While another winter storm was brewing this week, the Cobb County Public Library System unveiled a new program to increase access for students at all of its branches. The Cobb Library PASS program is available to all Cobb and Marietta students who show their student IDs, and it’s for print and digital materials.
While it’s the kind of resource that comes in handy when schools are closed, as they have been since Wednesday, the Cobb Library PASS program is available year-round, as well as from remote locations and by physically visiting a branch.
PASS stands for Public Library Access for Student Success, and here’s what the library system has sent along to explain how the program works. Basically, a student ID serves as a library card number that can be used just like a card for any other library patron:
PASS links K-12 student identification numbers to the new PASS accounts for online connections to the Cobb public library from the home, classroom or library.
Lisa Cleary, Community Engagement Manager for Cobb libraries, said expanding access to the Cobb library is a major step for improving educational attainment levels in the county, especially for students with limited opportunities to visit libraries in person. All students have access to school media center resources, yet only about one-fourth have Cobb library cards, she added.
Through Library PASS accounts, area public school students may checkout books and eBooks, and explore online resources like research publications on science, history, technology and more.
Officials with the library system and schools spent several months developing PASS and preparing teachers and school staffs for the PASS launch. The collaboration between the public library and schools is bolstered by the relationships the three organizations developed for annual Summer Reading programs and other joint initiatives throughout the year.
Cobb County Schools Library Media Education Supervisor Holly Frilot said the groundwork for Library Pass involved many local meetings, discussions with library institutions in other states, and the involvement of several departments in the three partner organizations.
“We strive every day to improve and enhance the digital and print literacy skills of our students – skills that are crucial for success in school, career, and life,” Frilot said. “The PASS partnership directly speaks to this goal.”
Here’s more about the PASS program at this FAQ page, including PIN numbers, limits on materials to check out and daily computer usage and downloading library system apps.
Further information can be found here for parents.
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