Pushing the Limits Building Capacity to Enhance Public Understanding of Math and Science through Rural Libraries Front-End Evaluation Report

This is the Front End Evaluation report for the NSF-AISL-funded Pushing the Limits: Building Capacity to Enhance Public Understanding of Math and Science through Rural Libraries (Limits) project. A national survey of rural librarians and their patrons was carried out between February and April 2011. Key guiding questions were: 1) How interested/motivated are rural librarians in: a. Providing science and technology related programming at their libraries; b. Participating in professional development for running public programs; c. Personally learning about science and technology topics. 2) How interested/motivated do rural librarians believe their adult patrons will be in attending public programming in general and the four proposed programs in particular? 3) How interested/motivated are adult rural library patrons in generally attending public programming and the four proposed themed science and technology programs?