JK ROWLING, the author of the Harry Potter books, has donated £20,000 to help set up an organisation to promote children’s literature in Scotland.

The money will be used to establish the Scottish Centre for the Children’s Book in Edinburgh.

Rowling, whose sixth book in the popular series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, will be published in July, is said to be “passionate” about encouraging children’s love of literature and has always taken a keen interest in her young readers.

The children’s book centre — the brainchild of Joan Lingard, who has written for both children and adults — will run an extensive programme of children’s literary events.

Lingard approached the Scottish Book Trust, which found additional funding and set up the agency with the help of Rowling’s donation.

Leading Scottish children’s authors and schools, libraries and bookshops across the country will also be involved in the new initiative.

“We are very excited about the launch of this new agency later in the year,” said Marc Lambert, the chief executive of the Scottish Book Trust.

“Scotland has a long history of producing children’s writers of exceptional quality from Robert Louis Stevenson to JM Barrie. Today we have a huge range of wonderful children’s authors including JK Rowling, Joan Lingard and Keith Gray.

“This is about providing an institution that is specifically concerned with bringing more books to children. Writers, who will also have a direct input, will develop workshops and plans for the centre.”

The centre will be based in Edinburgh’s “literary quarter”, which houses several publishers and the Scottish Poetry Library. The new Netherbow storytelling centre is being built nearby.

Tours of the area, which has long-standing connections to Edinburgh’s most famous writers, are planned as part of this year’s World City of Literature celebrations. The city is the first to receive the accolade, awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation last year.

Catherine Lockerbie, the director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said it was no surprise that Rowling had chosen to back the centre.

“She has always been passionate about engaging young minds. That is what the Harry Potter series is about. She did not deliberately set out to sell books,” she added.

• Bloomsbury, the publisher of the Harry Potter books, has been accused of discriminating against small bookshop owners by offering “unfair” and “excessive” discounts to supermarkets and discount chains.

  Independent booksellers are urging the publisher to end the practice that allows bulk stores to charge up to 50% less.

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