High anticipation for ‘Go Set a Watchman’

With the release of Harper Lee's second book, 'Go Set a Watchman,” just days away, bookstores and libraries are ensuring they have enough copies for demand.

On July 14, the book, featuring characters from the world renowned 'To Kill a Mockingbird,” will be released.

'It's not something you think a whole lot about. You just make the order,” says Kris Brown, director of Solon Public Library.

The book has been ordered in the regular edition, audio and large-print, and that is for a relatively small library in anticipation of high demand, Brown said.

In bigger libraries, like Cedar Rapids, 10 copies have been ordered. There are already 40 holds.

'I think we're going to have to order more,” says Anne Mangano, collection services coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library, which is facing similar demand.

Libraries and bookstores are having activities in anticipation of the release.

The Marion library will hold a movie marathon on July 13. It will play the award-winning film 'To Kill a Mockingbird” three times throughout the day, and 'Hey, Boo,” a documentary, twice. Before each show, there will be a drawing that gives first checkout rights for the book the next day.

The Marion library also will hold a discussion on 'Go Set a Watchman” in August.

'We're very excited about it. We want to make the most of it,” says Jo Pearson, assistant director at the Marion library. 'We're going to do it up big.”

Prairie Lights Books owner Jan Weissmiller recommends people call or email ahead if they want a first edition.

'To Kill a Mockingbird” was originally published in 1960. It won a Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 1961.

' ‘To Kill a Mockingbird' has been on high school reading lists for a long time,” Brown says.

Laura Crossett, adult services coordinator at the Coralville Public Library, said within an hour of the book's release announcement, she had people requesting the library get it.

Elaine Hayes, adult services librarian at North Liberty Community Library, said when the news hit, the library's book club was reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird.”

'Everybody was pretty excited about it because nobody expected her to release another book,” Hayes says.

The new book has brought back attention to 'To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Haunted Bookshop, a used bookstore in Iowa City, used Atticus Finch, one of the main characters, on social media on Father's Day, said store owner Nialle Sylvan. 'He's probably one of the best dads in all of fiction,” Sylvan says.