SILS celebrates Harry Potter with a magical event

Most people abide by certain rules in libraries: don’t talk, whisper if you must and don’t eat or drink. A library would be the last place one would throw a party, especially the library in a highly respected school of library science. 

Why then, one might ask, was the School of Information and Library Sciences (SILS) library at UNC packed with people dressed like wizards, all snacking and socializing last Friday? It was Harry Potter Night.

Organized by SILS and run by students of the school to celebrate Hallo-weekend, Harry Potter Night began last Friday at 6:30 p.m. 

Guests had to register online to attend and were greeted at the door of the SILS library by the “Sorting Hat” and assigned one of the four houses — Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw — from the books. The houses then competed for points at various stations to win the “house cup” at the end of the night. 

The stations included an arts-and-crafts table, a trivia contest, a slime-making station, a scavenger hunt, a virtual-reality video game called Broomball and more. There were plenty of Harry Potter-themed snacks as well, and a bowl of Butterbeer. Most participants came in some kind of costume.

Music from the Harry Potter movies played in the background as people milled around from station to station, chatting about which Harry Potter books they liked the most. First-year Josie Armstrong said her favorite is "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."

The library was decked out with lots of Harry Potter-themed decorations, including floating candles, statues and spiders on the floor to guide guests to the entrance of the party.

At the end of the night, the house with the most points won a trophy, and the person with the best costume was chosen.

Students, faculty and all kinds of people from around Chapel Hill came to the event. Katrina Wood, an Orange County librarian, expressed her excitement about the event.

“I’m so glad the library school is here and offering this," Wood said. "Not just because it’s Halloween, but because, despite the fact that these books came out 20 years ago, they’re still as wildly popular, and as relatable, and as interesting to discuss. It’s just kind of nice when you are a librarian, you love books, and you like people loving books continually.”

Rebecca Vargha, head of the SILS library, explained why they held the event.

“We have the only children’s collection on the UNC campus," Vargha said. "It includes so much — it includes Harry Potter, but there are so many other materials, too. This is one way to highlight our collection.” 

Other events that the SILS library has include author talks, flash fiction events, stress-busting activities during exams and an edible book contest in April in which contestants pick a book and make a dish that they think best represents their book. 

Vargha said they try to do something once a month. She said that she hopes events like Harry Potter Night will drum up interest in UNC libraries.

“Anybody on campus can use their OneCard to come over and check out materials,” Vargha said.

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