Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Culture Pass topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Phoenix Library'run Culture Pass reports 18,000 checkouts last year; staff outline expansion options
Summary
A library presenter told the subcommittee the Culture Pass program (run with Act One) operates at 17 library locations and the bookmobile, offers two-person passes for seven days, had over 18,000 checkouts last year and nearly 8,000 through May 30, 2026, and staff discussed access rules and outreach strategies.
A library presenter briefed the Community Services and Education Subcommittee on the Culture Pass program, a partnership with the nonprofit Act One that provides free or low-cost access to cultural institutions for Phoenix library cardholders.
The presenter explained how the program works: Culture Pass kiosks at the city's 17 library locations and the bookmobile hold passes for more than 20 art and cultural institutions; a checked-out pass admits two people for one visit during the following seven days, passes cannot be renewed or placed on hold, and families are limited to one pass at a time and up to two passes per month to maximize availability.
Program use and outreach
The presenter said the program launched in 2013 and noted that the service is searchable in the library catalog so customers can see in real time what passes are checked in at which locations. The Culture Pass program logged more than 18,000 pass checkouts last year and nearly 8,000 through May 30, 2026.
Council members congratulated staff and asked about expansion and publicity strategies; the Vice Mayor highlighted the citywide quick reading challenge linked to library engagement. Staff said the program is popular year-round with seasonal variability depending on institution restrictions and that outreach and catalog visibility are part of ongoing expansion efforts.
