All, I am pleased to report that while the official kick-off for MAP is Sunday, May 24, you and your patrons can see the hugely expanded (112 venues last year, 370+ this year), 2015-2016 edition of the Michigan Activity Pass (MAP) program, RIGHT NOW, at http://michiganactivitypass.info Indeed, many of your patrons have already discovered new, improved and vastly expanded MAP, as we've had a large number of checkouts, beginning with a trickle Wednesday evening when we first put up the new site but really taking off yesterday, Thursday. We expect ginormous MAP checkout numbers over the long holiday weekend. For those whose library staff and patrons might be brand new to MAP, or for those who are familiar with MAP but need a refresher course, Brigette at TLN created this very helpful, Detailed Help document: http://tln.lib.mi.us/images/MAP/How%20to%20check%20out%20a%20Michigan%20Acti... The Detailed Help document is also available at the new MAP website. Promotional materials for MAP, including the logo, bookmarks, brochure, posters and press release, are here: http://tln.lib.mi.us/map/ Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? Wherever and whatever, MAP is for you! Remember, with the merger of the Park and Read program into the MAP program, MAP is THE ONLY place to obtain passes to Michigan's state parks, state recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, and state historic sites. In fact, with the merger and expansion of the program, we now have one MAP site for every day of the calendar year, and then some! Want to pet a sea urchin? Who doesn't?! This place is for you: https://www.visitsealife.com/michigan/ Ready to get away from it all? Here is the description at the MAP website for Lime Island State Recreation Area: http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=695&type=SPRK#overview "Visitors to the Island must charter or navigate a boat 3.0 miles across the St. Mary's River. Vehicle parking is available inland at Raber. Use of a non-motorized boat to reach the island is NOT recommended." Remember, those 1,000 foot ore carriers that navigate their way up and down the St. Mary's River neither stop nor turn on a dime! Feel the need to go underground? Experience my grandfather's, and all of my uncles as well, work day, which consisted of blowing up rock that contained copper. You won't blow up when you take the Quincy Mine Tour http://quincymine.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=4&chapter=4 but you will get a sense as to what work life was like for many of these workers in the Keweenaw, back in the day. Of course there are many (most, actually) library patrons, not to mention all library staff, whose tastes are far more sophisticated than mine are. Fortunately for those folks, the MAP possibilities are almost endless, too. The Detroit Institute of Arts http://www.dia.org/ the Cranbrook Art Museum http://www.cranbrookart.edu/museum/ and Meadow Brook Hall http://www.meadowbrookhall.org/ are all top-notch destinations. In other words, MAP has something that will not only meet but exceed, the needs and expectations of all of your library's patrons. A lot of work has gone into producing and rolling out the MAP program. Thank you to all of you for your promotion of the MAP program to your patrons, as well as for your outreach to potential cultural partners in your communities. Many new venues joined MAP solely on account your efforts. Thanks of course, to the cultural partners themselves. They receive no direct reimbursement at all from being a participant in MAP, so you (and your patrons) will want to be sure to thank them when you visit. Our MAP sponsors Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Department of Natural Resources, Cooperative Director's Association, Michigan Recreation and Parks Association, Plymouth Rocket, Library of Michigan, Mi Big Green Gym, and of course, The Library Network deserve a round of applause. Our software developer/programmer has spent a ton of hours, some of which I know about and many more that I don't, working to make our MAP program software the best that it can be. He has succeeded, and then some. Finally, a big thank you to all of my colleagues at The Library Network, especially Brigette, without whose hard work MAP would not have been possible. TLN is closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I don't anticipate any problems with the MAP website during that time. In the (highly unlikely) event something goes south over the holiday weekend, I have our software developer's home and cell phone numbers, and he has mine. Between planting flats of impatiens, petunias and marigolds and eating hot dogs at a Toledo Mud Hens game I will be checking work email, as well as the gmail account that is linked to MAP help, during the holiday weekend. Thank you for your support, promotion and use of the Michigan Activity Pass (MAP) 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