Don't be alarmed if you see a new face in the library this spring. He's the newest member to the library family-our pet hedgehog, Winston.
Winston was just a baby-about six weeks old when we first brought him into the library on April 16. He made his official debut on Monday, April 23 with a baby hedgehog shower and new pet open house. More than 100 people came to meet Winston! Don't worry, if you weren't able to attend the shower, Winston is at the library taking visitors daily. In fact, he has entertained several students who've visited the library with their classrooms in May!
The library staff are all excited about the new pet, and so are many of the patrons! His arrival was announced via our facebook page a couple weeks before he arrived, and people have been buzzing about it ever since! As part of the preparation, the library staff included patrons in the process of picking out his name. Four names were chosen by library staff members to form a poll from which patrons could vote for the name they liked best. Winston won with overwhelming results!
Top 5 FAQ's about Winston
Q: How big is he going to get?
A. Right now he is about the size of a softball when he rolls up tight. He won't get much bigger than that.
Q: Does it hurt to touch him? Is he poky?
A: No, he is very soft on the bottom, like a bunny. On top, when he has his quills down, petting him feels like petting a brush with plastic bristles. When he puts his quills up, they feel more prickly, but he is extremely friendly and only does that when he's startled, or when you wake him up from his nap!
Q: How do you hold him?
A: The best way to pick him up is to scoop him in both hands from the bottom and lift up. It's easier to pick him up if he's wide awake. For Winston's safety, we are only allowing library staff to pick him up and hold him.
Q: Does he like to play?
A: Yes! He LOVES to run. He likes to push ping pong balls around with his nose. He loves to crawl around in a cardboard tube. I even saw him try to bite a toy motorcycle once! He's a curious little guy.
Q: What is his favorite book?
A: Winston is still a baby, so he can't read yet, but he loves to be read to. He doesn't have a favorite book - yet. Can you recommend one?
rian at Oshkosh Public Library. More classes may be offered in the future. 
and skill. Just bring your supplies and your drive to get crafty! The first meeting of Hooks N Needles is Tuesday, May 22 from 4pm to who knows when? 
ing the craft fair at Sovereign State Days, they are selling VandeWalls chocolate bars and t-shirts with the library logo on them inside the library year-round! Just recently, they started selling kids t-shirts with depiction of our new library pet! They also have large and sturdy bookbags for sale.
