A.K. Smiley Public Library Blog

Serving the City of Redlands, California since 1894

“Democracy depends on an informed population. And where can people get all the information they need? —At the Library.” – Elliot Shelkrot, (Media Talk videotape)

“Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries.” – Anne Herbert

Jennifer Downey

Library to Resume In-Person Services September 9

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After almost six months, Smiley Library will be resuming in-person services on Wednesday, September 9. We’re excited to welcome our patrons back into the building, and we have taken many steps to keep everyone as safe as possible.

The Library will be reopening in phases. During this first phase, we will be open to the public four hours per day, six days per week. Library guests will be asked to limit their visit to one hour, with no more than fifty people in the building at any time. Our friendly staff is here to help you find what you need, answer your questions, and get the most out of your visit.

Things will look a little bit different when you come back. Plexiglass has been installed at all service desks for everyone’s safety. Chairs have been rearranged to allow for social distancing. Library guests will check in at the new entrance in the children’s garden and exit through the Young Readers’ Room. Face coverings and social distancing are required.

We ask that you please continue to return your items in the book drops on Vine Street. There will also be a portable book drop at the new entrance. All returned items will continue to go through a three-day sterilization and quarantining process.

If you’re more comfortable with curbside service, we’ve got you covered through our Books to Go service. Just call, email, or go online to place your holds, and we will call you to schedule a pick-up time. Also, check out our eResources at www.akspl.org/elibrary to read the New York Times, watch streaming videos, read popular magazines, and much more. We’ve also started an Instagram page and a blog to help stay in touch.

Smiley’s new open hours will be Monday and Tuesday 2-6 pm, Wednesday and Thursday 1-5 pm, and Friday and Saturday 12-4 pm.

We miss our patrons and are looking forward to safely reopening. Whatever the “new normal” brings, you can be sure Smiley Library will do its best to serve you safely and effectively. Our community always comes first.

Welcome back!

Jennifer Downey

Principal Librarian, Adult Services

Library Offers Curbside Service: Books to Go, and E-Library

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Here at Smiley Library, we’re looking forward to the day we can safely reopen the Library’s doors to the public. Plexiglass is being installed at the service desks, we’re stocking up on masks and gloves, and other safety precautions are being put in place. Once we get the go-ahead, we will reopen with new safety procedures. The well-being of our patrons is our top priority.

In the meantime, you can keep up with your reading by using our Books to Go service. Just place your holds online at www.akspl.org, call us at 909-798-7565, or email us at circ@akspl.org with your requests. You can check out books, audio books, CDs, DVDs, and magazines. Once we receive your request, we will collect your items and call to set an appointment for you to pick them up curbside. When you arrive, ring the temporary doorbell on the table in front of the Vine Street entrance and we will bring your items outside and place them on the table for you. Please be sure to wear a face covering and practice social distancing when picking up your items. When you’re finished, you may drop your items off in the book drop. All returned items go through a three-day sterilization/quarantine process before being put back into circulation.

You can also use your library card to access eBooks, popular magazines, streaming movies, databases, and newspapers including the New York Times and the Redlands Daily Facts. You can also explore your genealogy using Ancestry or even learn a new language with the Pronunciator database. Just grab your library card, log on, and start exploring. There’s something for everyone!

Access Free Streaming Video Service: Kanopy

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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about changes in how we do just about everything, including how we watch movies and television. Over the past few months, streaming video services like Netflix and Hulu have hit record numbers. But what happens when we’ve binged all of our favorite shows and movies or when we’d like to watch something more thought-provoking than another go-around of Tiger King? The answer: Kanopy.

Kanopy is a streaming video service you can access for free with your library card. Just log on and you’ll have access to more than 30,000 mainstream movies, thoughtful documentaries, and educational videos, including the Great Courses. For children and families, Kanopy Kids offers movies, TV series, and stories for kids of all ages.

Kanopy is currently featuring films about racial and social injustice. Inspiring documentaries like “The Talk: Race in America,” “P.S. I Can’t Breathe,” and many others can help contribute to a more open dialogue about race relations in modern America.

The Great Courses include such titles as “How to Read and Understand Shakespeare,” “Big Questions of Philosophy,” and “Masterpieces of the Ancient World.” You can also learn to meditate, play the piano, and even train your dog using the Great Courses.

One of our Kanopy staff favorites is “Party Girl,” a 1995 dramedy starring Parker Posey as Mary, a free-spirited young woman who goes to raves and parties her money away. Following an arrest, Mary finds herself without bail money, so she gets a loan and takes a job as – gasp – a library clerk! Mary worries that working in a library will cramp her style, and she can’t make heads or tails of the Dewey Decimal System. No spoilers, but let’s just say Mary learns how to enjoy library life while staying true to her party girl nature. Of course, here at the Smiley, we already knew that library folks know how to party.

We encourage you to stay safe and healthy during this difficult time. We’re looking forward to the day we can safely open our doors. Until then, we’ve got you covered with our Books to Go curbside service, Kanopy, and our many other eResources.

Events Will Explore Global, Local History

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Here at the Smiley Library, we are dedicated to providing lifelong learning experiences. To this end, we will be offering two educational programs in the near future.

On Saturday, February 29 at 2:00, Alpha Delta Kappa will hold their sixth annual Melinda Stevens World Understanding Book Club. This book club meets once a year to discuss books that open minds and broaden horizons through greater understanding of countries and cultures throughout the world.

This year, the book club will discuss The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See and For All the Tea in China by Sarah Rose. Both books bring attention to the history of China. Special guest Lisa See, author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and many other bestsellers, will join the discussion via Skype at 2:15 to answer questions and discuss her book. This book club is free and open to the public. No reservations are necessary. You are not required to have read the books in order to join in the discussion.

March is Women’s History Month, and there is much to celebrate this year. On Saturday, March 7, at 1:00, University of Redlands history professor Kathleen Feeley will present “Securing the Vote: The History of Women’s Suffrage in Redlands and Across the Nation.” This program honors the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage and the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment. We invite you to drop in for this lively, interactive presentation and learn about this vital part of women’s history. This program is also free and open to the public, and no reservations are needed.

Come on over and learn something new at the Smiley!