The boy wizard is back up to his old tricks, literarily speaking. The Morinville Public Library has brought Harry Potter out of retirement to help promote its summer reading program. Library assistant Kaitlin Erdmann said that this is a big departure for the library as it marks the first time that it has developed its own programming for this popular feature on its calendar.
The boy wizard is back up to his old tricks, literarily speaking. The Morinville Public Library has brought Harry Potter out of retirement to help promote its summer reading program.
Library assistant Kaitlin Erdmann said that this is a big departure for the library as it marks the first time that it has developed its own programming for this popular feature on its calendar.
“We used to go with the TD summer reading program but this year we decided to step out on our own and do something bigger and better. That's where this Harry Potter summer reading program came from,” she said.
The TD Bank's program offers a unified cross-country program for smaller libraries that don't have the funding to put on their own programs. Librarians in Morinville decided that the library has finally grown to the point that it could stand on its legs. Using J.K. Rowling's fantasy character was a no-brainer as the series of seven Harry Potter books was immensely popular, selling more than 450 million copies around the world, some of them even to older readers.
In the past, the library typically saw approximately 40 participants for its summer reading programs. That number has already been surpassed just for the Harry Potter program. There is also a basic program where people can read and get prizes. There's nearly 100 people involved in that one.
The program continues until Friday, Aug. 21. Going in wizardry costume is not necessary. Erdmann and her programming cohort will have capes and magic wands, just to make sure that all are welcome, however.
“We're not expecting people to dress up at all. Just come and have fun. Our room is all decked out like the Great Hall.”
There are a variety of wizardry-related classes and crafts set to run in conjunction with it. Tonight, people can sign up for a wand-making session. It opened on Monday with a special charms event with special guest magician Brian Lehr.
Other opening week special events include Cozy Corner Stories tomorrow, a screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on Friday afternoon, and a History of Magic class on Monday.
On July 15, a guest reader will read stories that Rowling wrote about the world of Harry Potter including the last book, the Deathly Hallows.
“The craft is going to be making the rest of the deathly hallows including the resurrection stone and their invisibility cloaks. The event is a philosopher's stone challenge or hunt. They're going to go around town completing different challenges.”
Near the end of July, there will be a Yule Ball and a Quidditch match at Cardiff Park to cap off the program on Aug. 21.
Quidditch, for the uninitiated, is the fictional sport that student wizards at Hogwarts School can play while riding their broomsticks. Some inventive fans have figured out how to turn this into a game that people can play for real. Much of Rowling's vocabulary for how the game is played, however, is not.
“The U of A actually has a Quidditch team. It's a thing. I've seen it out there. They have a broomstick between their legs like they're flying a broomstick. If they fall or get off of it at any time, it means that they have to go off to the sidelines and get back on. They run around with their broomstick and the Quaffle, which is the main ball in the game, dodging Bludgers that people hit or throw at you in this case. We're going to have a person dressed up as the Golden Snitch run around and the seekers have to catch that person. I think it should be lots of fun.”
The library is located in St. Germain Place, located at 10119 100 Ave. Call 780-939-3292 or visit www.morinvillelibrary.ca for more information.
