Harry Potter Fans Help Build Charter School Library in Bed-Stuy

The Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) is holding its third annual book drive, entitled "Accio Books," and this year, The Bedford-Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School will be its fundraising recipient.

Each year, Harry Potter fans across the world take part in a House Cup competition, where members earn points for their house by donating books. Since 2009, HPA members have donated more than 55,000 books.

In 2010, HPA members and chapters donated 41,415 to communities in need across the Mississippi Delta. In 2009, HPA members and chapters donated 13,481 to local communities across the world and its partner ASYV (Agohozo Shalom Youth Vilage) in Rwanda.

This year, the HP Alliance will fundraise to supply books for a new library for the children of the Bedford-Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School in New York City.  Additionally, HPA has partnered with Borders to offer a special coupon which, when you purchase books for yourself this weekend, donates a percentage from the sale towards the school's new library.

"This is an international organization of serious Harry Potter fans, and they've chosen us," said Karen Jones, the academic leader of New Beginnings Charter School. "One of our teachers is a member of this organization, and she told us about this. They wanted to do something close to home this year, and so we applied and they chose us!"

The New Beginnings Charter School, located at 82 Lewis Avenue between Hart Street and Willoughby Avenue, is housed in a former Catholic school that closed last June. New Beginnings opened the following September to 180 enthusiastic kindergarteners through 3rd graders. However, the school had no library.

"We have a big open space, and we've put carpet down, but we have no library," said Jones. Jones said she has purchased a few recreational books out of her own pocket for some of the children's classrooms, and "It's like we flipped a new switch," said Jones. "Our kids are reading. My second-graders are obsessed with The Diary of a Wimpy Kid," said Jones excitedly.

HPA has promised a donation of at least 20,000 books, as well as financial gift garnered from the proceeds of books purchased. The financial donation will go towards outfitting the library with shelves and tables. The coupon works both in-store and online at Borders.com, by using the code HPAL0319G. This effort runs until midnight tonight, participants can also make their own book donation.

"We are going to name the library, 'Imagine Better Library,' after a speech Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowlings gave at a Harvard graduation," said Jones. "This is going to be a big, big deal."

*See attached video*