Erie libraries have your ticket to art

Of this I'm sure: There's always some stuff of wonder, and amazement, of intrigue, and suspense, of immersion, and flight -- something new waiting to be found -- right through any, and every, public library's doors.

I've known that for a good, long time, and now, I get to have all the fun of rediscovering it again and again with my kids as they figure it out for themselves.

The last time we walked into our friendly little neighborhood branch of the Erie County Public Library , we came into a bevy of weird science facts, a bunch of curious monkey tales, wildlife survival tips, and an off-the-cuff puppet show, to name a few things. And, on the way out, a little sign I'd not noticed before caught my eye.

What it signaled, which I hadn't known, is something really quite cool: The county library system lends out (just like books), passes to the Erie Art Museum -- free of charge, good for the whole family, for a whole week, and for admission to the museum itself as well as other events scheduled there. One of our librarians said the museum has four family passes available at the main branch, Blasco Memorial Library, and two passes at each of the four other branches in Erie and Edinboro.

She said, too, that there's usually a bit of a wait on the passes, and advised us we may want to reserve one soon if we're looking to use it to check out what's happening at the museum anytime in our near future.

To me, those family museum passes -- which, from what I understand, have been around for at least the past couple of years -- are just a little example of the good stuff that's at the library, another good find, and another reason to know we live in a kinda great place. I know the Erie Art Museum is a pretty great place, too, and definitely worth taking the kids to check out.

And, to everyone who didn't know about them before either, checking out that pass could be taking a ticket for a whole new kind of family adventure.

Ryan Smith digs reading, and art, and adventures, and combinations of the three. You can reach him by e-mail at rSmith@eriereader.com, and follow him on Twitter @ryanmsmithplens.