As if there were not already a multitude of advantages to becoming a patron of the Sundre Municipal Library, a new service provides yet further incentive to get a membership card.
The new Arts, Culture and Recreation Passes program, which was introduced in June, makes available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis starting on the first Friday of every month, tickets or passes to nearby events or recreational opportunities. To ensure a fair distribution, patrons are only permitted to request one pass every three months.
And in an effort to lift barriers and increase inclusivity, the Sundre Municipal Library's board of directors had already decided last year to make memberships available at no cost to the whole community.
To get the new culture pass program started, the Sundre and District Historical Society and the Sundre Pro Rodeo and Race Association partnered up with the library in June to offer a family membership for the rest of the year at the museum as well as four one-day passes to the rodeo.
"I first heard about the concept (of culture passes) at one of the Alberta library conferences," said Karen Tubb, program coordinator.
"It's such a great opportunity to partner with community organizations."
The partnership serves a dual purpose. The culture passes allow patrons who might not otherwise have attended an event or visited a facility the opportunity to check it out without incurring a cost. In turn, this provides additional exposure for the organizations that get involved, she said.
"Hopefully, once people have gone once, they'll choose to go again."
The historical society again made available in July a family membership at the museum for the rest of the year. Also offered was a children's pottery class that is broken down into three, two-hour-long Wednesday sessions under the instruction of David Todd, a local potter who has a web presence as well as a page on social media for anyone who is interested in seeing his work.
Lined up for August is another family pass at the museum as well as tickets to an upcoming theatre performance called Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which is being put together by Brian Bailey and Jamie Syer, who together created BS productions.
Aside from having a membership at the library, there are no other requirements to being able to request a pass ó provided of course one remains available since they are doled out to those who ask first, said Tubb.
"Come with your library card and we'll check them out to you!"
If the passes are not all claimed following the first Friday of the month, library staff will continue to make them available until they're gone, she said.
Anyone who wants to learn more about the new program or other services at the library, as well as local organizations that might be interested in becoming partners in the new culture passes now offered, can call 403-638-4000 or visit the facility's website and social media presence by doing an Internet search for Sundre Municipal Library.
"We're just delighted with the support from a number of community organizations," said Tubb.
"We're really glad they want to partner with us."
