A.K. Smiley Public Library

05/31/2026

Teens, we’re just a few short weeks away from the kickoff of our 2026 “Plant a Seed, Read!” Summer Reading Program here at A.K. Smiley Public Library and we hope you’re excited. I can’t wait to tell you about what’s coming your way. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions (that no one’sever actually asked me).

Will the 2026 “Plant a Seed, Read!” Summer Reading Program offer a teen book club? Yes! Pick up a FREE copy of The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Ross (YA Thriller), (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi (YA Fantasy), and/or American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Fad that Haunted a Nation by Barb Rosenstock (YA Nonfiction) from the Young Readers’ Room at A.K. Smiley Public Library any time between June 18th and July 28th while supplies last. Be sure to talk to your parents about which books may be a good fit for you! We've linked some reviews on our Teen Summer Book Club registration page (available from www.akspl.org/teens) to help. These copies are yours to keep forever, so feel free to write in them, cry on them, build a sandcastle around them, run through the sprinklers with them, drip popsicles on them, sunbathe next to them, take them camping, pack them in a suitcase, seatbelt them to a roller coaster, lock them in a vault, or whatever you like. Choose one or get all three (while supplies last). Then come to the Teen Summer Book Club Party on July 29th to talk about them and feast!

Will the 2026 “Plant a Seed, Read!” Summer Reading Program offer any teen workshops or gatherings? Of course!We have a Teen Clay Hand Building Workshop with Redlands Pottery Project, a Make-and-Take Collaboration with Feel Good Market, a Turmeric Anthotype Print Makers’ Lab (where attendees will make art using turmeric and the sun), a Video Game Tournament (with prizes), our Teen Writers’ Club, and more, all in the works and waiting for you this summer. Everything is free…my favorite price! Some of the events do require pre-registration, so check the Teens’ page of our website (www.akspl.org/teens) in the next couple weeks for all the details if you’re interested.

What about a teen reading challenge with prizes…will there be one? Yes. We will have reading logs in the form of BINGO cards with a lot of creative ideas to save you from a summer slump. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking you’re way too old (or way too young) for BINGO. But what you don’t yet realize is this is not your average BINGO. This is TEEN BINGO. See? Case closed!

Just kidding…I will tell you that in addition to reading, this BINGO card will challenge you to do things like character cosplay, cook something from a recipe, invent a villain, look at the night sky, make a fifteen second movie that captures your summer life, and do other creative things to keep your creative juices from drying up. For every BINGO you complete, you will earn opportunity drawing tickets that offer a chance to win fabulous prizes throughout the summer.

Are some of the prizes the cutest stickers you’ve ever seen? How did you know? Library Specialist and amazing, amazing, amazing (she’s so amazing I had to say it three times) artist RAdesigned original stickers that go with our “Plant a Seed, Read!” theme to giveaway as teen prizes. When you see these stickers, you will do anything to get one…even reading challenges andcharacter cosplay and making a movie about your summer life! I will do my best to describe them. The stickers are little animal/fruit/vegetable hybrids…there’s Pugshroom, Mewcantosh, Little Lettuce Cat, and more. You will definitely want to collect them all. And stickers are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to prizes. We’ll also be giving away a neon sign of a tomato to hang in your room, gift cards to local businesses, and more!

Starting June 18th, Redlands Unified School District will be here serving “Lunch at the Library” every Tuesday and Thursday at 11am to young people ages 0-19 while supplies last. Feed your body and your brain at the very same time!
Teens, I am planting the little seed in your head right now that the library wishes to be one of your favorite places to be this summer. We really hope we have something in our “Plant a Seed, Read!” line-up that is calling your name. Bring a friend or make new ones!

Written by Kristina Naftzger, a Youth Services Librarian at A.K. Smiley Public Library who is really hoping for a green thumb this summer.

05/28/2026

Join us for our second Junk Journaling event! Make a junk journal from paper lunch bags or bring your own journal and use our scraps! Take everyday items and make them into something new. All necessary supplies will be provided by the library but feel free to bring materials to share or donate for future junk journaling events! Scrapbooking also welcome! Registration is required!
Attending this event will provide an extra entry ticket into the adult Summer Reading Program Raffle.
Saturday, June 27th, 2026
1:00pm-2:30pm
A.K. Smiley Public Library Contemporary Club
This event is for ages 18+

Register here:
https://www.akspl.org/events/junk-journaling-part-2/

05/27/2026

REGISTRATION IS FULL! Please stay tuned for our upcoming programs.

Bring out your crafty side as you create your own ceramic piece with the Redlands Pottery Project!

This is an adult (18+) FREE event open to the public happening in the Assembly Room at A.K. Smiley Public Library on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

Space is limited and registration is required.

Register with the QR code or go to Akspl.org

05/24/2026

Reading memoirs offer us the opportunity to step into anauthor’s personal life and immerse ourselves in the experiences that have shaped their growth, life purpose, and understanding of the world during a particular era. Thus, we may feel inspiredby the author’s journey, connected through shared experiences, or motivated to learn more about unfamiliar perspectives and topics. Additionally, the format in which the memoir is presented plays a part in how we engage with it. Today, memoirs are presented not only in traditional book form, but also as graphic novels, which can appeal to a new generation of readers through the use of visual elements such as color to convey emotion and meaning. In addition, memoirs are available in audiobook format, allowing listeners to further immerse themselves in the author’s emotions and experiences.

What began as a letter correspondence between Sister Helen Prejean and Patrick Sonnier, a man sentenced to death for murder, led to Prejean’s lifelong advocacy for the abolition of the death penalty. Dead Man Walking: Graphic Edition, takes readers back to the beginning of Prejean’s work in this field through a visual adaptation of her 1993 bestselling memoir, “Dead Man Walking: The Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty That Sparked a National Debate.” Created in collaboration with writer Rose Vines and artist Catherine Anyango, the memoir aims to reach a new generation that perhaps has not heard of Prejean and her work. Combined, thevisuals, colors, and the script, capture the sorrow and emotional weight of Prejean’s experiences, as well as those of inmates and families. The memoir humanizes those on death row while also acknowledging the impact of their crimes on their victims’ loved ones; multiple perspectives on this controversial issue are also presented.

The audiobook version of Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Giuffre was a finalist for the 2026 Audie Award for Best Narration in Biographies— an award that recognizes distinction in audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment. Narrators GabraZackman and Thérèse Plummer bring Giuffre’s story to life bygiving voice to her experiences of childhood abuse, the exploitation she suffered by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and the emotional challenges she faced in seeking justice. Listening to the memoir allows readers to connect to Giuffre’s emotions through the narrators’ tone and inflection, which can often be less apparent on the page. On the other hand, reading the physical memoir offers the reader flexibility to skim, or skip sections that can be difficult to read—both the audiobook and print formats are available for check out.

Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense by Joe Manchinrecounts his experiences in the Senate and the White House,along with the defining moments that shaped his character, values and work ethic. Organized into thirteen chapters, the memoir traces his journey from childhood to his career as both a businessman and senator. Each chapter centers on a guiding principle that has influenced his leadership approach, such as,“The dignity of work builds a good and accountable society,” and “If you can’t change your mind, you can’t change anything.” Manchin explains how these principles helped him overcome adversity, shaped his understanding of leadership, and influenced his view on commonsense politics.

There are several memoirs to be checked out at A.K. Smiley Public Library, perhaps there is one ready to be read by you.

Written by Celina Lozano, library specialist.

05/21/2026

Join us on Friday May 29th, 2026 when Professor Sabrina Jimenez will discuss the history of Memorial Day and how it came to be.

The program will be in the Library Assembly Room from 3:00pm-4:00pm.

Ms. Jimenez is Professor of History at Crafton Hills College. Her specialty is military history and Native American warfare. This program is free and open to the public.

For questions or more information call 909-798-7565.

A.K. Smiley Library is at 125 W. Vine Street in Redlands.

05/17/2026

One of my duties at A. K. Smiley Public Library is ordering books for the fiction collection. When I order titles for this collection, I try to make your sure that I am creating a diverse and inclusive collection that promotes global awareness. With that being said, May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, here are some new fiction titles to check out to celebrate AAPI month.

The genre of healing fiction is very popular amongst Korean and Japanese authors. The books have elements of empathy, compassion, cats, and a bit of magic. If you have not read any of these healing reads, I suggest the Soyangri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye, A Good Day Starts with Cats & Books by Satori Satori, and The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee by Saki Kawashiro.

If you want to read something with a deeper character development with dramatic elements, then I suggest these psychological fiction titles: The Dog Meows, the Cat Barks by Eka Kurniawan, The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu, and Aviary by Maria D**g.

If you prefer books with romance, interpersonal relationships, and historical elements then you may want to check out Next Time Will Be Our Turn by Jess Q. Sutanto, One & Only by Maureen Goo, and The Pohaku by Jasmin Iolani Hakes.
If you want to read something with supernatural or horror elements then you might want to read Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker and Molka by Monica Kim.

The library also has a display featuring books written by Asian Authors.

Written by Shannon Harris, a Library Specialist at A. K. Smiley Public Library

05/10/2026

Mother's Day announces its arrival all throughout diners, flower shops, and tv ads each year in May. A day dedicated to one of the most complex, rewarding and difficult challenges anyone can take on. One wonders if perhaps one day is truly enough to encompass the role that weighs heavy on mothers. In many countries more and more women are choosing not to have children, or to hold off on the plan; eliciting concerns about population decline and future workforces. But what about some consideration for motherhood outside of its benefits to societal capital. Here are three new books that offer but a small glimpse into motherhood, beautiful, warm, loving and complicated motherhood.

"The Water bearers: a Memoir of Mothers and Daughters" by Sasha Bonet weaves a story of the daughters, the mothers, the women and the inseparable tie that motherhood played in generations of Bonet's family. Her writing is fluid, carrying you on a lazy river through the intrepid stories of the women who shaped her and generations before her. Bonet makes use of bodies of water, rivers, tributaries and oceans as metaphors for the women's influence on each other. Even as they move further from the main river, they remain connected, at times beyond their own comprehension, to the river that feeds their tributaries and the river to the ocean where it finds its source. This book is about motherhood, but more than that it's about black motherhood. What it means tocarry generations of trauma rooted in racism, misogyny, and everything in between. Bonet lets others into this intimate world of women and girls, of mothers and daughters.This world is cold and warm; family is home and the thing that pushes you to search for escape. Tender. Painfully so. You may well be left thinking back to the shared sit downs of your family; the children running and screaming while the women prepared dinner. There is a certain amount of self-reflection that Bonet’s writing prompts. If you are a woman or were raised as one it holds a torch to the caves of womanhood. Women are complicated. Mothers are good and bad, loving and scary. These imperfect beings shape the future generations all while trying to be people themselves. The writing is easy to follow, the stories are hard to look away from and this one is a must read.

Zooming out from one family history to a broader history we find Elinor Cleghorn's “A Woman's Work: Reclaiming the Radical History of Mothering". Cleghorn does not pull her punches as she rips into the dense and forgotten history of motherhood, pregnancy, midwifery and adjacent topics from the people who experienced it in history. Women's slow crawl from objects of patriarchal structures to the growing personal rights of women and the continued struggles for choice and autonomy today. It is honest, and uncomfortable at times as it forces the reader to re-evaluate how you view motherhood; even if one does not agree with every point Cleghorn makes. Many people don't bother learning about the experiences of pregnant people, until they themselves experience it as an expectant parent. What is pregnancy really like? Surely, it's more than just the morning sickness and swollen soles commonly depicted in media. History so often written by men details wars, laws and yet how often do we search for the words, the traces of the women and mothers who reared the past and present, the leaders of today and tomorrow. The book can become dense in the fog of history at times but offers impactful and important insights into women’s experiences in history. A thought provoking review of what it has meant to become a motherthroughout time.

For a look at modern motherhood, "What's on her Mind?" By Allison Daminger looks at the seldom considered invisible mental workload of women in the modern family setting. While rising numbers of men and partners continue to grow their equal share of physical tasks and labor to take on in the household; inequity still clearly exists in about every family Daminger has spoken to and interviewed in the many years she has dedicated to this topic. She explores the mental work load, sometimes unintentionally, dumped on mothers; what she calls "Cognitive Labor". Daminger found that even in relationships where physical labor and chores are split equally between partners, women's share of cognitive labor, that is the mental load of stress, of anticipating future plans, family needs and more, is considerably heavier than that of men. Lopsided distribution of cognitive labor brings helpful insight for couples and families who may be looking to make the family workload equally distributed and dissipate tension that can be hard to explain. An eye-opening account into cognitive labor and how these things burden women far more than men. It's one more thing to add to the weight that mothers carry on their back.

Please feel free to check out all these and much more in the new section at A.K. Smiley Public Library. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there and all others who celebrate it!

Written by Ruth Aguilar, a library specialist at A.K. Smiley Library who is not a mother but has one.

05/03/2026

If you keep on the lookout for what’s going on in the Youth Services Department at A.K. Smiley Public Library, you’ll know that we now have Spirit Days every last Thursday of the month! We promote these through posters and announcements via Instagram. Every Thursday is also Baby and Toddler Storytime day, so our last Thursdays have gotten to be so much excitement and fun lately!! It’s awesome seeing people participate in our special days. Here’s the lowdown on the spirit days we’ve celebrated so far.

Our first spirit day for January had us starting out the year with Wear a Cowboy Hat Day. All of the Youth Services crew (minus Miss Dawn.. we missed you, Miss Dawn – on each of these days!) was decked out in red light-up cowboy hats, plus some extra cowboy gear just for fun. Miss Kristina and I each read a couple of cowboy themed books to our baby, toddler, and adult friends in attendance at storytime.

February brought Dress Like a Spy Day. We gave away spy kits complete with spy sunglasses, name tags, mustachedisguises, and more. This was so fun! Trench coats, hats, and all black dominated our looks. Spy books are very popular in the YRR – most notably, the Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs, many of which are now also available to check out as graphic novels.

March was Rainbow Color Day. Each of us in the Youth Services Crew chose our own color – Miss Pamela was green, Miss Bella was blue, Miss Kristina was purple, and I (Miss Emily) was red. Of Dressing up made the storytime rainbow scarf songs extra fun on this day! A fun fact about our Smiley Library storytimes – we have a kind of signature. Miss Pamela, Miss Kristina, and I all sing a series of songs featuring rainbow scarves during our storytimes, two of which are nearly always The Rainbow Song and Popcorn Kernels. They’re Smiley crowd favorites!

Next up for April will be Dress Like Your Favorite Book Character Day! At the time that I’m writing this, it still hasn’t happened yet, but there should be a photo posted to our Instagram at the time that you’re reading this. I’ve heard somecool ideas from patrons and staff who are excited to dress up: Junie B. Jones, Maisy, Paddington, Frog and Toad, multiple Waldos, even (mysteriously) one knight. If you know me, you know that I’m a big fan of the Kevin Henkes mice… I’ll most likely be dressed as one of his many sweet and stylish characters. Of the spirit days we’ve celebrated so far, this is the one that I’m most excited about.

Keep our upcoming spirit days on your radar! I personally can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings! The Youth Services Department has a few ideas for May through December, but if you have your own suggestion, we would absolutely love to hear it. We love serving this community, and spirit days are one way for us all to feel this connection in action.

Written by Emily Windver, a library specialist in the Youth Services Department at A.K. Smiley Public Library. She enjoys dressing up, and especially goes all-out for a theme.

04/28/2026

🎬 🎬 Join us for the next installment of A.K. Smiley Public Library’s Southern California in Film series!

📅 Saturday, May 16
🕑 2:00 PM
📍 Contemporary Club

This month’s feature: We Bought the Zoo 🐾
Presented in partnership with the University of Redlands’ Campus & Community Read of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach—free copies of the book will be available at the screening and at the library circulation desk.

Based on the memoir by Benjamin Mee, We Bought the Zoo follows a Los Angeles journalist who takes a leap of faith by purchasing a struggling zoo after the loss of his wife. Filmed across Southern California, including Thousand Oaks, Pasadena, and Los Angeles.

🎟️ Free admission (thanks to the generosity of Smiley Library donors!)
📌 Rated PG
📍 173 S. Eureka Street
🌐 www.akspl.org
📞 (909) 798-7632

Program subject to change.

04/27/2026