The Harry Potter Lexicon

{{Short description|Online encyclopedia of the Harry Potter series}} [[Image:steve-vander-ark-sectus-cropped-2007-07-19.jpg|thumb|Steve VanderArk, creator of the Harry Potter Lexicon, speaking at the Sectus conference in London in 2007]]  '''The Harry Potter Lexicon''' is a fan-created online [[encyclopedia]] of the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' series.

==Overview== The site was created by American school librarian and drama teacher Steve VanderArk. It contains detailed information for all seven published ''Harry Potter'' books. The Lexicon lists [[List of characters in the Harry Potter books|characters]], [[List of places in the Harry Potter books|places]], [[Magical beasts (Harry Potter)|creatures]], spells, potions and [[Magical objects in Harry Potter|magical devices]], as well as analyzing [[Magic (Harry Potter)|magical]] theory and other details of the series. The Lexicon is credited as creating one of the first timelines of all events occurring in the ''Harry Potter'' universe. A similar timeline of events was adopted by [[Warner Bros.]] for inclusion with their ''Harry Potter'' [[film]] DVDs, and was accepted by author [[J. K. Rowling]] as conforming to her works.

The Lexicon is a winner of J. K. Rowling's Fan Site Award. Rowling said:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/fansite_view.cfm?id=14|title=J.K.Rowling Official Site - Section: Fan Sites - The Harry Potter Lexicon|author=J. K. Rowling|author-link=J. K. Rowling|publisher=JKRowling.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060316220934/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/fansite_view.cfm?id=14|archive-date=2006-03-16}}</ref> {{blockquote|This is such a great site that I have been known to sneak into an [[internet café]] while out writing and check a fact rather than go into a bookshop and buy a copy of ''Harry Potter'' (which is embarrassing). A website for the dangerously obsessive; my natural home.}}

==Lawsuit== {{main|Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. v. RDR Books{{!}}''Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. v. RDR Books''}}

On October 31, 2007, J. K. Rowling and [[Warner Brothers]] filed a lawsuit against RDR Books over the publication of Vander Ark's Lexicon in book form.<ref name=cnn>{{Cite web |title= Rowling suing fan over new Potter book |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/04/14/rowling.trial.ap/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |date=April 14, 2008 |access-date=April 15, 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080415224902/http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/04/14/rowling.trial.ap/index.html |archive-date = April 15, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIGNIcztySvpGhm95iGPhNL7ov1AD8V406HO0 |title=JK Rowling Bashes 'Harry Potter Lexicon' |author=Neumeister, Larry |date=February 29, 2008 |publisher=Associated Press |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305000110/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIGNIcztySvpGhm95iGPhNL7ov1AD8V406HO0 |archive-date=March 5, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/mar/11/harrypotter.law|title=Harry Potter: the last battle|date=March 11, 2008|work=[[The Guardian]] | location=London | first=John | last=Crace | access-date=May 25, 2010}}</ref> The lawsuit was heard in a [[New York (state)|New York]] court on April 14, 2008,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.out-law.com/page-8953|title=JK Rowling sues to block fan site's Harry Potter book|publisher=Out-law.com|date=March 18, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.out-law.com/PDF/Lawsuit_JKRowling_v_RDR.pdf|title=Copy of Complaint|date=October 31, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229171322/https://www.out-law.com/PDF/Lawsuit_JKRowling_v_RDR.pdf|archive-date=2018-12-29}}</ref> so precedent from [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit|the Second Circuit]] applies.

The lawsuit states: {{blockquote|The infringing book is particularly troubling as it is in direct contravention to Ms. Rowling's repeatedly stated intention to publish her own companion books to the series.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSN3133972420071031 | title=Rowling, Warner Bros. sue over Potter book | date=October 31, 2007 | work=[[Reuters]]|first=Christine|last=Kearney}}</ref>}}

The result of the lawsuit was that the book could be published, but not in its present form. A modified version of the book was published in 2009. This case went to [[bench trial]] in the New York Federal District Court of Judge Robert Patterson on April 14, 2008. RDR Books’ defense team, which includes solo San Francisco practitioner, Lizbeth Hasse of the Creative Industry Law Group, solo New York practitioner David Hammer, and the [[Fair Use Project]] at [[Stanford University Law School]], has replied to the suit, arguing: {{blockquote|In support of her position Ms Rowling appears to claim a monopoly on the right to publish literary reference guides, and other non-academic research, relating to her own fiction. This is a right no court has ever recognized. It has little to recommend it. If accepted, it would dramatically extend the reach of copyright protection, and eliminate an entire genre of literary supplements: third party reference guides to fiction, which for centuries have helped readers better access, understand and enjoy literary works.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/5679|title=RDR Files Opposition To Rowling's Preliminary Injunction Motion|publisher=[[Stanford Law School]]|last=Falzone|first=Anthony|date=February 10, 2008}}</ref>}}

Rowling stated that her efforts to halt the publishing of the Lexicon have been crushing her creativity, and said that she was not sure if she has "the will or the heart" to now publish her own encyclopedia.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7346093.stm |title=Rowling testifies in Potter case|work=[[BBC News]]|date=April 14, 2008}}</ref>

On 8 September 2008, Rowling won her copyright case against RDR Books.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/JK-Rowling-Wins-Harry-Potter-Lexicon-Copyright-Case-Steven-Vander-Ark-Book-Halted-By-Judge/Article/200809215095424?lpos=World%2BNews_3&lid=ARTICLE_15095424_JK%2BRowling%2BWins%2BHarry%2BPotter%2BLexicon%2BCopyright%2BCase%253A%2BSteven%2BVander%2BArk%2BBook%2BHalted%2BBy%2BJudge |title=JK Rowling Wins Copyright Claim|publisher=Sky News|date=September 9, 2008}}</ref> The judge concluded that there was too much direct quotation (attributed and unattributed) and that though the books was transformative in respect of the Harry Potter series, it was less transformative of the "schoolbooks" (''Magical Creatures'' and ''History of Quidditch''). The minimum award was made of $750 for each of the infringed works, for a total of $6,750, and an injunction was made preventing publication of the book in its then current form.<ref>{{cite web | title=OPINION AND ORDER #96466: For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiffs have established copyright infringement of the Harry Potter series, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, and Quidditch Through the Ages by J for Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Et al v. RDR Books et al | url=https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-york/nysdce/1:2007cv09667/315790/92 }}</ref>

Lexicon publisher RDR Books said:{{blockquote|We are encouraged by the fact the court recognized that as a general matter authors do not have the right to stop the publication of reference guides and companion books about literary works. As for the Lexicon, we are obviously disappointed with the result, and RDR is considering all of its options.}}

==Publication== In December 2008, a modified (and shorter) version of Vander Ark's Lexicon was approved for publication and was released January 16, 2009 as ''The Lexicon: An Unauthorized Guide to Harry Potter Fiction''.<ref>{{cite book| last1=Ark| first1=Steve Vander|title=The Lexicon: An Unauthorized Guide to Harry Potter Fiction and Related Materials| date=2009| publisher=RDR Books| isbn=978-1-57143-174-5}}</ref>

==See also== * [[Harry Potter fandom|''Harry Potter'' fandom]]

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * [https://www.hp-lexicon.org/ The Harry Potter Lexicon] * [http://news.justia.com/cases/featured/new-york/nysdce/1:2007cv09667/315790/ Case page] on Justia.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harry Potter Lexicon, The}} [[Category:Harry Potter websites]] [[Category:Encyclopedias of fictional worlds]] [[Category:Harry Potter literature controversies]]