Long Beach, CA ~ Long Beach Public Library Launches New Program to Continue Youth STEM Education

The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) has recently announced the launch of a new program, LBPL Creativity Lab, in response to the conclusion of their SEED program. The SEED program, which had been funded for four years by over $400,000 in federal funds administered by the Department of Education, was forced to end due to federal funding cuts brought about by recent Executive Orders and policy shifts under the current Presidential Administration. The program's final day of service was on September 30, 2025.

The SEED program was launched in Summer 2022 with the goal of introducing a "STEAM ecosystem" model that brought together partners across the arts and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields to offer high-quality, arts-integrated STEM learning for middle school youth. The program's key partners included Dramatic Results, a local nonprofit that designs and delivers educational programming using art, design and culture as entryways into STEM subjects. Mentors from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), and over 40 educators ranging from CSULB pre-service teachers to local artists and working professionals also played a crucial role in delivering 255 workshop sessions across five library locations and an urban farm. In total, the program served more than 500 students with an average participation time of 30 hours per student.

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With the conclusion of SEED, LBPL remains committed to providing meaningful programming for middle school youth through their new initiative: the LBPL Creativity Lab. This new phase builds upon the strengths of the SEED model and aligns with the City's focus on expanding opportunities for young people. It also reflects LBPL's mission to elevate arts, culture and technology for the Long Beach community. The Creativity Lab will continue to offer high-quality creativity and design programming in a more flexible format that supports ongoing innovation.

To ensure that community voices guide this work, the Creativity Lab recently held listening sessions with past participants, families, students and staff. The feedback gathered from these sessions has informed the development of the LBPL Creativity Lab. The program also welcomes continued input from partners and collaborators, particularly those in the creative community and Downtown Design District, as it moves forward.

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The first five-week session of the LBPL Creativity Lab is set to begin in February 2026. More details about the program will be shared in the coming weeks. The Long Beach Public Library is excited to expand creative and educational opportunities for youth across Long Beach.

In light of these changes, the City of Long Beach is committed to keeping the community informed about ongoing developments related to federal funding cuts and their impacts on local programs provided by the City. Community members are encouraged to stay up-to-date by visiting longbeach.gov/FedFundingUpdates.

For media inquiries and more information about the LBPL Creativity Lab, please contact Gabriel Gaete, Program Coordinator for the Department of Library, Arts and Culture at Gabriel.Gaete@longbeach.gov.

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