New Library Program to Offer Downloadable Museum Passes

The Santa Cruz Public Libraries, including the Scotts Valley branch, have joined with 19 Northern California public library systems to offer downloadable museum passes through the Discover & Go Network.

As part of the Discover & Go Network, Santa Cruz Public Library cardholders have access to free and discounted passes to 30 Bay Area museums and cultural institutions including Aquarium of the Bay, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Bedford Gallery, Cartoon Art Museum, Exploratorium, Lawrence Hall of Science, Lindsay Wildlife Museum, San Jose Museum of Art, Tech Museum of Innovation, and many more. SCPL cardholders obtain the passes through an easy-to-use online site where they can simply browse for the venues they want to visit, select the dates they want to visit, reserve passes, and print them.

SCPL cardholders can access the Discover & Go Network by visiting either http://discover.santacruzpl.org/ or by going to the Library’s website at http://www.santacruzpl.org/ and selecting the “services” tab. Patrons without Internet access can reserve a pass by visiting any branch of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

Discover & Go allows museums, concert venues, science centers, theaters, and zoos to partner with libraries to support learners of all ages. Janis O’Driscoll, Manager of Programs, Information, and Partnerships at SCPL said, “Discover & Go offers us the opportunity to strengthen community networks and partnerships by connecting members of our community with more affordable cultural experiences and lifelong learning opportunities.”

Each library on the Discover & Go Network shares the annual cost of the service, the responsibility for adding new venues to the service, and launches with an Opening Day Collection of museum pass offers that Contra Costa has negotiated on behalf of the Network. One thing the Discover & Go libraries will not be sharing is passes. Each participating library will have their own pool of museum passes for their own cardholders that are not affected by new library members joining the Network.

Funds to develop Discover & Go were provided by a $45,000 Bay Area Library Information System technology grant. The program was developed by Contra Costa County Library and Denver-based Quipu Group, a library-specific software development and consulting company. A mobile version of Discover & Go is also available to Network member libraries.