Twenty small and rural public libraries in fifteen states have been selected as pilot sites to host "Pushing the Limits: Making Sense of Science," a four-part reading, viewing and discussion series for adults. Each library will receive a $2,500 grant from the National Science Foundation, and building on the experience of the pilot sites, the program will be expanded to 100 additional rural libraries throughout the nation.The Pushing the Limits Program will explore the ways in which, since the beginning of time, humans have strived to push the boundaries of their world. We want to be stronger, smarter, and more aware, and using science we bring those dreams to life. Sometimes, it is great new advances in science and technology that help make dreams come true, and other times it is a science of the every day. In either case, we are all finding ways to push the limits every day.
Each Pushing the Limits event will explore these ideas using a blended science café and book club model that will include feature film-quality videos and a recommended (popular) book reading and will be led by a local STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) advocate. The overarching theme is one of real people, real stories and real science.
The pilot libraries selected for Pushing the Limits are:
Bertha Boyer Memorial Library- Honey Grove, Texas
Cross Plains Public Library- Cross Plains, Texas
Fairfield Library Association, Inc.- Fairfield, Texas
Flenniken Public Library- Carmichaels, Pennsylvania
Galway Public Library- Galway, New York
Georgetown County Library- Georgetown, South Carolina
Greenwich Free Library- Greenwich, New York
Gustine Branch Library- Gustine, California
Howe Library- Hanover, New Hampshire
Imperial County Free Library- El Centro, California
Independence Public Library- Independence, Kansas
Little Priest Tribal College Library- Winnebago, Nebraska
Mammoth Public Library- Mammoth, Arizona
Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library- Presque Isle, Maine
Murrysville Library- Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Richfield Public Library- Richfield, Utah
Sedro-Woolley Public Library- Sedro-Woolley, Washington
Sewickley Township Library- Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Stair Public Library- Morenci, Michigan
Sterling Public Library- Sterling, Colorado
The national program is the work of a unique team of library professionals, scientists, and filmmakers from Dartmouth College, The Association for Rural and Small Libraries, The Califa Group (a California-based library consortium), Dawson Media Group, and Oregon State University. The project is supported with generous funding from the National Science Foundation.
By reaching out to small and rural public libraries, the program is pushing many limits. There are more public libraries than McDonald's in the U.S.- a total of 16,604 including branches- and more than 77% of these libraries are in communities with populations of 25,000 or less. All communities need and deserve good programs to engage and bring people together.
The Pushing the Limits programs will begin early in 2013. For more information, contact Linda Crowe, 650-349-5538, and/or lcrowe@califa.org.
