A.K. Smiley Public Library

It’s time for the Adult Summer Reading Program at A.K. Smiley Public Library, June 18 - August 6th! Get ready to read, and enjoy special events throughout the summer. The summer reading challenge is in the form of a bingo card this year and people can pick them up at our Reference Desk.

Note: The Art Barn is the only event that requires registration and it has a max of 20 spots.

True crime is extremely popular! One can find it on TV, podcasts, and streaming services. California has seen its share of true crime (the Golden State Killer or the Night Stalker). Other cases here, and throughout the country may be lesser known—but are just as horrifying. AKSPL has three new titles involving true crime and one older true crime title that will be discussed here.

One of California’s most famous cases is the Black Dahlia. This occurred in the late 1940’s in Los Angeles. The victim, Elizabeth Short, was found dismembered in a vacant lot in LA. But did you know that there was another parallel murder case back in the Midwest? Leila Welsh and Elizabeth Short were very different in upbringing, lifestyle, and lived in different states. Sisters in Death: The Black Dahlia, The Prairie Heiress, and their Hunter by Eli Frankel compares their murder cases and tries to link them to the same suspect. Who is this suspect? You’ll only know if you read the book. To this day neither case is officially closed.

Going from California to Arizona, Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter, by Troy A. Hillman shares the cases of Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas. Both women were killed within months of each other. Both had bicycles. Both were killed in comparable circumstances. For years the cases could not be solved until a unique cold-case team of detectives, and a CPA were able to figure things out. Scariest of all was that the suspect was hiding in plain sight all along.

In Arkansas the Ozarks can be beautiful, but, deadly. Benjamin Hale’s, Cave Mountain: A Disappearance and Reckoning in the Ozarks, shares the story of Haley Zega. She disappeared on a hike and the search for her turned into a huge search & rescue mission. After she was rescued, Haley talked about another girl “Alecia.” Haley’s disappearance and “Alecia” would be eerily associated together though years apart.
For classic true crime, nothing beats author Ann Rule! Her book, Too Late to Say Goodbye: A True Tale of Murder and Betrayal takes place in Georgia. Jenn Corbin and Dolly Hearn were young women living their best lives. Both women were involved with Dr. Bart Corbin and both ended up dead. Was it a coincidence? Ann Rule compares and contrasts both women’s lives and their love for the same man.

For true crime fans AKSPL has many other books, e-books, and other materials to keep them up at night! Patrons can also use our new app to search for items or to place them on hold. The app can be found in the App stores for both iPhone and Android users.

Written by Allison Peyton, Principal Librarian, Adult Services

The A.K. Smiley Public Library has joined thousands of public libraries around the world by subscribing to The Freegal Music+ Service from Library Ideas, LLC. Under the terms of the agreement, registered cardholders can download and stream a select number of MP3-formatted tracks each month for free. The library subscription allows access to the music.

The Freegal Music+ service allows patrons to access a collection spanning over 20 million songs from more than 93,000 music labels worldwide including Sony Music, Epic, RCA, and Columbia. Freegal Music+ also offers a completely redesigned mobile app and website which utilizes modern application practices to ensure an easy-to-use and enjoyable experience. The free application is available for library cardholders and can be downloaded in the Apple® App Store and Google® Play store.

Visit https://www.akspl.org/elibrary/ for more information – and to start streaming music.

Saving you from a boring night at home- We’ve armed the (electronic) shelves with no-wait comic books and graphic novels that you can read right now.

Find your next great read on the Libby App- available in the App Store or Google Play, and accessible with your library card number.

🎬 A.K. Smiley Public Library’s “Southern California in Film” series continues on Saturday, June 20th with a screening of the classic film The Graduate at 2pm in the Contemporary Club.

Based on the novella by Charles Webb, The Graduate follows a recent college graduate drawn into an affair with an older woman before falling for her daughter. Set in Southern California, the film features locations including Beverly Hills, La Verne, the Ambassador Hotel, Exposition Park, and the campus of the University of Southern California. In 1996, the Library of Congress selected the film for the National Film Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

📍 Contemporary Club
173 S. Eureka Street, Redlands
🎟 Free admission thanks to the generous support of Smiley Library donors
📞 (909) 798-7632

For more information and schedule updates, visit A.K. Smiley Public Library. Program subject to change.

Did you know the Library Special Collections has a YouTube Channel? Its worth taking a look to learn more about the history of Redlands and see amazing clips like this one of Grace Mullen at the Bowl in 1958

Redlands Bowl Associates of the Redlands Bowl

Grace Mullen on Camera Car USA 1958 Founder of the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival Grace Stewart Mu...

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.

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/

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