STEM Summer Library Programs
A setting gaining great popularity as an opportune location for informal STEM education is the public library. Libraries’ roles are evolving to respond to the education needs in the communities they serve - going beyond the popular summer reading programs (Public Libraries and Effective Summer Learning: Opportunities for Assessment) to include STEM. Libraries in the East Bay are well positioned to host a SAfG program for two reasons. First, for many communities, libraries are considered safe, inclusive spaces. Second, libraries serve as regular meeting places for children and their families throughout the school year and summer. Research and evidence show that when parents and caregivers model interest and engage in STEM activities it is more likely for the children, especially girls and underrepresented groups in STEM, to remain interested in science and math.
