Author J.K. Rowling has recently issued an open license to teachers, relaxing the copyright permissions on her Harry Potter series so they can read the books to children while schools are closed due to the coronavirus.
As TODAY reported, this means educators can now freely post videos of themselves reading the books aloud, and their students can enjoy all the magic of Harry Potter without having to leave their own homes, or worry about copyright issues.
Rowling made the announcement on Twitter last week.
“Delighted to help teachers reach kids at home by relaxing the usual license required to post videos of themselves reading Harry Potter books,” she wrote, adding, “Be well, everyone. More soon!”
According to the author’s website , the open license policy is in effect until the end of the school year. Rowling’s only request is that teachers share the videos on closed educational platforms and not publicly on social media.
Since the announcement was made, teachers have taken to Twitter to express their gratitude for Rowling’s generosity.
“Thanks @jk_rowling,” this person wrote. “I’m a teacher of English in France and suggested my pupils read the Potter books. In these dark times, I’m twice as grateful for the world you’ve created. 20 years later, it is still a safe place for me.”
They added, “Stay safe my queen.”
Rowling isn’t the only one making books and learning more accessible during the coronavirus lockdown.
As Forbes reported, Audible, has launched a new mini-site, stories.audible.com , which allows kids everywhere to stream a collection of stories in six different languages for free.
The site explains these free audio books “will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids.”
Several publishers have also lifted copyright restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak.
These include Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins and Scholastic , who have all temporarily altered these licensing laws so teachers can read stories aloud to children through their new remote learning environments.
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