Chicago Library making Museum Passport program more digital

Updating its long-running Museum Passport program for the digital world, the Chicago Public Library has launched a new program to expand access to Chicago’s museums and parks.

Twenty years after the Public Library began a program in which Chicago library cardholders could checkout passes in-person for free to visit museums, parks, science centers, theatres and more, the library has updated the program to make it more digital.

The new Digital Museum Passes provide greater access by allowing users to make reservations online rather than having to visit a local library in-person to obtain them.

“One of the issues with the print passes was — if you weren’t able to physically get into your branch first thing in the morning, you may miss out on a pass there and there were a lot of people who had to drive around, looking for locations where they could get the pass,” said Patrick Molloy, Chicago Public Library’s government and public affairs director.

This shift enables individuals…