Good Morning, A couple of MAP related items today. First, I wanted to share some information with you regarding MAP partner SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium https://www.visitsealife.com/michigan/ When after a considerable amount of "recruitment" on our part we received word that SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium was joining the program, we were very happy. We also knew it would be the most popular destination in MAP. Indeed, that is the case. So it probably goes without saying that the destination that leads the way in terms of MAP pass checkouts, is also going to lead the way in terms of the number of questions, too. The most common question involves a situation where SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium advertises that it is "Sold Out" for a certain period of time on a certain day. Please note that your patrons can still purchase discounted tickets to SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium using their MAP pass, even when the "Sold Out" sign (electronic or not) appears. Here is what Erik Schreefel, Marketing Manager at SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium, had to say regarding this: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi Jim, If a guest has a MAP pass, they are able to purchase tickets even if we are "sold out" -- I will make sure that our Admissions manager reiterates to the staff that individuals with MAP passes are able to purchase tickets even when we are "sold out". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm probably dating myself here, but a certain credit card company for many years saturated the airwaves (no online in those years) with ads that stated "Membership has its privileges." Well, so do MAP pass holders!!! Onward and upward, to MAP stats and website hits. I know all of you have committed to memory the total number of hits we garnered on the MAP website last year. But as it is still pretty early in the morning, meaning that second cup of coffee hasn't kicked in yet, I'll share that number with you again (282,477). By comparison, MAP has taken off at such an enormous clip this year that as of this morning we have had a total of 202,689 hits on the MAP website in the just a bit over two months since program go-live! At this rate we should blow by last year's total before Labor Day. And the number of hits to the MAP website will soon after that surpass the number of miles I had on the odometer of my car that I traded in (332,615 and yes, somebody bought my old car off the used car lot the NEXT DAY. In fact, I saw somebody driving it on a road near my house not long afterwards. There isn't a lot of traffic on said road, and after spending so many years around that car, I could spot it from a good distance away). Beyond that, who knows? And as far as MAP checkouts go, a bit more than two months into MAP Year 3 you have circulated 152% of the total number of passes you circulated in the twelve month period of MAP Year 2! Keep up the hard, good work, everyone. Thank you for your continued support and promotion of the Michigan Activity Pass program. Sincerely, Jim Flury Jim Flury Technical Services Manager The Library Network 41365 Vincenti Court Novi, MI 48375 248-536-3100 x133 Fax 248-536-3098 jflury@tln.lib.mi.us