J.K. Rowling grants open license to help teachers to read Harry Potter books to their students online,
👏 during Covid-19 outbreak 👏
1 APR, 2020
J.K. Rowling and the “Wizarding World” team are making it easier for the world to experience Harry Potter during this time. With a project called “Harry Potter At Home”, everyone from longtime fans to Harry Potter new fans can access their digital hub and watch videos, take quizzes, read fun articles, and make Harry Potter puzzles. But this is not the main part of this new project, in partnership with Audible, people can listen to the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, as many times as they want in the next weeks for free. The first book will also be free as an eBook or audiobook.
As a first initiative, J.K. Rowling has issued an open license to teachers worldwide, giving copyright permissions to post videos reading the books aloud. This allows the teachers to add Harry Potter’s books into their lasses instead of children having to purchase the audiobooks to listen to the series. The author has announced on twitter that this measure is to help teachers with remote reading time as most schools worldwide are closed.
Delighted to help teachers reach kids at home by relaxing the usual licence required to post videos of themselves reading Harry Potter books. Go to https://t.co/77d90pkiYK to find the guidelines. Be well, everyone. More soon! 💫#HarryPotterAtHome
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 20, 2020
This is great news for all Harry Potter fans, but mainly for students since the videos are only allowed to be posted into “schools secure networks or closed educational platforms” until the end of the school year, or until the end of July in the southern hemisphere.
There is also a promise of more initiatives as this one, to be announced in the next weeks. Always with the main focus being to bring Harry Potter to children worldwide that are at home.
