Hello again, everyone! Did you go to literally any of the Harry Potter’s World events this past fall? Then you’re eligible to take the following survey, and potentially win a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card!
It is perhaps worth mentioning that the Hogwarts Library three volume set is selling for $20 on Barnes and Noble.com. Just in case you’re stumped as to how you might use such riches.
To take the survey, simply follow this link: http://studentvoice.com/alfred/harrypottersworldeventfall15
The survey will be open until February 22nd, at which point you will have lost your shot at those gift cards forever.

Well, first of all, a reminder: the last talk, THE VERY LAST TALK, in the Hogwarts University lecture series is tonight, at 7:30 pm, in the Judson Leadership Center! Learn about feminism in Harry Potter and complete your Hogwarts education.
And, of course, that leads us to the final event of all, the Halloween Ball!

Co-hosted and sponsored by Spectrum, the Halloween Ball is this Saturday, at 8:00 pm, in the Knight Club on Alfred’s campus (in the Powell Center). There will be a live choir performance at 9:00 of several selections of music from the Harry Potter movies, including “Double Trouble,” which you may remember from the third movie:

Additionally, there will be COSTUME AND DRAG COMPETITIONS! For ASTONISHING PRIZES! No, seriously, I spent several minutes in my office just holding some of these prizes and wishing I was eligible to win them. I am so very, very jealous of whoever wins Best of the Halloween Ball. Or second place. Or any of the categories, actually.
Categories include Best Harry Potter/Hogwarts Costume, Best Drag, and Best Halloween/Magic Themed Costume.
So show up in your finest and prepare to bring home some amazing loot.
The Halloween Ball is open to all! Suggested admission is $2 and will be donated to a local charity.

That’s right, we’re closing out the lecture series this Thursday! I can’t believe the Harry Potter’s World event series is coming to a close, but closing it is. All that’s left now are the last lecture and the big Halloween Ball smash this Saturday.
If you’d like a bit more Potter learning before closing it all out in your finest wizarding threads this weekend, please come by the Judson Leadership Center for a discussion of the Harry Potter series and feminism:
Muggle Studies Lecture – “My Patronus is Gloria Steinem: Feminism in Harry Potter”
Thursday, October 15th  •  7:30 pm  •  Judson Leadership Center
Ana Gauthier
This workshop will examine Harry Potter through the lens of feminist literary theory, as well as examine the actions of the characters to see where they displayed feminist ideals of equity and equality.  Come find out how your favorite characters truly were champions of equality, and who will take home the feminist house cup!

 
The National Library of Medicine exhibit that has served as the core of this event series is going down today, so you will sadly no longer be able to see it on view. However, the art exhibit in the Scholes Library Pop Up Gallery (small room to the right of the circulation desk) will remain up until the end of term, and the decorative displays in the entryway will also be up for a while longer.
See you Thursday!

Our second-to-last talk is going to be a unique format–a walking tour and talk around Alfred’s own mysterious castle!
University Archivist Laurie McFadden will be giving attendees a taste of the curious, mystical, and magical history of Steinheim Castle, as well as sharing some notable local ghost stories. Follow her on a walking tour of the building as you learn about some of the most interesting legends of the place, and get in the mood for a properly Hogwarts Halloween.
History of Magic Lecture – “If These Walls Could Talk”
Thursday, October 8th  •  7:30 pm  •  Steinheim Castle
Laurie McFadden
Reminiscent of the observant and talkative paintings in Hogwarts, University Archivist Laurie McFadden will give a history of the campus castle (Steinheim) and delve into some of the campus ghost stories. 

Three lectures left in the Hogwarts University series! We’ve had Herbology, Muggle Studies, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy, Charms, AND Care of Magical Creatures classes so far, but this time it’s something new: History of Magic.
History of Magic Lecture – “The Hereford Mappa Mundi: Features and Creatures”
Sunday, October 4th  •  4:00 pm  •  Scholes Library Second Floor Classroom
Bridget Riley
A comparison of similarities between Harry Potter’s “Maurader’s Map” and the medieval “Hereford Map,” as well as a discussion of some of the specific creatures and monsters and their strategic placement on the Hereford Map. 
Join us for monsters, creatures, and features this Sunday, and stay tuned for announcements about the last two talks–and of course the closing Halloween Ball.

Just four more lectures before Hogwarts University closes for good! (At Alfred, anyway. The exhibit will be moving on to another library, and maybe they’ll be having some exciting programming, too.) This week was a particularly intriguing one to design a flyer for, and a fascinating topic in general: invisibility!
Dr. Danielle Gagne will be providing some insights on invisibility this Thursday, October 1st, at 7:30 pm. The talk will be held in the Scholes Library second floor classroom–just ask at the desk, and the students can direct you to the right place. Be sure to check out the floating candles as you walk into the building!
From Dr. Gagne’s description on our website:
Sneaking through the restricted section might be thrilling, but what are the other benefits of being invisible? We’ll talk about the benefits of being unseen, situations in which this is an everyday occurrence, and the science behind modern-day invisibility cloaks.  With a little magical lighting, we might cast a charm to make bowls disappear before your very eyes.