Test your IQ about books, Oshkosh and more!
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April's trivia question
Q: Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden appointed ________________________ as the 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress on July 12, 2022, and reappointed her for a historic two-year second term on April 24, 2023.
A: (Source: Library of Congress) Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden appointed Ada Limón as the 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress on July 12, 2022, and reappointed her for a historic two-year second term on April 24, 2023.
March's trivia question
Q: How many pints of Guinness Draught Beer are served worldwide on St. Patrick’s Day?
A: As many as 13 million pints of Guinness (1,951,544 gallons) are consumed worldwide on the holiday.
February's trivia question
Q: How much did the heaviest sturgeon speared on the Lake Winnebago system weigh?
A: The heaviest sturgeon speared on record in the Lake Winnebago system weighed 212.2 pounds, caught by Ronald Grishaber in 2010.
January's trivia question
Q: Which U.S. state is the only one with a one-syllable name?
A: Maine
2023 Trivia Questions and Answers
December's trivia question
Q: Who was the number one streamed artist on Spotify in 2023, bypassing Bad Bunny’s beats for the first time since 2020?
A. Taylor Swift was Spotify's most streamed artist with more than 26.1 billion streams since Jan. 1. Did you know that you can download or stream Taylor Swift's music for free on Hoopla? The free Hoopla App is available through your App Store. You'll need an Oshkosh Public Library card to set up your account.
November's trivia question
Q: Why do Canada Geese fly in a V-pattern while migrating?
A: According to Audobon's website:
"The distinctive V-pattern Canada Geese fly in while migrating actually has a purpose—it helps the birds maintain their energy and improves communication. Each bird flies above the bird in front of them to reduce wind resistance. And being able to see the other birds aids overall coordination. When the lead bird gets tired, it moves to the back of the group for a much-deserved rest."
October's trivia question
Q: In Washington Irving’s 1820 short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, what is the name of the headless horseman’s victim?
A: Ichabod Crane: Learn more about the haunting roots of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
May's trivia question
Q: What bestselling author started his career at one of the world's largest advertising agencies?
A: In the early 1970s, James Patterson started out at J. Walter Thompson. Read more here.
April's trivia question
Q: Which author's birthday is celebrated on April 23, coinciding with World Book Day?
A: William Shakespeare's birthday is celebrated on April 23, which coincides with World Book Day.
March's trivia question
Q: Can you balance an egg on the Spring Equinox?
A: Not really. It turns out that the egg balancing trick is a bit of fun folklore. For the entire scientific explanation, click here.
February's trivia question
Q: Jane Austen dedicated her novel Emma to which royal family member?
A: Although in a letter, Austen described her intense dislike of the Prince Regent (later King George IV), she dedicated one of her novels to him after he requested she do so. Read the sensational story here.
January's trivia question
Q: In Harper Lee’s 1960 classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch states that it is a "sin to kill a mockingbird." Why does Atticus consider mockingbird murder a sin?
A: The quote containing the book's title appears in Chapter 10, when Atticus’s daughter Scout recalls him saying, “… 'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.' That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it.
“Your father's right,” she said. 'Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
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2022 Trivia Questions and Answers
December's trivia question
Q: What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin?
A: The Village of Couderay is located in Sawyer County in Wisconsin. Clear skies on the night of February 3, 1996, allowed temperatures to drop across much of the Midwest. On February 4, 1996, Couderay recorded a temperature of -55. This is the lowest temperature recorded in Wisconsin's history.
November's trivia question
Q: What do Thanksgiving and the poem/song Mary Had a Little Lamb have in common?
A: Writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale wrote Mary’s Lamb in 1830 and convinced President Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. Read more about Sarah Josepha Hale’s many accomplishments here.
October's trivia question
Q: In the most recent episode of Librarian Learns, Lee Reiherzer, author of Oshkosh Beer Blog, shares the history of the Society of Oshkosh Brewers (SOBs). What year did the SOBs officially organize?
A: According to Oshkosh Beer Blog:
On April 5, 1991, a short notice aimed at homebrewers appeared in the Oshkosh Northwestern.
An organizational meeting of a new club for homebrewers of beer in Oshkosh will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday April 11, at Galaxy Science & Hobby Center, Lake Aire Center, 2211 Oregon Street
The meeting is open to beer lovers and homebrewers at all levels, as well as to the merely curious.
September's trivia question
Q: What is the title of a special, fireproof book that was recently auctioned by Sotheby’s for $130,000. (Hint: It is a bestselling novel and Emmy-winning TV series.)
A: The Handmaid’s Tale. Read the story of the unburnable book at NPR.org.
August's trivia question
Q: On what date did the members of the Second Continental Congress start signing the Declaration of Independence?
A: August 2, 1776 – 56 members of the Second Continental Congress started signing the Declaration of Independence.
July's trivia question
Q: What was the most popular Harry Potter book according to sales?
A: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone sold 120 million copies, making it the most popular book in the series. Interestingly, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was the highest grossing film with $1,341,932,398 in total box office receipts.
June's trivia question
Q: Route 66 also goes by the names The Main Street of America, The Will Rogers Highway, and the Mother Road. What novelist, in their depression-era novel, coined the term The Mother Road?
A: John Steinbeck coined the term The Mother Road in The Grapes Of Wrath.
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May's trivia question
Q: What was the original title of the movie Return of the Jedi?
A: The third Star Wars movie was originally titled Revenge of the Jedi.
April's trivia question
Q: Who was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for poetry?
A: In 1918, Sara Teasdale won for her book of poetry, Love Songs.
March's trivia question
Q: What is the day before Mardi Gras called?
A: Lundi Gras (French for Fat Monday) includes Rex, King of Carnival, arriving by boat in New Orleans.This year’s festivities took place on February 28. Future Mardi Gras dates (all the way through 2058!) can be found here.
February's trivia question
Q: Psychology (Dewey Decimal Range 641 – 642.9) was the number 2 non-fiction circulating category at Oshkosh Public Library in 2021. Biography & Genealogy (Dewey Decimal Range 920-929.9) was number 3. Can you guess which category was number 1?
A: With 5,656 borrows in 2021, Cookbooks (Dewey Decimal Range 641-642.9) were the number 1 circulated non-fiction, Dewey Decimal categorized item in Oshkosh’s collection.
January's trivia question
Q: According to the Guinness Book of World Records, James Patterson holds the record for having the most books on the New York Times bestseller’s list. What was the name of his first book?
A: The Thomas Berryman Number was published in 1976. It won an Edgar Award, a prestigious prize for mystery writers. Patterson’s breakout novel, Along Came a Spider, was a smash hit which led to his eventual success as the world’s bestselling author.
2021 Trivia Questions and Answers
December's trivia question
Q: Do you know the year that Bing Crosby first publicly performed Irving Berlin’s song White Christmas?
A: On December 24, 1941, Crosby performed the song on his Kraft Music Hall radio show. For the full history of this extraordinary hit, visit White Christmas: The Story Behind the Song. Bing Crosby’s Christmas classics and other musical favorites are available for instant streaming on the free Hoopla app. All you need is an Oshkosh Public Library card and computer or smart device with an internet connection.
November's trivia question
Q: Why is Thanksgiving always celebrated on a Thursday?
A: As an act of gratitude for the Union Army’s victory at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln announced that the nation would celebrate an official Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 26, 1863. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, hoping to boost the economy during the Great Depression by providing a few extra shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, moved Thanksgiving to November’s third Thursday. In 1941, Roosevelt relented to Congressional pressure that the fourth Thursday of November be officially designated as the national Thanksgiving holiday.
October's trivia question
Q: Did you know the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth “cultivates the hobby of growing giant pumpkins throughout the world…”? In 2018, the largest pumpkin ever recorded in U.S. history tipped the scales at 2,528 pounds. Which state produced the record winner?
A: New Hampshire! In 2018, Steve Geddes of Boscawen, N.H., won $6,000 in prize money at the Deerfield Fair for his first place pumpkin. It was merely 100 pounds short of the Guinness World Record for heaviest pumpkin.
September's trivia question
Q: What year did Oshkosh’s Park Plaza Mall open for business?
A: The 18-acre Park Plaza Mall opened in July 1970. Los Angeles based architectural firm Welton Becket and Associates designed a modern structure featuring bench areas, lockers, fountains, skylights, a restaurant, and food court. Anchor stores were Sears, H.C. Prange Co. and Kohl Foods.
The center court was used for boat and auto shows, flower and garden shows, art exhibits, concerts and dances. Two levels of parking above the shopping mall provided spaces for 1,200 vehicles. The mall was built and owned by the Miles Kimball Co., with Ted Leyhe serving as general manager.
For more history, check out this video from the Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau.
August's trivia question
Q: Where did Oshkosh hold high school classes in 1860?
A: Due to crowded conditions, Oshkosh High School met in the Old Congregational Church on Main Street near Church Street.
Source: The Oshkosh Northwestern, Fri., Jan. 25, 1935
July's trivia question
Q: In his final will, Oshkosh native and Marvel Comics Editor Mark Gruenwald requested to be cremated and have his ashes mixed into the print run of a comic. Do you know the name of the comic collection that combined ink with ashes?
A: Oshkosh native Mark Gruenwald suddenly passed away in 1996. His ashes were mixed into the 1997 trade paperback collection of Squadron Supreme. Although the library does not own this particular publication, a collection of Gruenwald's work is located on the library's Second Floor in the Adult Local History area. Please stop by the Service Desk for more information.
June's trivia question
Q: During the weekend of Sept. 21, 1984, the 44 Outdoor Theatre screened its three final films. Can you name the comedy triple feature?
A: Moviegoers watched 48 HRS, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Tootsie. Admission cost a whopping $4 per carload ($10.28 in today’s money).
May's trivia question
Q: What is the only US state name that can be typed using just one row of a traditional QWERTY keyboard?
A: Alaska. The four letters used in the word can all be found in the middle row of the keyboard.
April's trivia question
Q: April is National Poetry Month. Can you name the current U.S. Poet Laureate?
A: Joy Harjo was appointed to serve as the nation’s 23rd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2020-2021. Discover some of her writings here.
March's trivia question
Q: How many printed publications did the library add to its collection in 2020?
A: The library added 10,039 printed publications to the collection for a total of 210,476.
February's trivia question
Q: How did the phrase “wearing your heart on your sleeve” originate?
A: “In the Middle Ages, Emperor Claudius II believed unattached men made better soldiers so he declared marriage illegal. As a concession, he encouraged temporary coupling. Once a year, during a Roman festival honoring Juno, men drew names to determine who would be their lady friend for the coming year. Once established, the man would wear her name on his sleeve for the rest of the festival.” (Source: Smithsonian Magazine)
January's trivia question
Q. What is another name for Dianthus Caryophullus – January’s birth flower?
A. Dianthus Caryophullus is also known as the carnation. In Greek, dios means Zeus or God and anthos means flower. So, the English translation is “flower of the gods.”
Each specific carnation color also carries its own meaning:
White: Purity.
Red: Love and passion
Pink: Gratitude.
Purple: Capriciousness
It’s not too early to dream about your spring garden. For questions regarding horticulture in Winnebago County, please visit the Winnebago County Extension’s website.
December's trivia question
Q: According to Guinness World Records, what was the first song ever played in space?
A: Jingle Bells, written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857 and originally titled One Horse Open Sleigh, became the first song played in space on December 16, 1965 when it was broadcast during NASA’s Gemini 6A space flight.
November's trivia question
Q: On average, how many questions does the Butterball Turkey Talk Line receive during November and December every year?
A: According to butterball.com, their Turkey Talk Line experts answer more than 100,000 questions from households in the United States and Canada. The Talk Line is open for calls beginning Nov. 2.
October's trivia question
Q: Where did author Mary Shelley get the inspiration for Frankenstein’s monster?
A: A dream.
When Mary Shelley was 18 years old, she had a dream while on holiday in Lake Geneva, Switzerland with poets Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley (her future husband) and the physician John Polidori. It was a rainy trip, and Shelley and the group entertained themselves indoors by reading ghost stories aloud. Afterwards, Byron posed a challenge to the group to write their own ghost stories and vote on a winner.
Shelley captured the prize and in 1818, Frankenstein, or, the Modern Prometheus was published. It was an instant hit.
September's trivia question
Q: Using an Oshkosh Public Library Card, how many titles can you borrow per month on Hoopla?
A: You can borrow 10 titles per month per library card for free! Check out what’s new.
August's trivia question:
Q: On Aug. 1, 1981, MTV Network debuted on cable television. What were the first and second videos shown on the groundbreaking channel?
A: Ironically, The Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star was the first video, followed by Pat Benatar’s You Better Run. Feeling nostalgic for the tunes of the past? MTV Unplugged, music by Pat Benatar and the top hits of the 1940s through today are all available for streaming on Hoopla.
July's trivia question:
Q: Oshkosh Public Library’s birthday is September 3. How many candles should we put on the cake?
A: Oshkosh Public Library turns 120 years old this year! The building officially opened on September 3, 1900. The event was extensively covered in the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern.
A full account of the library’s history is here.
June's trivia question:
Q: During April, how many phone calls did the library receive from patrons?
A: The library received 6,892 incoming phone calls during April. Most calls were requesting curbside service. We’re looking forward to offering that service again soon.
May's trivia question:
Q: Since March, how many PPE face shields has Oshkosh Public Library printed and donated using our 3-D printer and two additional 3-D printers on loan from Fond du Lac Public Library?
A: The library printed 100 face shields for the Oshkosh Fire Department and 180 additional shields for Winnebago Mental Health! We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide this service to our first responders and healthcare providers.
April's trivia question:
Q: In 2019, what were the most popular cat and dog names in the United States?
A: According to Rover.com, here are the trendsetters:
Male Cat – Oliver
Female Cat – Luna
Male Dog – Max
Female Dog – Bella
March's trivia question:
Q: Who is the number one best-selling female fiction author of all time?
A: Agatha Christie penned 66 detective novels, 14 short-stories and the world’s longest running play – The Mousetrap. Do you have a favorite Agatha Christie novel? We’re partial to The Body in the Library. Search the library’s online catalog for other popular mysteries, or ask one of our Information Services librarians (920) 236-5205 for a suggestion.
February's trivia question:
Q: February has 29 days this year thanks to Leap Day. Do you know how often Leap Day occurs?
A: Leap Day happens every four years. Get all the calendar correction details at History.com.
January's trivia question:
Q: Librarians by day. Superheroes by night. Can you name two comic book characters who work in libraries?
A: Batgirl (aka Barbara Gordon) has her doctorate in library science and is Head of Gotham City Public Library. Librarian Judy Dark works in the basement of New York Public Library and changed into superhero Luna Moth following a fatal shooting and subsequent surge of energy from a downed wire. The website ilovelibraries has a fascinating list of 20 Heroic Librarians Who Saved the World.
In real life, all librarians are superheroes. They may not wear a cape, but they use their mighty information gathering powers for good to ensure all people have equal access to knowledge, stories, and the sanctuary that is the library.
December's trivia question:
Q: What Chicago-based retail giant introduced the world to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer more than 80 years ago?
A: Traditionally, Montgomery Ward had given away coloring books to children as a Christmas promotion. But in 1939, the advertising department decided to create its own customized booklet to save money. Thus, Rudolph was born from the imagination of copywriter Robert May. For the full story, listen to Writing ‘Rudolph’: The Original Red-Nosed Manuscript, which originally aired on NPR’s Morning Edition on Dec. 25, 2013.
November's trivia question:
Q: What local organization turns 100-years-old on Nov. 22?
A: Happy birthday Winnebago County Historical & Archaeological Society! According to their website, their first organizational meeting was held on Sat., Nov. 22, 1919. You can read the entire story here. (scroll down the page)
October's trivia question:
Q: According to CandyStore.com, what are Wisconsin’s top three Halloween candies?
A: CandyStore.com’s sales data shows the three most popular Halloween candies in America’s Dairyland are Butterfinger, Starburst and Hot Tamales. America’s top three are Skittles, M&Ms and Snickers.
Did any of your favorites make the list? Stop by the library on Wed., Oct. 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. as part of the Downtown Trick or Treat event. We’ll have lots of sweet treats to share!
September's trivia question:
Q: When and where was the first U.S. Labor Day celebrated?
A: The first U.S. Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City with a parade of 10,000 workers. President Grover Cleveland declared it an official holiday in 1894. Canadians also celebrate Labour Day on the first Monday in September.
August's trivia question:
Q. What is the main characteristic that distinguishes the top 10 percent of the happiest people from everyone else?
A. The strength of social relationships. Social support is a greater predictor of happiness than any other factor.
Source: 57 Cheerful Facts about Happiness (No. 4 may surprise you.)
Stay socially connected at the library through programs, events, book clubs and more. For a good read on the importance of common gathering places such as libraries, parks, pools, or coffee shops, check out Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg.
July's trivia question:
Q. Can you name NASA’s first four manned spaceflight projects?
A. Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Skylab
Read the Origins of NASA Names for a closer look at NASA history. The NASA History Office also has a Facebook page and Twitter account.
June's trivia question:
Q. Can you name five everyday items invented by NASA?
A. Here are just a few common space-age inventions:
Memory foam (1966)
Camera Phones (1990s)
Dustbuster (Developed as part of the Apollo program)
Space blankets (1964)
Computer mouse (1960s)
For more space-related inventions, visit NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory website or check out this book: Scientific American Inventions From Outer Space: Everyday uses for NASA technology.
May's trivia question:
Q. In 1907, the Wisconsin Legislature set the maximum hours of labor for children to how many per week?
A. Children were limited to 55 hours a week. The Legislature also adopted a list of dangerous occupations prohibited to children under 16.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Timeline History: 1900-1919
For more fascinating facts, visit the library’s Local History page on our website.
April's trivia question:
Q. What’s the oldest library in the United States?
A. In 1800, an Act of Congress established the Library of Congress.
Fun facts:
- The library collects every public tweet made on Twitter and archives them daily.
- Only members of congress or congressional staff can check out books here.
- The library has the world’s largest comic book collection with more than 100,000 issues.
Source: The 25 Coolest Things About Library of Congress
The Oshkosh Public Library was built one-hundred years after the Library of Congress. Find out how public and private partnerships worked together to create a library for our community.
March's trivia question:
Q: On Sun., March 17, St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated by millions of people around the globe. How many Americans claim Irish ancestry?
A: More than 33 million according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Irish is the second-most common ancestry among Americans, with German taking the top spot. New York has the most people claiming Irish heritage at 13 percent, while Miami has the least at around one percent.
If you’re wondering if you might have a little luck o’ the Irish in your family tree, the library has an extensive genealogy collection including an in-library subscription to Ancestry.com and a Local History and Genealogy Librarian who can help you dig into your roots.
February's trivia question:
Q: During the library’s 1993-94 renovation, the Washington Avenue building was closed, and the entire collection was relocated to what former factory building?
A: The former Radford Company facility was used as the library until September 1994. That building was demolished in 2000. (Source: Architecture and Art of the Oshkosh Public Library: A History and Guide by Joan Mueller)
January's trivia question:
Q. What were the top five New Year’s Resolutions for 2018?
A: According to Statista.com, the most common resolutions were:
Eat healthier
Get more exercise
Save more money
Focus on self-care
Read more
The library can help you crush your goals. Freshen up your reading list, browse our collection of eBooks and digital audiobooks or sign up for a Gale Course and make 2019 your best year yet.
December's trivia question:
Q: In the winter of 1839, local voters (male inhabitants living between Butte des Morts and Lake Winnebago) agreed to name their small settlement “Oshkosh” in honor of Chief Oshkosh, the Menominee tribal leader. Prior to that evening, the south side of the Fox River, the area north of the river and the land surrounding Oshkosh Avenue all had separate names. What were these three names?
A: The south side of the Fox River was known as Brooklyn. The area north of the river was named Athens; and the land surrounding Oshkosh Avenue was referred to as Algoma.
If you’d like to learn more about Oshkosh’s rich history including weird facts and trivia, visit the Local History tab of the library’s web site. A special collection of Oshkosh history books is located on the library's Second Floor.
Get to know others who share an interest in history. Connect with the Winnebago County Historical and Archeological Society on their Facebook page.
November's trivia question:
Q: What Little Golden Book is the world's bestselling children's book?
A: The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey (1942). One of the original twelve Little Golden Books, the tale of a mischievous pup went on to become the bestselling children’s book of all time.
October's trivia question:
Q: How many Grimm brothers were there?
A: There were eight Grimm brothers and one Grimm sister; however only Jacob and Wilhelm collected and published folktales. They lived together until Wilhelm’s death in 1859 and both worked as librarians and university professors.
September's trivia question:
Q: What is the name of Harry’s Potter’s pet owl?
A: Hedwig - Did you know that September is the 20th anniversary of the publication of the first book in the Harry Potter series? Celebrate this milestone by downloading your favorites and reading them again - or for the first time!
