Potter weaves spell in libraries

JK Rowling was Britain's top woman earner in 1999

JK Rowling's best-selling creation Harry Potter has taken the top three places in this year's public library lending league for children's books.

But the adult borrower's book of choice, Solace of Sin by the late Catherine Cookson, was twice as popular again as Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone, the title most wanted by children.

According to Public Lending Rights (PLR), which publishes the league tables, historical romance writer Cookson was the most borrowed author for the 18th year running.

PLR registrar Dr Jim Parker said: "This has been a great year for PLR and for authors."

"The PLR Scheme is making a real contribution to writers' livelihoods and sustaining their creativity."

Contribution

As well as being a valuable source of books for the public, lending libraries are a vital source of income for authors, as they generate cash based on the number of loans.

Three-quarters of writers earn less than half the average wage.

Catherine Cookson was made a Dame in the 1993 New Year's honours

Under the PLR scheme writers receive a payment of £2.49 per library loan, which is paid if their loan total reaches £5.

Rowling's books did not even make it into the children's top 20 in the year leading up to July 1999.

Her success is all the more remarkable considering the huge sales her books have had.

But despite their success, the Harry Potter books would only come in at 75 in a combined table of children's and adults books.

Impoverished

The works of Catherine Cookson, who died in 1998, have been translated into 20 languages.

She was especially noted for her tales of beautiful but impoverished young women in the north of England in the 19th century.

Although she was born into poverty like many of her heroines, she rose to wealth and fame with some 70 novels to her name, or her nom de plume Catherine Marchant.

Her books consistently dominate the public libraries most-borrowed lists.