BUTTONWILLOW, Calif. (KERO) — With nothing but a library card in good standing, Kern County Library card users can check out a pass that gets them into over 200 state parks for free as part of a state initiative.
- 23ABC spoke with Fahra Daredia, a Marketing and Promotions Associate for the Kern County Library System and Lori Wear, a State Park Interpreter who helps oversee parks in the Great Basin district.
- Daredia noted the pass was the most popular item to be checked out within the library last year, with over 300 people taking advantage of the opportunity.
- Wear said the pass provides a great opportunity for people to get out for free and check out the natural beauty this state has to offer.
- The pass is only valid at State Parks, not National Parks or Forests. The pass can be checked out for two weeks at a time before it must be returned to the library. The pass does not cover other fees associated with state park visits like campsite or boat launch fees.
- The full list of parks where the pass is valid can be found on the Kern County Library website.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Reading has the power to transport you to natural landscapes and spaces. I’m Sam Hoyle, your Buttonwillow neighborhood reporter. But what if I told you there was something you could check out at the Kern County Library that can take you from here … to here.
The Kern County Library California State Parks pass can be checked out with nothing other than a current library card in good standing. According to Fahra Daredia, a spokesperson for the Kern County Library system, last year the pass was the most popular item within the Kern County Library System.
“In 2023, the State Park pass was the number one, top checked out item in Kern county and I’m happy to say over 300 users checked out state park passes,” said Daredia.
So, I signed up for a Kern County Library Card and took a trip to a state park in our backyard: the Tule Elk State Natural Reserve.
Lori Wear helps oversee the Great Basin District of the California State Parks System and said the positive of the library pass is being able to showcase the beauty of nature to those who might not have a ton of experience being out in it.
“It’s a wonderful experience to take people and show them baby owlets or lizards or various other animals or even flowers. The amazing beauty of the wildflowers this season has been really incredible out in the desert. So it’s really fun to share that with people and the public in general,” said Wear.
The pass is able to be used at more than 200 parks across the state, not just here in Kern County. Wear says if something near by doesn’t pique your interest, there’s something for everyone here in California.
“There’s going to be something for everyone in those parks to visit. The state parks really provide people with an opportunity to see what parks are out there and what they would enjoy.”
While this pass is extremely cool and super helpful for families there is something to keep in mind. It is only valid for California State Parks, not national parks or forests, you can find the full list of California State Parks where this pass can be used on the Kern County Library website. In Buttonwillow, I’m Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter.
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