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The Redlands City Council, recognizing the vital importance of literacy in employment, family education, and civic engagement, has officially proclaimed Sunday, September 27, 2026, as Adult Literacy Day in Redlands. Councilman Paul Barich, a staunch supporter of the adult literacy program, presented the proclamation stating, “For the last 16 years the Redlands Adult Literacy Program at Smiley Library has helped adults improve their literacy skills so they can get or advance in their jobs, help their children in school, participate in civic activities, or work toward their own higher education. The council commends the efforts of the program, its staff, volunteers, community supporters, and partners for assisting adults who work to improve their literacy and calls upon our residents to promote literacy efforts and education programs throughout our community.”

Adult literacy coordinator Diane Shimota expressed her gratitude to the city, the library, local donors, and especially volunteer tutors and adult learners, sharing that the adult literacy program depends on local support to change lives through literacy.

At the Council meeting, Kim Green, who has been a volunteer tutor with the literacy program for 13 years and has taught the adult literacy computer class for ten years, shared some of her adult literacy experiences. Kim changed the names of adult learners during her presentation to respect the learners’ confidentiality.

Kim began by describing an adult learner whose life was dramatically changed by improved literacy. She said, “During my first year as a volunteer, I was matched with Melissa, whose goals were to be able to help her children with their homework, feel more comfortable communicating with their teachers, and as a result, volunteer more at their schools.

As her literacy skills greatly improved, and she achieved her goals, Melissa noticed the positive impact rippling through her family. Soon, she and her husband decided to pursue a shared dream: starting their own business in Redlands. Their family business is now in its eighth year and is very successful, but she is even more proud that all of her daughters have graduated from college.”

Highlighting her experience as the adult literacy computer class instructor, Kim observed: “As we know, being computer literate is a must in today’s world. For this reason, the program offers weekly computer classes to adult learners…When I ask participants to share their goals for taking the class, their reasons vary. But for quite a few, the motivation is: they want to advance in their careers. For Craig, an employee at UPS, becoming proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel meant an opportunity to move from the distribution center floor into an office position and compete for other promotions. After faithfully attending computer classes for several months, he met the job requirements and soon moved into the position he had been working toward.”

Kim concluded: “These stories illustrate how literacy changes the lives of adult learners and their families. But what I couldn’t have imagined 13 years ago was how much volunteering would change mine. I’ve received much more than I’ve given—the reward of seeing others reach their learning goals and knowing I played a small part in their journeys, the friendships I’ve gained along the way, and the pride of belonging to an organization that makes a meaningful contribution to the Redlands community.”

The Redlands community is invited to celebrate Adult Literacy Day by attending a Celebration of Authors on Sunday, September 27 at 2:00 p.m. at The Contemporary Club, 173 S. Eureka St., Redlands. The event is sponsored by the Redlands Adult Literacy Program. Adult Learners will read from their works which were recently published in the anthology Our Stories, A Collection of Writings, Volume 9. Light refreshments will be served at the Celebration.

Stories in this collection reflect the wide range of writing levels of adults in the literacy program. Each author worked diligently through the writing process with the assistance of a volunteer tutor. By working with their tutors, learners developed vital literacy skills that help them overcome obstacles in their lives.

Consider how your skills in reading and writing shape your life. If you want help with reading and writing, please contact Diane Shimota, Adult Literacy Coordinator, at (909)798-7565 or email literacy@akspl.org. If you are interested in volunteering with the program, sign up for the next volunteer tutor orientation scheduled for January 19, 2027, at 6:00 p.m. at A.K. Smiley Library. Please contact the literacy program to reserve your space. The program is free and tutoring services are confidential.

September 6 is National Read a Book Day!

Of course, we at Smiley Library celebrate every day as read-a-book day by offering a wide variety of books to borrow. With so much to choose from, this means that if you, say, have been drawn to something in the news and want to know more about it, you can usually find books on those topics in the library.

Two subjects that seem to have had the whole country talking lately are the passing of national treasure, singer and actress Dolly Parton, as well as that of beloved Big Bear Valley bald eagle Jackie who died August 10. Each is a beautiful icon who entertain us and who is admired just for being themselves while living their best lives. In the end, we realize how much their genuine lives gave so much back to us.

The story of Jackie and her predecessors comes alive in this wonderfully sweeping story, “The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird,” by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jack E. Davis (“The Gulf”). A professor of environmental history, Davis presents the cultural and natural history of the United States’ national bird since 1782, when its image appeared on the national seal.

Davis contrasts the age when native peoples lived beside the eagle peacefully with spectacular stories of Founding Fathers, rapacious hunters, heroic bird rescuers, and the lives of bald eagles themselves. We learn that though we use the eagle as a symbol of our majesty, we once saw them as predators that we must destroy. This and our use of the pesticide, DDT, twice pushed the bald eagle toward the brink of extinction.

Coincidentally, among the philanthropic endeavors in which Dolly Parton engaged, was work with the American Eagle Foundation to rehabilitate and release over a hundred bald eagles in the Smoky Mountains. In 2003, she was acknowledged with a Partnership Award from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service for her efforts.

For more reading on the bald eagle, “Return to the Sky: The Surprising Story of How One Woman and Seven Eaglets Helped Restore the Bald Eagle” is available in e-book and e-audiobook form in our e-library. It is an inspiring story of author Tina Morris’ experimentation in the 1970s as a young ornithology student who, while raising seven eaglets, developed the techniques to start the bald eagle back from extinction status. Morris was later formally inducted as an honorary Iroquois into the Confederacy of Six Nations for her work returning the Bald Eagle to the nation’s skies.

You may also want to check out “The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet,” which is now on our “New Book” shelves. Author Scott Weidensaul describes his work as “a book of optimism” as he recounts the survival stories of several species of birds, including the bald eagle, and the part that the healthy presence of birds plays in saving the planet.

We came to know so many details of the lives of Jackie and her mate, Shadow, and the eaglets they hatched, observing them via the web camera at their Big Bear nest. We began to care about them and this empathy brought about for Jackie perhaps her greatest legacy, besides her offspring. We learned about how important the lake and its shoreline are to the survival of these raptors. Their popularity helped generate enormous public interest in protecting Moon Camp, approximately 63 acres of undeveloped habitat less than a mile from their nest. This year $10 million was raised to protect that land from development and go towards its preservation as a bald eagle habitat. (Source: Karen Rodriguez, Big Bear Bald Eagles)

Some say that Dolly Parton’s ultimate legacy may be the preservation of minds, as Jackie’s was the preservation of habitat. Realizing how important early reading is for the well-being of a child, and, ultimately, of an adult, Parton created, over 30 years ago, a program called Imagination Library, ImaginationLibrary.com, for children up to the age of five, of any income level, which sends participants a free book monthly. One in six children under the age of five in the U.S. now receive this gift of a surprise title, and, as Dolly wrote, “every time you open one up, you will meet new friends and take wonderful journeys to magical places.” Let’s all open one up today!

For new books about Dolly Parton, see biography “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton” by Martha Ackmann, and a stunning compilation by Parton herself, with the help of Billboard’s Country Update editor Tom Roland, “Star of the Show: My Life on Stage.” The material is offered in print and in audio formats, featuring sound clips from her albums, live performances, and other public appearances.

What’s New at Smiley? Chapter books – that’s what’s new! The Young Readers’ Room has stocked the New Book shelf with some great new fiction titles for library patrons, young and older. Come and peruse the shelves for these titles and more!

The first selection for you to consider this week is the second book of the series by Megan McDonald: Bunny and Clyde. This second installment of the series is entitled “On the Lam.” Friends Bunny and Clyde, a rabbit and a chipmunk, make quite the pair. This story will have you guessing and second guessing yourself if you think Bunny and Clyde actually did do the shameful act of stealing, or, have they been framed? If you’ve already read the first book in the series, “Bunny and Clyde,” you may have an idea. If you haven’t yet read the first book, then skedaddle on down to the Young Readers’ Room and check out both books at the same time to finish the tales of woe for these two friends.

“The Mighty Macy,” written by the accomplished Kwame Alexander, will have you turning each page in delight of getting to the next page as quickly as possible. Written in verse form, Macy is facing a library closure due to budget cuts, and she is appalled at the thought of not being able to check out the next book in the series she is reading. Macy puts her shocked attitude to work, without her father there to help her in person this time. With help from her mother, her third-grade classmates, and through poetry from her father, Macy learns what it means to take a stand in something you believe in. Check out this new title today and learn what a little bit of determination, love of libraries, and friends and families can accomplish for a good cause.

The third selection for this week’s article is an adventurous tale, perfect for a hot, end-of-summer read. Reminiscent of “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen, “Wilderness Hacks” by Joslin Brorsen will have you on the edge of your seat as you read through the adventures of Rad and Sadie. Everyone wants to be a YouTube star in this Colorado-based story. Big sister Sadie is more than willing to help out her younger brother, Silas, no matter what. Little did she know she would have to accomplish some pretty weird activities to do just that. Survivalist Radley Shaw opened a contest to kids 12 – 16 in Colorado. Sadie is in; Silas is out. It’s up to Sadie to win this opportunity; will she win the contest? Will Silas get to meet Radley Shaw? The book also touches on ADHD, celiac disease, and autism. Be sure to stop by the Young Readers’ Room and check out this page-turner.

Linda Sue Park has done it again. I absolutely love all of her books. Her newest one is “Just One Gift.” Written in verse, imitating Sijo, a class assignment from Mrs. Chang’s first period Language Arts class is an insightful story for the reader. The students must come up with a name, from categories given, to give a gift to this person. The story is uplifting, and thoughtful, full of great ideas. If you’re a teacher, I can see this book making the rounds in the schools. If you’re a parent, this would be a great family read and activity. Be sure to check out this latest book from one of Miss Pamela’s favorite authors.

The final selection for today’s article is going to get you ready for the scariest month of the year, October. From “R.L. Stine’s Ghosts of Fear Street” series, “Stay Away from the Tree House” will have youngsters searching for the nearest tree house to explore. Friends Dylan and Steve decided to take a walk into the woods, because, well, why not? But not just any woods. These are the Fear Street Woods, where nobody usually is strolling through. Will Dylan and Steve be able to brave the walk through? What will they see? Will staying the night in the tree house be safe? Check out this book soon to find out if you think you are brave enough to saunter through the Fear Street Woods.

– Youth Services Senior Librarian Pamela Martinez

The library’s collection of graphic novels has been growing steadily. There are so many new and exciting ones to choose from that it can be a bit overwhelming. In order to help narrow down your choices here are some new dystopian graphic novels to peruse!

Live Memorium, written Miki Makasu and illustrated by Benoit Bourget, is set in a world in which technology has greatly advanced–so much so that Thomas, an overworked accountant working for a sleazy and unscrupulous corporation finds himself dealing with highly illegal tech. After the death of his mother, Thomas chooses to visit Live Memorium, a company that offers the ability to relive your childhood memories. You can choose to be a passive observer, simply watching what has transpired, or, you can change it. Thomas chooses to rewrite his past, and in doing so, himself. The problem? The world does not change and what Thomas begins to find out, is that the more he changes, the more his reality, and the rest of the world’s, fail to connect.

Twin Lotuses is a graphic novel by the artist Zhang Xiaoyu set during 1930’s China, a time when war and political strife has caused lasting damage. Fan, an inventor with tremendous talent, creates an automaton, a doll capable of movement, in memory (and likeness) of the wife he lost. As his wife was a famous opera actress, so too is the automaton and is able to mesmerize countless audiences with its abilities. But the war is ever ongoing and with defecting soldiers, orphaned delinquents, and American men looking to make a buck, Fan finds himself in ever more growing difficulties. And with his country still rooted in superstition, Fan’s abilities are met with skepticism and distrust. Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Or is it an endeavor doomed from the start?

Bérénice Motais De Narbonne’s Metadoggoz is definitely a work of hard edges, deep human connection, and mind-altering art. The Metastation is a spiraling ever growing city. At its heart, is the ever-elusive elite living in comfort and cleanliness, and those with ever dwindling resources forced to live in the outer reaches. One of those residents, Gael, a teenager with no prospects, finds himself a new path, a world beneath the city. Here the hierarchy disappears and so with it the obligation to support those in the middle. As more characters find their way to the underground and to freedom, the more danger grows to this seeming utopia. Can Gael and the others find a way to protect their new-found home? An exemplar example of what happens when the have-nots fight to keep what they do.

Multi-disciplined creators team up in this new work set on the continent of Africa. Writer Saul Williams, along with artist Morgan Sorne, bring us Martyr Loser King. Set in Burundi, the work centers on a miner, Matalusa, who is forced to work on his family’s occupied land in order to obtain coltan, the material that is integral to cell phones and other technology. After his younger brother is killed, Matalusa begins his journey, meeting many who have been displaced by the destruction of nature for the profit of a few. One such person is Neptune, a creature unlike any Matalusa has met before and through their union, a new being, MartyrLoserKing, is created and with them, perhaps a chance to give voice to the suffering that has long been ignored.

Enjoy these graphic novels and many more at your local library!

-Ciara Lightner is a library specialist at A.K. Smiley Public Library and a huge comic book nerd…. unfortunately.