Allison Peyton

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 1940s in Los Angeles. The victim, Elizabeth Short, was found dismembered in a vacant lot in L.A. 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 and 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 Story 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.

Allison Peyton is principal librarian for A.K. Smiley Public Library Adult Services.

Did you know that A.K. Smiley Library is more than just books? We also have online databases one can access with their library card number and PIN. We are very excited to announce that we now have Learning Express Library Complete! This database has resources for everyone. Students who need to study for the SAT can take a practice test online. Adults who are looking for career exams like Civil Service or Cosmetology can find study guides and practice tests. There are even resources for 4th-8th graders such as math and language skills improvement. All of these tests/exams are the most current versions. For computer help Learning Express Library Complete offers an online session for computer basics. All patrons need to do is create a user name and password.

A second database AKSPL offers is Ancestry.com library edition. Genealogy has grown in popularity—especially when it comes to true crime cases being solved with it. Ancestry.com is only available inside the Library. There is no remote access at this time. However, one does not need to create an account with them. Bring it up on one of our public computers or a laptop and one can start researching new branches of their family tree.

A third database AKSPL offers is Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints. This is a great research tool for a school pro/con essay assignment. There is remote access – one just needs their library card number. Popular topics that are updated are politics, health and medicine, and society/culture. The articles here are clearly and concisely broken down explaining each side of the pro/con argument. For students needing to cite their research there is a box at the end of the article which shows how to format it in MLA, APA, or the Chicago Manual of Style.

Lastly, for veterans who are looking for resources, AKSPL offers VetNow. All one needs to do is login with their library card number as a remote user. It offers resume assistance, job resources, and a live Veteran Navigator for help with VA benefits. One can also create an account with their own username and password for a more personalized experience.

The best part about all of these databases is that they are available to the public for free! Research should not cost anything. To use these or any of our other databases start by getting a library card. All that is required is a photo ID with current address or photo ID with proof of address if one just moved to the area. A full listing of our databases can be found at: https://www.akspl.org/elibrary/#eDatabases.

AKSPL has a variety of book collections. One that is sometimes forgotten about is the Oversized Collection. Oversized materials are literally just that. To be cataloged into that specific collection it depends if the book will fit on the shelf according to its Dewey number and shelf space available. Titles in this collection can cover art, countries, travel, dinosaurs, and movies.

Oversized materials are thought of as conversation pieces. They are perfect to check out and put on one’s coffee table. They also can be used to decorate one’s living room or study. They are highly detailed and have beautiful photographs. Many times, teachers will use them for art or history lessons. Other times they are just fun items to read and look at the pictures.

Three titles that can be found in this collection are 85 Years of the Oscar: the Official History of the Academy Awards, The Prehistoric World of the Dinosaur, and Monet. They are reviewed below.

85 Years of the Oscar: the Official History of the Academy Awards by Robert Osborne is a gorgeous book with a year-by-year history of the Oscars. There are many photographs of stars along with a description of the Oscars for a specific year. It is a source of boundless information for movie lovers!

The Prehistoric World of the Dinosaur by Dr. David Norman is a descriptive and colorful book of the history of dinosaurs, and the fossils that have been discovered. It is a great book for anyone (young and old) interested in paleontology.

Monet by Frank Milner gives the life and art history of one of France’s greatest impressionists, Claude Monet. It gives a brief background on Monet and then references some of his most famous paintings and where they are located. This would be helpful for art lovers who would want to go to those museums to see that artwork.

All in all, the Oversized Collection is one that everyone should see–come in and we’ll be happy to show your where it lives!

The 900s in the Dewey Decimal System is a diverse collection ranging from world civilizations to history to historical figures, and also travel. The 900s as a whole is a gigantic collection here at the library, but they offer a wealth of information for those who brave the stacks to find what they are looking for.

One of those areas that people are wanting information about is travel. Even though more and more travel information is online—there is still something about having an actual travel book on hand. Several countries that are always on travel lists are Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. The call number for travel books on these countries are the 940s—specifically 945.5, 946, and 949.4. These are three travel books that will be highlighted in this article.

Let’s start with sunny Spain. A good choice for a travel book is Fodor’s Travel: Essential Spain. It is small and compact and will fit nicely in a suitcase. It lists a variety of travel options for the budget-conscious traveler to the traveler where money is no object. There are maps of towns such as Granada and Toledo. There are also lists of sights to see such as the Alhambra, the Prado, and the Sagrada Familia basilica. It even includes a list of helpful Spanish phrases.

Moving from Spain to Italy (always a popular tourist spot) we have Rick Steves: Florence and Tuscany. Again, this is the perfect sized book to pack in a suitcase or backpack. Some of the highlights listed are the Palazzo Vecchio tour, sights to see while traveling with children, and the Duomo museum tour for art lovers. For Tuscany there is a chapter on Pisa (compete with the famous Leaning Tower) and the island of Elba known for its most famous resident, Napoleon Bonaparte. It is very easy to find things to do for every type of price range, and there are helpful tips on how to travel to and from the different areas. Again, there is a list of basic Italian words in the back of the book.

For Switzerland we again go to Fodor’s Travel: Essential Switzerland. This book would not take up much room in a suitcase. Zurich is one of the main highlights in the book. There are lists of festivals throughout the year. These would help someone plan what time of the year they would want to visit. There are also lists of hotels priced from high to low. Outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing are also highlighted. Included are lists of useful German, French, and Italian sayings. The Bernese Alps are also detailed. There are cable-car and train rides one can take to see the beauty of the mountains–all you need to plan a trip to the majestic Swiss Alps!

All in all, the 900s have a little bit of something for everyone. Come and check them out!

Allison Peyton is principal librarian at A.K. Smiley Public Library in Redlands, CA.