‘Goblet of Fire’ Kindles Blaze of Enthusiasm for Libraries

Librarians may be the one group wilder about Harry Potter than the masses of young people whose fascination with the fictional adolescent has created a literary phenomenon.

Across Southern California, those who love reading couldn’t be more delighted by the buzz J.K. Rowling’s popular series has generated, especially among children.

“I think it’s created a movement,” said Starrett Kreissman, director of the Ventura County Public Library. “Since we are in the business of encouraging children to read, we are thrilled.”

Nearly 4 million copies of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” the fourth installment of the Harry Potter series, were released July 8. Media hype about the book’s premiere helped create a national frenzy. Many retailers sold out immediately.

Librarians are ecstatic because they say it is rare for a book to capture the imagination of so many young people. That’s evident from the record-breaking number of Harry Potter books libraries are buying and the unprecedented number of children waiting to borrow one.

Los Angeles County’s 87-branch system has 63 of the books, but they are all checked out and 399 people are waiting for a copy on reserve. Library officials have an additional 112 copies on order.

One librarian was so eager to get the books in circulation at her branch that she entered a Harry Potter look-alike contest at a local retailer and won four copies, said regional youth services coordinator Donna Banos.

Orange County has 90 copies for its 27 branches, with 250 people waiting for their turn, said Dani Porter, community relations coordinator for the county public library. Usually, the system purchases a maximum of five to 10 copies of one title, she said.

Municipal libraries throughout the region have similar stories to tell, although on a smaller scale. Thousand Oaks’ public library owns 24 copies of “Goblet of Fire” and all are checked out, with 21 people on a waiting list.

Librarians haven’t wasted any time taking advantage of this newfound captive audience. Ventura County is distributing free bookmarks and fliers that read: “If you liked Harry Potter, you’ll love . . . “ followed by a list of dozens of other children’s titles.

The same is true in Orange County, where the library’s Web site encourages Harry Potter fans to explore more than 30 other titles. Banos said Los Angeles County libraries have all been given money to develop Harry Potter reading programs, and some branches created displays with the slogan “While you wait for Harry Potter, try these books. . . . “

“Reading is really a key skill, and children who can read are much more likely to excel in school,” Kreissman said. “Anything that encourages that reading is great. And Harry Potter is even better, because it’s a book so many children want to read.”

The popularity of Harry Potter at the region’s libraries is at least partly because a number of parents cannot afford to purchase the 752-page hardback, Kreissman said. Prices range from $15 to $26.

Many book lovers said the publicity about “Goblet” has generated more interest in the first three Harry Potter stories, which readers are also checking out at a rapid pace.

Reading advocates acknowledge that this isn’t the first time children have been excited about a book. But Harry Potter is different from the Goosebumps series or Pokemon books, some say, because of its high quality.

“Harry Potter is not as fluffy as some other children’s books,” said Mary-Pat Gonzalez, a children’s librarian in Huntington Beach. “And it’s made them brave enough to read a thick book.”

Liz White, a 13-year-old from Ojai, has sped through all four books in the Harry Potter series--including the latest installment.

Her 12-year-old brother wanted to read it so much that he “bribed” her with pictures from his comic book magazine to finish it in four days.

Liz met the challenge. “I like it because it’s about magic,” she said, “and there’s always a twist at the end.”