had a Dolores Umbridge–themed class on interviewing and résumé techniques. The sixth was on investing basics, and the seventh was a panel of wizards. I brought in graduates to talk about their experiences in college and the job world. On July 30, we’ll have our Hogwarts feast. We’ll distribute copies of Cursed Child at midnight, play games, and watch the final Deathly Hallows film. (This series is made possible by a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation through Smart Investing @ Your Library ®, a partnership with the American Library Association.)  

Upper Moreland's Harry Potter party flier

Becky Tkacs, Youth Services and Outreach Coordinator, Upper Moreland Free Public Library, Willow Grove, PA [We are] hosting our first-ever Muggle Quidditch tournament on July 28, and we are so excited! After our sporting event, we are having a Harry Potter movie and pizza party. We have an online poll going so fans can vote for their favorite film. Amy Truter, Librarian, Children and Teen Services, Sunnyvale Public Library, CA My public library is going to have two Harry Potter–related events this month. For the elementary kids, we're holding a scavenger hunt on Thursday, July 28, with small prizes for those who finish. For teens, we're having a full birthday party for Harry Potter and making our own magic wands. I haven't finalized all the details yet, but I'm definitely going to bring cake and other treats.

Flyer for Burlingame Library's celebration.

Kathy von Mayrhauser, Children's Services Manager, Burlingame Public Library, CA We are having a Harry Potter party on July 31. There will be refreshments, crafts, and Harry Potter Trivia; costumes are encouraged. The local bookstore will be selling copies of the new book. Save Save Save Save