MEET the man who published Harry Potter at Basingstoke Discovery Centre next month.

Barry Cunningham started his career at Penguin and later joined Bloomsbury where he famously signed J.K. Rowling, whose Harry Potter books went on to become a worldwide phenomenon. 

In addition, Barry, as marketing director of Bloomsbury Publishing, launched the careers of Hilary Mantel and Martin Amis.

Barry left Bloomsbury to launch his own publishing company The Chicken House in 2000, promoting such leading authors as Cornelia Funke and bestsellers such as the Tunnels series.

Celebrate National Libraries Day on Saturday, February 9, with BDC by hearing Barry talk about his life with Harry Potter, Roald Dahl and his own publishing company.

Tickets priced £3 are available from the library on 01256 478670 or online at hants.gov.uk/bsdc.