Jackson County Library Services patrons will soon be able to check out passes to local museums and recreation facilities with their library card.
Dubbed “Experience Passes,” the new offering will debut on August 20, 2026. It’s a move that’s in line with JCLS’s 2022-26 strategic plan. The first entry on the plan’s Goals & Strategies section states JCLS’s intention to “Grow collections of new materials, such as the Library of Things, based on ongoing community needs and wants.”
Such community needs and wants include this very idea: the ability to check out passes with your library card for free in lieu of paying when you enter the facilities.
“It’s something we’ve been hearing from patrons and staff for years now,” says JCLS collection development manager Laurin Arnold.
An agreement for the passes has already been made with ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum, and additional agreements are in the works with the Crater Rock Museum and Rogue X. Laurin is hopeful additional local institutions will join in over time, including the potential for an agreement that would provide passes for Oregon State Parks in coming years.
“It’s a cool feature that I think patrons will be excited about,” says JCLS selection librarian Felishia Jenkins.
How it works
When the offering goes live, JCLS library card holders will be able to book one pass per month, with a limit of four passes a year for each institution. For example, a patron could book up to four visits a year at ScienceWorks, could book four additional visits at another participating institution, and four more at a third participating institution.
Each ScienceWorks pass will cover up to six people, though that number will vary depending on the institution. Reservations will be made available one month in advance of the actual visit date.
“A lot of our resources are: if it’s here, it’s available, you can have it,” says JCLS technical services manager Ashley Johnson. “Or it’s on hold for a long time and you don’t really know when it’s coming. This is: I’m planning an event on a day and book it for that and have that control over that experience.”
Once a reservation has been made, patrons will be able to print the pass out or use a digital version sent to their device.
Passes won’t be able to be checked out with minor access, juvenile, or organization cards.
If a patron doesn’t use the pass, the pass will disappear but will still count toward the patron’s quota.
Engaging your community
Johnson says a major part of this move is aimed at getting patrons engaged in their community’s educational offerings in a way that saves them money. It’s a similar idea to JCLS’s Library of Things and video game collections.
In addition to expanding the number of participating institutions, Laurin is looking into the potential for also offering reduced rate coupons.
No matter the program’s evolution, it will adhere to JCLS’s mission statement of connecting patrons to information, ideas, and each other.
“I feel like the name says it all: Experience Pass,” Laurin says. “You’re going into the community. It’s an experience. You’re making memories. And it’s just a great way to, I think, experience Jackson County.”
“Even folks who’ve lived here their entire lives, I hear about ‘Oh, I’ve never seen this before, I’ve never done this before.’ This is your opportunity to try that out and to really get to know Jackson County,” she adds.