Good Afternoon, Library cooperative directors, please feel free to share this with your member libraries. Karina Boyd at new MAP partner Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso [ https://www.michigansteamtrain.com/ | https://www.michigansteamtrain.com/ ] wanted everyone to know that SRI volunteer staff are ready, willing, and able to present free programs in Michigan public libraries. A list of available programs is included in Karina's email below. Please note that I have neither seen nor vetted any of the programs. How about a holiday season program (or, Holiday in July?) "History of Pere Marquette 1225, and its involvement in "The Polar Express", followed by a showing of the movie itself? The latter of course is dependent on two things: 1. Your library has a public performance license to show movies from either [ https://www.swank.com/movie-licensing-usa | https://www.swank.com/movie-licensing-usa ] (discounted bulk license might be available through your library cooperative; TLN has such an agreement) or [ https://www.mplc.org/ | https://www.mplc.org/ ] and 2. The Polar Express is included in the list of movies that can be shown with your library's specific public performance license (I didn't do the legwork to verify). Karina Boyd's contact info is included below. Tell her Jim @ MAP sent you😆 Thanks. Jim Hello Jim, We don't generally charge for these presentations, but any and all donations to the Steam Railroading Institute are always welcome! And that may be mentioned during the presentations also, but no, we have no set fee for our programs. Karina Boyd Membership and Merchandise Coordinator Steam Railroading Institute PO Box 665 405 S Washington St Owosso, MI 48867 Office: (989) 725-9464 Ext 8 karinab@michigansteamtrain.com Here is a list of presentations we have available or are working on now, and we have volunteers and staff who are willing to travel anywhere in the state to give them! They can be ready with a few days' notice, and you can contact us at the general number or my direct number. Here's a list of ready-to-go presentations we have. We always try to throw in a few slides about local railroad history whenever we can. · How Steam Engines Work - there is also the option to make this presentation more classroom-based for children, with table-top steam toys included with the demonstration. · History of Pere Marquette 1225, and its involvement in "The Polar Express" movie · History of Chicago & North Western #175, and our Restoration plans for it · Train Robberies in Michigan · History of Railroad Fan Trips from 1937 We have one volunteer who has a lot of information about how Railroads are connected to ski lifts and skiing resorts, and he is working on a presentation centered around that. Jim Flury Technical Services Manager The Library Network 41365 Vincenti Court Novi, MI 48375 248-536-3100, ext 133 Fax 248-536-3098 Note New Email Address:jflury@tln.org