SLJ Talks to the Creator of The Harry Potter Lexicon

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Joan Oleck -- School Library Journal, 8/15/2007

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll definitely want to check out The Harry Potter Lexicon, an encyclopedic listings of all things Harry that’s used by people all over the world—even by J. K. Rowling herself. Created by Michigan School Librarian Steve Vander Ark in 2000, the resource is so impressive that it was given a Fan Site Award by Rowling on her official site.

SLJ caught up with Vander Ark to talk about his amazing site.

You've got a site that even J. K. Rowling relies on. Who are you, anyway?

I’m a K–8 school media specialist living in Grand Rapids, MI. I’m just some guy, really. I love keeping track of details and organizing things, especially with a world as complex and rich as Rowling’s. With the Internet, my little collection of lists and details became a Web site that everyone uses. Yes, even Rowling herself.

Did Rowling ever answer the letter on your site that’s addressed to her?

She has answered some of the questions. Some of the answers have turned up in the books. I really hope I have a chance to interview her someday, though. I have plenty more questions for her, as you might imagine. Now that the series is done, maybe she will be able to answer more freely, too, which would be great.

For people not yet familiar with the Lexicon, give us a laundry list of what it offers?

The lexicon is a lot more than an encyclopedia, although it certainly is that. Probably my favorite part is the Reader’s Guide, a chapter by chapter guide to the books, including commentary on individual lines and phrases from the text. There are maps, essays, a guide to the British words and phrases in the books, and so much more. The latest thing is what we call the Canon Pensieve, which allows the user to search through synopses of each section of each chapter and explore, finding things like linked essays, lists of spells, commentary, fan artwork, and so on. It’s possible to search by character, by concept (such as “anger” or “family”), and so on. It’s pretty amazing.

Why did you start the site?

I have always loved keeping track of the tiny details in the books and films that I enjoy. I’ve done similar things for Star Trek, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars series, and other books and films. The difference this time is that I put my lists on the Internet and kept expanding and updating them. It wasn’t so complicated at first. When I started the Lexicon, there were only three books. Of course, as a librarian, I had a pretty good vision for what I wanted a reference Web site to be like, so I kept expanding and hyperlinking, and it just got bigger and better.

How many hits do you get?

A lot, especially around a movie or book release. It’s a bit strange to realize how many people from all over the world are visiting my little Web site every day.

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Scholastic, 2007)?

I love book seven, although I could pick out parts I’m less than thrilled with.

Now that Harry Potter is over, what will become of the Lexicon?

Harry Potter isn’t over! Aside from the fact that there are several more films, conventions scheduled for the next three or four years at least, and a theme park in the works, the books themselves aren’t “over.” People will be reading these books for years to come, and they’ll always appreciate a guide to the series like the Lexicon. I know that the hysteria will die down, but that’s OK. I and my staff will just keep working, making the Lexicon better and better.