All, Here are the MAP hi-lites for Friday, March 13, 2015: 1. Brigette and Alex at TLN have teamed up to redesign the MAP logo. Be sure to take note of our new slogan "Exercise Your Mind and Body to Soar and Explore." Although Brigette's ever popular MAP brochure is still under construction for 2015-2016, on account new venues are still joining MAP every day :), you can now access their posters (available in three sizes, in color as well as black and white, in pdf as well as jpg formats), bookmarks (again, color and black and white versions, pdf and jpg formats), a hot air balloon maze, a word scramble and, to make placement of the MAP brand on your website easy to do, a copy of the MAP logo, too. All of this MAP swag is available at this link: http://tln.lib.mi.us/map/ We are also talking with our MAP sponsors regarding the possible printing and distribution of some MAP promotional materials to libraries. We will have more information regarding this, very soon. 2. We have signed up some exciting new attractions for MAP for the upcoming year. In addition to the 230+ DNR state parks/recreation areas/forest campgrounds/historical sites, here is a sample list of our new MAP partners: BaySail Appledore Tall Ships http://www.baysailbaycity.org/ Quincy Mine Tours http://quincymine.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=4&chapter=4 Mineral Museum of Michigan (A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum) http://www.museum.mtu.edu/ World War II Glider and Military Museum http://www.menomineemuseum.com/glider.htm Cornish Pumping Engine and Mining Museum http://www.menomineemuseum.com/cornish-pump.htm Menominee Range Historical Museum http://www.menomineemuseum.com/museum.htm Krasl Art Center http://www.krasl.org/ Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum http://libertyhydebailey.org/ Iron County Historical Museum http://www.ironcountyhistoricalmuseum.org/ Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/ I know you join me in saying a big "welcome" and "thank you" to our new MAP partner venues! 3. Thanks to all of your promotional efforts on behalf of the MAP program, ytd checkouts are up 48% vs last year. Keep up the good work! 4. Finally, one of the most frequent questions I get from libraries and museums is "How do I sign up for MAP?" You all have done a great job of recruiting, as the majority of the new partner venues listed above were as a result of library referrals. Keep it up! And the next time YOU get the "How Do I Sign up for MAP" question from a venue in your community, all you have to do is provide them with a copy of the attached MAP Cultural Attraction Participation Questionnaire, 2015. We are working with our new program sponsors Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Department of Natural Resources, Cooperative Director's Association and Michigan Recreation and Park Association to create additional promotional opportunities for the MAP program for 2015-2016. Look for a new press release and associated media coverage, very soon. In the meantime we are pretty proud of the article that appeared in the Sunday, March 1, 2015 issue of the Detroit Free Press. Our article has in excess of 4,200 shares on Facebook, nearly as many as "Ndamukong Suh signs with the Miami Dolphins." That's pretty good when you consider that we've never garnered the publicity that comes with stomping on an opponent's foot, or leg. By now I'm sure you've seen the Freep MAP article, or perhaps you've even read it. In case not, or in case you have and are in need of a refresher, here it is: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/28/michigan-activity-... Thank you for your promotion and support of the Michigan Activity Pass program. Please let me know if you have any questions. 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