I'm writing this on the tale end of Friday night after an event-filled week at the Monterey Public Library.

From our weekly Tuesday storytimes for toddlers and preschoolers to a gala evening of wine and chocolate tasting sponsored by the Friends of the LIbrary to tonight's triumphant "Harry Potter Trivia Contest III" - whew, what a week!

Thursday evening's fundraiser for the Library featured delectable chocolate treats from many generous business sponsors, delightful music by Library staff members Kyle and Glenn, a chocolate cookie contest. And a library filled with almost two hundred community members feasting, catching up with their neighbors, enjoying good times.  As someone told me last night - "Besides books, this Library holds the heart of our city - and shares it with everyone." 

Tonight's Harry Potter Trivia contest brought together over two hundred kids, teens and adults - all good-humored and very knowledgable fans of the J.K. Rowling series.  Three teams of contestants, divided by age, took the stage.  It was disparate group in many ways - and yet all were united by a love for the Harry Potter series - and possibly a need to fill the hours before tonight's midnight release!

The "Harry phenomenon" leaps across 63 languages and over 4 million books in eager readers' hands.  No book has been as anxiously awaited as this last one - in my lifetime as a reader.  And yet, it will be with very mixed emotions that I finally open the cover tomorrow morning, and dive inside.

I can't wait to find out what has become of Harry, Ron, Hermione and all those familiar friends. And yet, I know it will be our last new journey together - and I don't want to close the cover on that magical world.  I will slow as I read through the chapters, savoring and delaying every page. 

And I will cherish the hush that will rise around the world tomorrow - the peaceful sound of pages turning, indrawn breath - the quiet of millions of readers travelling together. One last time.

Happy reading!