Public Libraries and Higher Education Combining Efforts to Create Quality STEM Children's Programs

Accepted Manuscript: version updated to include the author's revisions after peer review, prior to any typesetting for the journal.Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are a major component of our society and student success in STEM can lead to important opportunities and future careers. STEM education programs are important components to get children and youths interested in STEM fields and to instill in them STEM concepts. This paper describes two successful Ohio urban STEM programs, produced as collaborations between public libraries and higher education institutions. Cleveland's Mean Green Science Machine focused on middle and high school-aged children while The Ohio State University (OSU) Science Café in Columbus focused on preschool and elementary school-aged children for its summer sessions. Recommendations for best practices for creating children's programming using STEM is provided.Publisher allows immediate open acces