Raymond Village Library expands pass program

By Kendra Raymond

Residents of Raymond can now take advantage of some expanded offerings at their local library.

Raymond Village Library is now offering free
passes for One Longfellow Square performances
and general admission tickets to each Portland
Sea Dogs baseball home games. The passes are
on a first-come first-serve basis.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

For several years, Raymond Village Library has offered passes to various parks and museums providing patrons with discounted or free admission. This program is often under-recognized and serves to provide some valuable benefits for library card holders. Now the library has recently upped its game, offering two new passes to residents.

In a Facebook post the library announced, “We have two of the coolest new library passes around. For music lovers we are offering one ticket, allowing entrance for two, to each One Longfellow Square performance. For sports fans we have two free general admission tickets to each Sea Dogs home game. Start reserving your tickets now!”

These new passes provide some hefty perks for residents. In a press release, the library explained further that the passes will accommodate both music lovers and sports fans.

“Raymond Village Library is thrilled to announce the expansion of its popular Library Pass Program with two exciting new additions: free admission for two to performances at One Longfellow Square and two free tickets to every Portland Sea Dogs home game.”

According to the press release, these new offerings join the library’s current lineup of beloved destinations, including the Portland Museum of Art, the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, Tassel Top Park, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Historic New England, Railway Village Museum, Maine Wildlife Park, Maine State Park pass, and Southworth Planetarium.

Library Director Richard Dowe says he is pleased with the recent addition and is committed to improving library programs.

“This expansion makes it easier than ever for Raymond library card holders to explore the best that Maine has to offer, whether you’re taking in a live concert, or enjoying a day at the ballpark,” he said. “We’re always looking for ways to bring the community together and make arts, culture, and recreation more accessible. Adding live music and baseball to the mix brings a whole new energy to the program, and we’re excited to see families and individuals take advantage of these opportunities.”

Dowe said that he initiated the program’s expansion.

“I’ve been looking for new ways to expand the library’s reach and strengthen our role in the community. Part of our mission is to provide access to enriching, entertaining experiences, and I saw an opportunity to do that by offering passes to a wider variety of local venues and organizations,” he said. “By connecting more people to all that Maine has to offer, we hope to encourage greater library use and foster a stronger sense of community.”

So how does the program work, you might ask?

First, you will need to be a resident of Raymond with an active library card, and the passes are free to borrow. Each pass offers its own unique benefits. To reserve a pass, just access the Museum Parks & Passes link on the RVL website or simply call the library. Patrons are encouraged to be proactive to reserve passes, as quantities are limited, especially on popular dates.

Each pass benefit is different, so library officials say it’s important to plan ahead for some of the passes you might be interested in reserving.

For instance, Dow said that the Sea Dogs passes include two general admission tickets while the OLS is one ticket that provides entry for two people. Other tickets may provide free admission or a discount.

What’s more, the library has some even more exciting news to share.

“We just confirmed that we will have tickets to the Maine Mariners! Their season doesn't start until October. We will have a limited number of tickets to provide for patrons who can also request a photo op with players after the game! More details will be available as we get closer to the season,” said Dowe.

According to Dowe, the community feedback has been extremely positive.

“So far people have been surprised and excited to learn we offer these two new passes. We are, from my understanding, the first library in the state to offer tickets to each Sea Dogs home game and one of the first few libraries to offer tickets to One Longfellow Square. We hope to expand to other sports teams in the coming months or years,” he said.

For details or to reserve a pass, visit Museum & Park Passes – Raymond Village Library or call 207-655-4283.

The Portland Sea Dogs schedule can be found here: https://www.milb.com/portland/schedule/2025-06

The One Longfellow Square show schedule is available at https://onelongfellowsquare.com/upcoming-shows-events/

Maine Mariners schedule can be found at https://www.marinersofmaine.com/#schedule <