Jennifer Downey

Your A.K. Smiley Public Library card allows you to bring home more than just books. You can also check out a piece of Redlands culture and help support local artists. A.K. Smiley Public Library’s collection of local art features a variety of pieces by local artists from two Redlands Art Association exhibitions, many depicting scenes of Redlands. Pieces may be checked out for six weeks, with a limit of two pieces per checkout.

This unique circulating collection was made possible through a collaboration between A.K. Smiley Library and Redlands Art Association. The pieces are available in a variety of sizes and styles. There’s something for everyone. This collection is a fun way to discover local artists and experiment with different art types without spending a dime. If you discover a piece you especially like, chances are you can find more by the same artist, as well as other treasures at the Redlands Art Association Gallery, located in the heart of Downtown Redlands, at 215 E. State Street, Redlands, CA 92373.

Come on over and find your inspiration!
Pictured: Four of the many works of art available for checkout at A.K. Smiley Public Library.

“Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.” – Joyce Carol Oates

While 2020 may not have been a banner year for many of us, it did introduce some standout, prizewinning literary fiction. Read on to discover what might just be your new favorite novel.

“Luster” by Raven Leilani won not just one, but two prestigious 2020 prizes: the Kirkus Prize and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. The protagonist of this unique coming-of-age novel is Edie, a Black woman in her early twenties searching for connection, art, and meaning. A series of bad decisions leads Edie, unemployed and isolated, into a romantic relationship with an older man – as well as a tenuous, complicated friendship with his wife and their 12 year old daughter. As Edie sinks deeper into a life of dependence, she slowly comes to terms with the meaning behind her obsessions.

“Hamnet: a Novel of the Plague” by Maggie O’Farrell won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction. This historical fiction novel delves into the life and death of William Shakespeare’s young son, who succumbed to the bubonic plague in 1596 at age 11. While the bard is largely absent in this story, Shakespeare’s grieving wife, their surviving children, and their daily life in Stratford are described in lyrical, visually haunting detail. “Hamnet” is sure to stay on your mind long after putting it down.

“The Discomfort of Evening” by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, translated from the original Dutch by Michele Hutchison, was the winner of the 2020 Man Booker International Prize. Rijneveld, who is a poet as well as a writer of fiction, describes the life of a farming family in the Netherlands in jarring, disturbing detail. The story is told from the point of view of ten-year-old Jas, an anxious child whose thoughts tend to drift toward the grotesque. The brutal realities of farm life combine with a stark examination of an unhappy family on a seemingly unstoppable downward spiral. While this is not what one would call a feel-good read (in fact, a trigger warning seems necessary – read at your own risk and be prepared to cringe), it is eloquently written and strangely lovely.

These and many other works of literary fiction are available at A. K. Smiley Library. We are open to the public again, so drop by to browse during our open hours, or make use of our popular Books to Go program.

Although we were sorry to have to close our doors to the public once again to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Smiley Library still has plenty to offer thanks to our electronic library and curbside Books to Go service. We also want you to know that we are taking every precaution when it comes to your health and safety.

Using Books to Go is simple and safe. Just place your holds from the Library’s catalog either online at www.akspl.org, via email at circ@akspl.org, or call us at (909) 798-7565. Once we get your requests, we’ll gather them up and give you a call to schedule a pick-up time. When you arrive, ring the doorbell and one of our friendly employees will bring your books outside and place them on the table by the Vine Street entrance. Please remember to wear a face covering and maintain a six-foot distance when collecting your materials.

When you’re ready to return your items, they can be placed in the book return boxes outside the library. We empty the book drops several times a day, and everything goes directly into a four-day sanitization process.

One of the questions we get asked most often is “How can books be sanitized?” After all, we can’t dunk them into a bucket of boiling water and hang them in the sun to dry. We’ve done our research and learned that a combination of cleaning, sanitizing, and quarantining is the best way to go. Every time we collect items from the book drops, the covers are sprayed and wiped down with a hospital-grade disinfectant. They then go into plastic bags and get a blast of Lysol spray before being sealed up for two days.

After two days, we open the bags and set the books upright on sterile tables in a closed room with the pages fanned out, where they remain for another two days. Finally, they get wiped down to remove any residue from the disinfectant. It’s a laborious process, but we’re committed to doing what we can to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

We encourage you to make use of Books to Go, and also to check out our eLibrary at www.akspl.org/elibrary/. Here, you will find downloadable eBooks and audio books, access to popular magazines, the New York Times Online, the Redlands Daily Facts, streaming movies, resources to help with job searching, databases for students’ projects, and much more – all from the comfort and safety of your own home. Just make sure to have your library card barcode number on hand.

All of us at Smiley wish you a happy and healthy 2021. These are difficult times, but we’ll get through this together as a community.

Jennifer Downey

Principal Librarian, Adult Services

Smiley Library is pleased to announce the addition of a new electronic resource. Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow is an all-in-one suite of services designed for students, job seekers, and veterans. Brainfuse can help you tackle a resume, write a cover letter, navigate the VA system, or adjust to a civilian career. You don’t have to be a veteran or a student to use this service. It’s available to all library cardholders.

Brainfuse allows students to connect with expert tutors in real time to assist in the areas of math, science, reading, writing, history, and standardized test preparation including the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP tests. You can also receive one-on-one assistance with studying for the GED and college placement tests.

For job seekers, expert coaches are ready to help you practice your interview skills, create your resume, write cover letters, and study for tests. You can get help with reading and writing, and attend Microsoft Office computer classes. Coaches are also available to help you find and apply for jobs in your field and geographic area.

If you are a veteran, Brainfuse allows you to connect with live coaches to ensure you’re receiving all the services for which you’re eligible. Coaches also help veterans with job searching and adjusting to life as a civilian.

You can use Brainfuse’s secure file sharing in the writing lab to submit documents to coaches any time of the day for feedback. The Brainfuse full-service test center offers practice tests for all levels in math, reading, writing, and college preparatory tests, plus the U.S. citizenship test.

Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow was generously provided free of charge by the California State Library in order to help people with school and work during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re very appreciative and excited to share this resource with our patrons.

Log on to www.akspl.org/elibrary to get started.