Library rules for new Harry Potter

Libraries looking to carry the new Harry Potter book will have to follow a number of rules set out by the publisher first. Included in the Scholastic Inc. contract is the provision that libraries limit the number of staff that come into contact with the books before the release date (July 21). Libraries must also provide the names and contact information for all branch managers. Those failing to do so will risk being blocked from future releases. The contract states, “We acknowledge and agree that any such violation will cause irreparable harm to Scholastic and the author, J.K. Rowling, and that monetary damages will be inadequate to compensate for violations.”
From SFGate

April 6, 2007 by Uncategorized 18

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18 Responses

  1. Anonymous Patron says:
    April 6, 2007 at 8:35 pm

    Refuse to sign the document
    I’m familliar with the document and there was a simillar document for the previous release. Place your order but do not sign the document. We didn’t sign the document last time and still received our materials. Libraries routinely deal with materials received prior to release and most of us do a good job of handling those materials. Signing this document is something you should not do. Either they trust my library to handle materials correctly or not but I refuse to sign away my legal writes just to be able to place a book out the day it is released. If my order shows up I will not place it on the shelf early, I will have it processed and placed in my technical services managers office and it will be transferred for circulation on the day it is released. I will not create special procedures for one title nor will I have special procedures dictated to me by a vendor.

    Reply
  2. Fang-Face says:
    April 7, 2007 at 6:33 am

    My (very rude) take on it
    1: Fuck you and the horse you rode in on, you money-grubbing assholes.

    2: This is the last book in the series you dipshits; what future releases?

    3: I don’t see how J.K. Rowling is going to lose any profits because somebody read a copy of one her books a day early since the book will already have been paid for; ‘splain pleez.

    Reply
  3. Anonymous Patron says:
    April 7, 2007 at 11:01 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Thanks Fang for the insightful commentary. It was very enlightening and really added to the discussion.

    Reply
  4. Fang-Face says:
    April 7, 2007 at 2:02 pm

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    It is insightful, yes, but I doubt that you understand how. The nuances in this one are so far over some people’s heads they wouldn’t hear its warp core breach and I suspect that you’re one of them.

    Reply
  5. Chuck says:
    April 7, 2007 at 8:37 pm

    ahem
    I read it when we got it and thought it was like the legal language at the bottom of the form you sign when you get a video card. That is to say: Scary-sounding stuff that has no consequence.

    Think about it. If one of your patrons or staff has people read the copies too early and they tell no one, no one finds out and no one is hurt. Scholastic could probably not care less.

    But, if you have a “Read Harry Potter Early” party where you read it and then call the local newspaper and tv news and reveal all the secrets, details and the ending … well then I can see the harm to Scholastic. That’s probably what they are concerned with.

    I just don’t think it’s a big deal.

    And Fang? Man, you gotta lighten up, homes.

    Reply
  6. dreamincolor says:
    April 7, 2007 at 10:23 pm

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Last book, Scholastic did the same thing. Also for the last book, some terribly mean and horrible person scanned the page where Dumbledore dies and spammed it to a livejournal harry potter community- ruining the experience for readers. However, when I read “future releases” I was like what future releases?

    Reply
  7. Chuck says:
    April 8, 2007 at 12:51 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Getting over on livejournal Potterites should be grounds for canonization.

    Reply
  8. Fang-Face says:
    April 8, 2007 at 1:57 am

    Re:ahem

    And Fang? Man, you gotta lighten up, homes.

    This legalistic nonsense is so much mumbo-jumbo bullshit signifying nothing. You said as much yourself. I just said it in a more blunt fashion using good old Anglo-Saxon Basic. Why? Because shit like that just pisses me off. This is not even a marketing ploy.

    Reply
  9. Anonymous Patron says:
    April 8, 2007 at 2:07 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    >>they wouldn’t hear its warp core breach

    Wow! Star Trek references!! You are cool! I am so unworthy to comment on your nuanced analysis.

    Reply
  10. weisser says:
    April 8, 2007 at 5:00 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Tey are just protecting their rights. Do you realy care?
    Future releases mean by the author or other authors, not just this particular series.
    It is not the reading of the book that will cause loss of profits, it is the piratization or sharing of materials that can cause loss of profits.

    Reply
  11. weisser says:
    April 8, 2007 at 5:01 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Pardon the typo. Tey is they.

    Reply
  12. mdoneil says:
    April 8, 2007 at 6:40 am

    Just don’t order it until after the go live date
    So just don’t order the book until it is released. So the three thousand patrons don’t get to read it for three days after it comes out, BFD.

    Sign the thing and play by the rules, or wait a few days.

    Personally I think it is complete nonsense, although I have not read it (I would like to if anyone wants to post or send me a copy). It seems fine to me though, either abide by the conditions of the contract or don’t enter into the contract.

    When I worked at the PL we got them from B&T not Scholastic. B&T noted the street date, but we didn’t have to agree to anything outside our regular contract with them.

    I do agree with Fang, it is marketing hype. They really don’t give a damn unless you photocopy the thing and start giving them away or circulate it before the street date. Are they going to have armored cars deliver the things to bookstores? Please be realistic they will get them days before the street date too.

    Reply
  13. Fang-Face says:
    April 8, 2007 at 2:25 pm

    Re:My (very rude) take on it

    [They] are just protecting their rights.

    I do not see this as “just” protecting their rights. This is threats and intimidation on the a priori assumption that every book vendor and lender is going to rip them off. All that is necessary is a simple letter asking those who will receive shipments to ensure that no copy of the book is made available before the release date. This crap is an unwarranted overreaction.

    Reply
  14. L8N says:
    April 9, 2007 at 9:26 pm

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    I remember when the last book came out, some website was selling t-shirts that said “DUMBLEDORE DIES ON PAGE 596 (I JUST SAVED YOU 4 HOURS AND $30)”. I always wanted to get it. 🙂

    Reply
  15. Curmudgeony says:
    April 10, 2007 at 1:38 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Gaaaaaaah!

    Spoiler Space Please!

    Reply
  16. L8N says:
    April 10, 2007 at 2:30 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Sorry, I assumed that since that book was a few years old everyone already new what happened.

    Reply
  17. L8N says:
    April 10, 2007 at 2:30 am

    Re:My (very rude) take on it
    Gack…new=knew.

    Reply
  18. Anonymous Patron says:
    April 10, 2007 at 2:49 pm

    Spoiler
    Yeah, I haven’t gotten it yet. I’m still several books behind, I’m gonna snap them up when I can pick them up for like .50 at yard sales. That book has a huge print-run, so I’ve no doubt I can score a good copy for cheap.

    However, count me in for that spoiler. I really want to find the LJ icon which says that, as well.

    — Ender, Duke_of_URL

    Reply

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