Jim Dale to host midnight HBP party in NY

Stores Will Begin Selling New Book at the Stroke of Midnight, July 15th, 2005

Jim Dale, the Voice of the Potter Books, Will Host the Midnight Magical Party at the Union Square Barnes & Noble in New York City

-- Barnes & Noble, Inc. (the world's largest bookseller, today announced that its stores across the country will remain open late on Friday night, July 15th, and sell the new J. K. Rowling book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, at the stroke of midnight. Special in-store events and parties are being planned for that evening at more than 660 Barnes & Noble stores.

Jim Dale, the famed actor responsible for bringing the Harry Potter characters to life on audio books and winner of the Audie Awards' prestigious 2004 Audio Book of the Year for his work on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, will host the Midnight Magic Party at the Union Square Barnes & Noble (33 East 17th Street) in Manhattan.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince continues to top the Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com) bestseller list and has since the book's publication date was first announced last December. Barnes & Noble is offering the title for the discounted price of $17.99, 40 percent off the list price ($16.19 for Barnes & Noble Members). Barnes & Noble.com will ship the book to customers so it arrives on the Saturday, July 16th, publication date.