The Magic Starts Here: Free, No-Holds Access to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Every year, we meet that student. The one who’s heard of Harry Potter all their life – whether that be through friends, family, movies or merchandise – but has yet to read the books themselves. Sometimes it's a matter of timing. Oftentimes, it's a matter of access.  

This September, consider Sora your ticket to the wizarding world - no trip to King’s Cross Station necessary. Thanks to our partners at Pottermore Publishing, Sora schools can offer students free, unlimited access to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone — in every language and format — all September long. 

Here's how it works: 

• Log into OverDrive Marketplace starting Sept. 1.
• Use this curated list to find and add your preferred versions and formats at no cost to your school, choosing the Cost Per Circ (CPC) lending model.

That's it. Once added to your collection, students will have unlimited access to the title from Sept. 1 - 30. For questions or additional assistance accessing this special offer, please reach out to your Sora Account Manager or schools@overdrive.com. 

Harry - yer a reader

To be clear, this isn’t about making a last-minute curriculum change or adding a classroom assignment. It’s something much smaller in scale, yet just as important: a chance for students to read something purely because they want to. 

Like our favorite redheaded twins, many of our students' most memorable reading moments lie outside the world of academic achievements. The moments that stick with them are the moments they feel are just theirs – when they fall into a new world for the very first time, explore alongside their favorite character, or connect with literature in a way they never quite expected.  

No quizzes, no essays, no pressure to read at a pace other than their own: that's what builds a lifelong reader. 

Why Sora? Why now?

For many students, Sora isn’t one reading option among many – it's the only option. For one reason or another, they may not have a library card. They can’t get to the bookstore. There’s nothing on the shelf at home. In practice, whatever is available on Sora becomes their entire reading world. 

And the timing is perfect. It's the start of the school year, which means it's also your best opportunity to hook a student on reading before classes, tests, and extracurricular activities start competing for their attention.  

So when a title this popular becomes instantly available for an entire month, the students who benefit most are the ones who've been waiting the longest for their letter to arrive. Back-to-school season is exactly when that kind of moment counts most. 

Prefer listening? We’ve got you covered.

We know all learners are built differently, which is why this special opportunity includes both the ebook and the audiobook of this title – and not just in one language, but many of them.  

Plus, by reading in Sora, students can enjoy personalization options like adjustable font types and sizes, a built-in dictionary, and highlighting and annotation features, among others — all designed to meet students where they are. Like most things in the wizarding world, the secret is hidden in plain sight. You just need to know exactly where to tap the bricks. 

A little extra magic

Looking for ways to bring the book to life in your classroom? Pottermore Publishing and Sora are one step ahead — here are a few ready-to-use ideas to get you started: 

• A read-aloud during library time (purely fun, no assignment needed!)
• A “One School, One Book” challenge 
• A pre-written message educators can drop straight into whatever channel your school may use

Use some, use all, use none. The book’s availability does the heavy lifting; everything else is extra credit (Hermione would be so proud!). 

The restricted section

This promotion covers book one — and most of the time, that's usually all it takes. Kids who finish it tend to come looking for the next one on their own, so it's worth having books 2 through 7 easy to find in Sora when they do. 

Mark your calendar

The promo kit is ready now, so you can have everything in place before access goes live. When September arrives, remember to add the promotional title(s) to your collection in CPC to unlock free, unlimited student access through September 30. 

Grab the promo kit, mark your calendar, and get ready to welcome a new generation of witches, wizards, and lifelong readers. Somewhere, a very specific owl is already circling.