The library should remain a clean, friendly, and open environment where students can showcase their creativity. In support of this goal, rules are generally relaxed. However,  writers must be cognizant of their audience.

Content Restrictions

Hogwarts is Here (HiH) is targeted toward students over the age of 13, and as such, maintains an overall “PG-13” rating. This means that some content may not be suitable for students younger than 13, but should be appropriate for students under 18. Keep in mind that many HiH students are indeed younger, and HiH is affiliated with a children’s franchise. As a result, decisions regarding suitability of material on HiH may vary from guidelines set by regulatory agencies such as the Motion Picture Association of America (which establishes the “PG-13” rating; see Resources for more information).

In general, authors should keep language clean and stories family-friendly. Books directed to an older audience, such as those with mature themes, very explicit language, or research on dangerous curses, should be added to the Restricted Section.

If a book is found to contain questionable content, the author may be contacted by owl to discuss whether it might be changed to better reflect the spirit of the HiH library, moved to the restricted section, or if HiH is perhaps not the best place for their work to be published.

However, some content crosses the line. The following will not be tolerated at Hogwarts, and will be deleted immediately:

• Plagiarism of any kind, be it content from elsewhere on HiH, or content from another website or book. Notes from HiH courses should be your own, not merely phrases from lessons copied and pasted into an outline format. Your work should be your own.

• Copyrighted content, such as book titles or cover imagery belonging to WB and the Harry Potter franchise, including but not limited to: the Hogwarts and House crests used on Pottermore, still images from Harry Potter movies, titles or book jackets taken from any of JK Rowling’s existing works, including supplementary books like “Quidditch Through the Ages.”

• Posting HiH assignment submissions, including quiz answers and sample essays which might be used to cheat, or as a source for plagiarism.

• Content of a clearly derisive or hateful nature, such as derogatory terms like “mudblood”, based on factors including but not limited to gender, sexual orientation, race, beliefs, magical heritage, economic background, at the discretion of the Librarian.

• Content which seems to promote hate, violence, prejudice, or bullying of specific groups or persons, based on factors including but not limited to gender, sexual orientation, race, beliefs, magical heritage, economic background, at the discretion of the Librarian.

• Content of an extreme nature deemed unsuitable for students under the age of 18, such as rape, graphic violence or drug use, or sex (“boot drop” or “fade to black” scenes are permitted; see the Style Guide for more information).

Though less serious, books that contain only spam, or which are left blank with no indication that they are a work in progress, will also be removed in order to limit clutter.

Disciplinary Measures

Minor infractions (e.g. a sample essay which may be plagiarized in HiH assignments, a book cover image using a Pottermore House crest) will be removed from the book, and the author will be contacted via owl at the time changes are made, informing them of what was removed, why, and how it may be amended.

More significant transgressions (e.g. plagiarizing the entirety of “Tales of Beedle the Bard”, or attempting to publish a treatise denouncing Muggle-born Witches and Wizards as inferior) may necessitate the removal of an entire chapter, or deletion of an entire book. The author will be contacted via owl at the time of deletion, informing them of what was removed, and why. Except in cases of copyright infringement, a screenshot of the offending content will be archived for library records before it is deleted.

If the content to be removed is the author’s original work, the Librarian may choose to save it in a convenient format (e.g. a Google Doc) before deleting it from the HiH Library, to ensure the work is not lost and can be returned to the author. The Librarian may not share this work or publish it anywhere else, for any reason; it may be shared only with the author of the book. Though a screenshot of the original book in the HiH Library may be maintained for official records, the Librarian is expected to delete the saved work from his or her personal archives upon confirmation that the author has saved it elsewhere, barring express written permission from the author.

It is strongly recommended that authors always maintain an archive of their work off-site. HiH and the Hogwarts Librarian are not responsible for intellectual property lost due to site glitches, or accidental or intentional deletion from the Library.

Administration

Content removal is at the sole discretion of the HiH Librarian, with the understanding that he or she will always err on the side of free expression. Except in clear-cut or high-priority cases (e.g. plagiarism, explicit content, bullying), the Librarian will endeavor to collaborate with authors before changing or removing their work. The Librarian is expected to maintain a log of all alterations to the library and its contents, including screenshots of offensive content which has since been deleted, and to contact authors directly via HiH Owl at the time content is changed in all cases.

Given the subjective, context-dependent nature of creative content, some users will inevitably disagree with decisions to remove or allow certain items in the library. The Librarian will seek open discourse about the HiH Library guidelines, their effectiveness, and the process by which they are maintained. You are strongly encouraged to contact the Librarian for any Library-related comments, questions, or concerns, especially if:

• a book has been unjustly altered or deleted

• a book has been altered or deleted and the author was not contacted

• a book is inappropriate, and should be altered or deleted

• an inappropriate book was reported, but has not been changed or removed within a week

• the HiH Library rules are too strict/not strict enough/ambiguous/insufficient regarding a sensitive topic

• the HiH Library rules are not appropriately enforced

• you have a question about the rules, the Library, or whether or not a particular story idea would be appropriate

• you wish to remove your original content, but can no longer access it because you have deleted your account

Students wishing to contact the Librarian, but who do not feel comfortable doing so, are strongly encouraged to reach out to their Student Liaisons or Head of House. HiH is a product of strong collaborative effort between fans; its continual improvement depends on open and honest communication!

This is a living document and is subject to change. Major changes will be announced on HiH, as well as in the Library’s satellite locations on Facebook and the HiH Activities Board (commonly known as the Thoughtsflare Forum), but it is the responsibility of the author to ensure that their work is in compliance with current policies when publishing.

Contacts and Resources

Current Librarians: Sarissa Greenwich & Danielle Starrs

Please do not hesitate to contact them for any reason! They strive to keep Library operations transparent and reasonable, and believes that open communication and interaction with students are crucial to the success of Hogwarts is Here! They can be reached at any of the following:

HiH: http://www.hogwartsishere.com/sgreenwich/ ; http://www.hogwartsishere.com/dstarrs/
E-mail: sarissa.greenwich@gmail.com ; daniellestarrs@outlook.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarissa.greenwich
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RissaGreenwich

Current Heads of House:

Gryffindor: August Rubedo (http://www.hogwartsishere.com/headmaster/)
Hufflepuff: Dax Polgara (http://www.hogwartsishere.com/professorpolgara/)
Ravenclaw: Alex Quilmane (http://www.hogwartsishere.com/professorquilmane/)
Slytherin: Autumn Maddox (http://www.hogwartsishere.com/profmaddox/)

Student Liaisons: http://www.thoughtsflare.com/hih/news/article/dial-a-liaison-03042015

This article lists the  student liaisons for each house, as well as links to their HiH profiles, and to a new form-based system they have designed for more efficient service. (The Roost also serves as a convenient repository for information on site events, contests, and applications, so it’s worth checking out if you haven’t already.)

Report a book: http://goo.gl/forms/RoAjPT8cIP

A Google Form for anonymously reporting books containing offensive, inappropriate, or copyrighted titles, images, or content in violation of Library Policy. Reports can also be made directly to the Librarian, Student Liaisons, or Heads of House.

Guide to the HiH Library: http://www.hogwartsishere.com/library/book/2901/read/

An HiH Library book containing the rules, style guide, and other resources for writing.

HiH Reading Room: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HiH.Library/

A Facebook group dedicated to the HiH Library and its denizens, where students can relax, study, snack, chat, organize group projects, and find resources related to HiH and the Library.

The Library: http://www.thoughtsflare.com/hih/forum/viewforum.php?f=50

An open forum on the HiH Activities Board, more commonly known as Thoughtsflare, where students may find other Library resources, seek assistance in writing, editing, or book cover graphics, collaborate on and review one another’s work, ask questions of their fellow students or Library staff, and engage in light roleplay. This forum also houses HiH Quidditch, several professor offices, a handful of HiH clubs, and a “Hogwarts Castle” subforum for avid roleplayers; if you don’t have an account yet, it’s worth registering and bookmarking this site.

Motion Picture Association of America: http://www.mpaa.org/film-ratings/

The MPAA is the organization which establishes and maintains film ratings in America. They created the G/PG/PG-13/R rating system for film and television, but Americans often adapt the same system to other forms of media, such as HiH. Their website contains more information on how films are classified in the USA. HiH and the HiH Library do not use precisely the same rules, but if you’re curious to know what our ratings are based on, this is the place to look. If you have questions about what is or isn’t acceptable on HiH, specifically, please contact us!