[Michlib-l] Michigan Activity Pass: Postcards AND Mobile Passes!!!

[Jim Flury]

Good Morning, 

Spring begins one week from tomorrow, on Thursday, March 19. Along with robins, leaves, and green grass that means a brand new season of the Michigan Activity Pass program isn't very far away, either! 

MAP will kick off a new season, its 13th, on May 22, 2020. In preparation for this, I wanted to touch base with you on a couple of things, both of which are noted in the subject line of this message: 

1. As you recall, last Fall we did a bulk printing of the very popular MAP "postcards" [ https://tln.lib.mi.us/map/Files/MAP%20postcards.pdf | https://tln.lib.mi.us/map/Files/MAP%20postcards.pdf ] to distribute to interested libraries. Altogether we received requests from libraries for nearly 30,000 of these postcards, which tells me they were a big hit. At this time we are in the process of pursuing a couple of other bulk printing initiatives at TLN. As that is the case, it makes sense for us to add another run of the MAP postcards on to our bulk print order, if library demand warrants same. 

Question : Does your library need a new supply of the MAP postcards [ https://tln.lib.mi.us/map/Files/MAP%20postcards.pdf | https://tln.lib.mi.us/map/Files/MAP%20postcards.pdf ] at this time, and/or do you anticipate a need for them as the busy MAP season ramps up when schools dismiss for the Summer? We would distribute MAP postcards in quantities of 100 but again, only if library demand calls for same. 

Please let me know by Tuesday, March 31 if your library would like a new supply of MAP postcards. 

2. At this time I am pleased to announce that for the first time, beginning on a still tbd date, MAP will roll out a "mobile pass" feature. Truly, this will serve to make formal a process many patrons have been using all along; that is, instead of printing a Michigan Activity Pass and bringing it with them to the destination of their choice, MAP patrons will be able to reserve the pass on their phone, and present that mobile phone pass to staff at the destination. I have been busy surveying our MAP partners as to their acceptance of this, and with one notable exception, nearly all our partners are open to a MAP mobile pass feature. The one, very significant exception to this are the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sites (state parks, state recreation areas, state forest campgrounds). They still require a printed pass, for the same (auditing) reasons we require supporting paperwork from libraries with which we do business. We will work to ensure that patrons (and library staff!) are not confused as to which MAP destinations will accept a mobile pass, vs. which MAP destinations will accept only a printed pass. In a survey of some other similar programs at public libraries around the country, I have found that nearly all of them have transitioned to some sort of "hybrid" program such as we will be rolling out, whereby most of their destinations will accept a mobile pass but others will not. In a few cases, some public library museum pass programs will not accept a participating institution unless they are willing and able to convert over to all mobile. We are not interested in going in that direction. But we do believe that acceptance of mobile passes, besides giving libraries an additional promotional tool to use for MAP "The Michigan Activity Pass: Now Accepting Mobile Passes!", will also serve to increase usage of the program, and as mentioned make formal a process that has been in use by MAP patrons at many destinations for quite some time. 

I will let you know when a launch date for our new "The Michigan Activity Pass: Now Accepting Mobile Passes!" initiative is set. 

Please let me know if you have questions concerning any of the above. 

Thank you for your support and promotion of the Michigan Activity Pass program. 

Sincerely, 

Jim F. 

Jim Flury 
Technical Services Manager 
The Library Network 
41365 Vincenti Court 
Novi, MI 48375 
248-536-3100, ext 133 
Fax 248-536-3098 
jflury at tln.lib.mi.us 

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