VISION
At the heart of Elizabeth’s Library International is the desire for both adults and children to have access to learning and educational opportunities that will equip and encourage them to reach their God-given potential. Our vision is to establish community libraries that offer access to books and other educational resources, making them readily available to underserved communities. It is the desire of ELI to come alongside local community partners, and share the genuine love of Jesus in a culturally appropriate manner.
Elizabeth’s Library International believes that when resourced and supported, our national partners are the ones best suited to carry out the work of community development that will support libraries, literacy programs and educational opportunities. We work with our national partners to establish community appropriate income generating projects that provide long term sustainability of library operations.
Elizabeth’s Library International meets all host government requirements for services and programs.
LIBRARY
Library site selection
Infrastructure (facility and furnishings)
Book collection development
Response from community
Adjustments & evaluation
Recruitment & professional staff development
Yields from income generating projects
BEGINNINGS
Lana Lynn, founder of Elizabeth’s Library International, grew up in the small town of Britton, South Dakota. She always loved learning and spent many happy hours in the local library reading books on a variety of subjects. When the librarian realized that Lana had read almost all the books in the library, she made arrangements with the State Library system to send books to her on a regular basis. Lana recounts,
"I remember so well my excitement, the day the first cardboard box arrived at my home and I carefully unpacked the books – one by one. Every few weeks for many years, I would send a request list to the State Library and shortly after, a new box would arrive at my home – opening the world to me. I never imagined that one day, I’d be part of an organization sending cardboard boxes of books around the world to start libraries where there are none."
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