Where does the phrase “dog days of summer” come from? 

Research Desk

What's your question?

Research service available MON-FRI,10:30am-6:30pm

Email us: Research Desk, or call: 307-733-2164 x3110

Current trivia question:

Trivia Q: Which frequently challenged or banned book contains this quote? 

Trivia A. The quote is from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third installment of the series:

"[George] took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
At once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly, green words, that proclaimed: 

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
The Marauder's Map. 

Most of the book challenges against the series assert that Harry Potter glorifies magic and the occult, confusing children and leading them to attempt to emulate the spells and curses they read about. There were some concerns over the violence and the increasingly dark tone of the later books in the series. But most of the censorship attempts aimed at Harry Potter were for religious reasons. 

If you like Harry Potter, join us during October during our three Potter-themed programs, including an adult trivia night, SAT, OCT 26. Get the details here.

Research Questions

Looking for a local news article from 1984 to help solve a family mystery? Trying to make an informed choice for your next mattress? Need a stack of books pulled to help you put together an anti-inflammatory diet? We're on it! The research team can help you find trustworthy resources to answer life's burning questions. Email us at research@tclib.org.

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Your history teacher just assigned you a research project that's worth a third of your grade.  Don't panic!  The research team can steer you toward reliable resources that will support your thesis and help you ace the assignment. Appointments available for one-on-one or group help.

Teachers! Bring your students to the library for a tour of the collection and some pointers on how to do research using library databases. 

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