Librarians haunted by spectre of Potter secrecy

PUBLISHERS of the new Harry Potter novel have warned US libraries handling the book this summer not to take a peek before the official release date.

Libraries must limit the number of employees who handle the books before the July 21 release date and provide names and contact information for each branch manager, according to the contract from publishers Scholastic.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the final book in JK Rowling’s series about the boy wizard and the contract says failure to keep it under wraps until July 21 could get libraries banned from future embargoed titles.

“The rules are required to honour Rowling’s wishes of preserving a ‘magical moment’ for children,” Scholastic spokeswoman Kyle Good said.