All, When your library patrons think of the Michigan Activity Pass (MAP) http://michiganactivitypass.info program, what comes to mind? Spending a day at one of the nation's premier art museums http://www.dia.org/ perhaps. Or taking in a show at http://www.stagecrafters.org/ Or going for a ride (when there isn't snow covering the tracks, as is the case today) on http://www.southernmichiganrailroad.com/ There are 112 cultural partners in the MAP program, located in every corner of the state from Monroe to Mackinaw City to Marquette (and beyond). Many of our current venues involve indoor activities. What about outdoor activities? Year round outdoor activities? And not just between Memorial Day and Labor Day! Well, soon we will have your library patrons covered there, too! Today I am proud, pleased, and yes, excited even, to announce that, effective May 24, 2015, thanks to our new partnership with Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Recreation and Park Association, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, as well as with our continuing partners Institute of Museum and Library Services, Library of Michigan, and Plymouth Rocket, the Michigan Activity Pass program administered by The Library Network (TLN) will expand to include all state parks and state recreation areas that in previous years have been included in the DNR administered and BCBSM and MRPA sponsored Park and Read/Mi Big Green Gym program. Yes, beginning May 24, 2015 your library patrons will be able to access online via the MAP software, passes to state parks and recreation areas from http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=497&type=SPRK to http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=426&type=SPRK and all points in between. This will effectively double the number of participating venues in the MAP program! And the media contacts and promotional activities that our new partners can bring to the table will result in publicity for the newly expanded MAP program the likes of which we've never been able to achieve before. On December 28, 2014 we reported that the number of MAP passes circulated in the first seven months of current MAP Year 2, had already exceeded the total number of MAP passes circulated in the full 12 months of MAP Year 1. The new MAP will launch May 24, 2015. The inclusion of state parks and recreation areas, combined with the publicity and promotional activities by our new partners, means that the sky is the limit for MAP Year 3. We will share additional details regarding this expansion of MAP to include the Park and Read/Mi Big Green Gym program, in the upcoming weeks and months. In the meantime, on account this is the biggest thing to happen regarding statewide MAP since, well, statewide MAP, please feel free to start spreading the word: Beginning May 24, 2015, MAP + Park and Read/Mi Big Green Gym=Big Outdoor and Indoor Fun for Michigan Public Library Patrons! Thank you for your support and promotion of the (soon to be expanded, bigger and better than ever) 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