How many new quarters will there be in the America the Beautiful Quarter series?

The America the Beautiful series, which released the first quarter In April 2010, will have 56 quarters with staggered release dates until 2021. There will be five designs each year, each depicting a national park or national site from each state, federal district and U.S. territory. The Rhode Island Coin will feature the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_the_Beautiful_Quarters

What is the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time?

The highest grossing Christmas movie of all time was the 1990 hit Home Alone. It brought in $285.8 million dollars during its original release, making it the 37^th highest grossing film of all time. Home Alone is also in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the highest comedy box office grosses with $533 million internationally. The 2000 version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is second with $260 million and Home Alone 2 is third with $173.6 million.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-nashville/top-grossing-christmas-movies

Who was the first woman elected to U.S. Congress?

Jeanette Rankin, a Republican from Montana, was the first woman elected to Congress on November 6, 1916. Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress, and the first woman elected to a national legislature in any western democracy.

Source: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/congress/a/jeanette_rankin.htm

What is the most expensive university in the U.S.?

Determining the price of tuition at a college or university can be confusing as the sticker price is not always the true cost of tuition. There is a growing gap between the list price and net price of schools, which makes the true cost of college tuition somewhat unreliable.

For the 2009-2010 academic year, the most expensive school was listed as Bates College in Maine. The tuition at Bates is $51,300 however; this price includes fees and living expenses. If the price did not include those, it would not be ranked as the most expensive school. George Washington University is the most expensive university not including living expenses with tuition at $41,655. Penn State is also ranked as the most expensive public university with annual in-state tuition of $14,416.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/college-inc/post/feds-unveil-list-of-most-expensive-colleges/2011/06/30/AGVGi9rH_blog.html

How did the Day of the Dead become a holiday?

Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and around the world, where family and friends gather to pray for and remember friends and family who have died.

Over 500 years ago when the Spanish Conquistadores arrived in what is now Mexico, they noticed the indigenous people practicing a custom that mocked death. The indigenous people had been practicing this for almost 3,000 years. In the pre-Hispanic era, it was common to keep skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. Unlike the Spaniards who viewed death as the end of life, the natives viewed it as a continuation of life and did not fear death but embraced it. The Spaniards viewed these practices as sacrilegious and thought of the indigenous people as barbaric and pagans. The Spaniards attempted to convert the natives to Catholicism and stop the practice of the ritual, but it would not die. To make the ritual more Christian, the Spaniards moved it so it coincided with All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (Nov. 1 and 2), which is when it is celebrated today.

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html

Why does the harvest moon have a red orange color?

A harvest moon is a full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. It is the first full moon closest to the equinox and once every four years it occurs in October. The harvest moon gets its orange color from the scattering of light from the atmosphere. When the moon is near the horizon, the moonlight has to pass through much more atmosphere than when the moon is directly overhead. The atmosphere then scatters the green, blue and purple components of the moonlight, which is reflected white light from the sun, and allows the reddish components of light to travel to the human eye, thus giving the harvest moon its red orange color.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_moon

Why is Columbus Day celebrated in October?

Columbus Day, which first became a Federal holiday in 1937, celebrates the Anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Since 1971, Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Day

What is Grace Hopper's famous quote on forgiveness?

Grace Hopper was an American computer scientist and a United States Navy Officer who died in 1992. She is famous for her quote "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission.”

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper

Submitted by: Laurie Dumas, Reference Assistant and Maureen Delovio, Head of Reference

Why does hair turn gray?

A tissue called the hair follicle surrounds the root of every strand of hair. Each follicle contains pigment cells that produce melanin, the chemical that gives hair its color. As a person ages the pigment cells in the hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells the strand of hair does not contain as much melanin and becomes a more transparent color such as white, silver or gray.
Source: http://kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/getting_older/gray_hair.html

What is the most popular dog in the United States?

According to the American Kennel Club, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed in the United States. This makes it the 20^th consecutive year that the Labrador Retriever is the top breed in the U.S.

Source: http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=4293

What is the hottest temperature ever recorded in Rhode Island?

The hottest temperature recorded in Rhode Island was 104° Fahrenheit on August 2, 1975 in Providence. While the lowest temperature recorded, was -25° Fahrenheit on February 6, 1996 at T.F. Greene.

Sources: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wheat7.htm

http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ri_geography.htm

Who invented the nurse’s cap?

Florence Nightingale is credited as being the creator of the nurse’s cap. She believed that there needed to be professionalism in nursing and developed a uniform to give nurses a professional look. The nurse’s cap was designed after a nun’s habit as a way to pay homage to the nuns who were the earliest nurses.

Source: http://i.nursegroups.com/nursing-article/history-nurses-cap.html

What is the longest bridge in the United States?

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana is the longest bridge not only in the U.S., but also in the world. It is also the longest over-water highway in the world. The causeway, which is 23.83 miles long, consists of two parallel bridges that cross Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Pontchartrain_Causeway

Who invented algebra?

The word "algebra" is named after the Arabic word "al-jabr," which comes from the book ”The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing” written by Muslim mathematician Muhammad Al-Khwarizmi. The book, written in 830 CE, explains "Al-jabr" or algebra to mean completion, or subtracting a number from both sides of an equation.

Source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/317171/al-Khwarizmi

How does a member of the military receive a Medal of Honor?

The Medal of Honor is the highest military honor given by the U.S. Government. The President awards the medal in the name of Congress to members of the U.S. Armed Forced who exemplify themselves as "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States." Members of all branches of the armed forces are eligible to receive the medal, and each branch has a different version (one for the Army, one for the Air Force, and one for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard).

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor

How did “Pomp and Circumstance” become the processional march at graduations?

"Pomp and Circumstance” was composed by Sir Edward Elgar in 1901, and was originally written for the coronation of King Edward VII, and was not intended to be used at graduations. The music became associated with graduations in 1905, when Elgar received an honorary doctorate from Yale University. At the ceremony, the recessional music was “Pomp and Circumstance.” The music made such an impression that other universities such as Princeton, Colombia, and Rutgers used it in their graduation ceremonies the following year. By the mid 1920s, most colleges and high schools incorporated the music into their ceremonies. Today, “Pomp and Circumstance” is known in the United States as the “graduation song.”

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1273081

How and when was Mother’s Day originated in the United States?

Mother’s day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, was first conceptualized in the U.S. in 1870. It was not however until 1905 that the Mother’s day celebration we know now was established. Anna Jarvis is recognized as the founder and “Mother of Mother’s Day.” Jarvis got the inspiration for Mother’s Day from her own mother as she wanted to honor all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them. On May 10, 1905, the first Mother’s Day was celebrated in Jarvis’ hometown and by 1911 it was celebrated in almost every state. On May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, thus making it an official holiday.

Source: http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/about-mothersday/history/

How is the date for Easter determined?

The Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) set the date of Easter as the Sunday following the paschal full moon, which is the full moon that falls on or after the spring equinox.

Source: www.christianity.about.com

Where did the saying “April showers bring May flowers originate”?

This is a popular rhyme often heard around springtime, and can be traced back to the mid 1500s. In 1557, Thomas Tusser in his work “A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry” wrote, “Sweet April showers, do spring May flowers.”

Source: Wikipedia.org

Are the large nests high in the trees squirrel nests?

Squirrels live in nests called “dreys” that they build which are made of twigs and leaves. The inside of their nests are lined with soft materials such as feathers for comfort. Squirrels usually build their nests high in a tree between two strong branches. The nests are high enough so that they are protected ground predators, but not too high or the nest will be destroyed by the winds. Squirrels will also build their dens in a hollow tree cavity.

Source: http://www.squirrels.org/faq.html

What is this job binder I keep hearing about?

The West Warwick Public Library has a wonderful volunteer who finds local jobs online and organizes them by the type of job in a binder for us. Patrons may copy any job listing or apply online right at the library! The binder is located on the first floor across from the Circulation Desk. Jobs are updated weekly.

What is our paper money made of?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, our paper is “composed of 75% cotton and 25% linen.”

Source: The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing
www. moneyfactory.gov/faqlibrary.html

Submitted by Laurie Dumas, Reference Assistant

Does the library have tax forms?

We have the Federal forms on the first floor across from the Circulation Desk. Rhode Island no longer sends out forms, but we can print them out for you for .15 per page upstairs in the Reference Department. We are happy to help you print out the forms; however, library staff members are not tax professionals. We are unable to offer advice or help filling out forms.

More information about e-readers...

Because so many of our patrons received ebook readers for the holidays, we are repeating this question! The site is a little slow right now due to the large amount of usage. Please be patient, we promise it will be worth the wait!

You can download titles from our website to your e-reader. Our Overdrive e-books are available for most of today’s most popular e-readers including the Nook, the Sony E-reader, Kobo, iPad, and most phones. Currently, the Kindle is not compatible with Overdrive titles.

To browse the e-book collection, just go to our website and click on Catalog. There will be a link on the front page for E-Zone Digital Downloads. Click on this and the collection is in your hands! Or, stop by and we will be happy to show you how to download titles directly to your device.

Just because you have the newest technology, that does not mean you have to pay for all of your e-books. Let us help you enjoy your newest reading device for free this holiday season!