Values

These values serve as the foundation for ELF program design and service delivery. ELF libraries have adopted these beliefs and operationalized them into family welcoming places and engaging early learning programs.

• Public libraries are community hubs - connecting people, organizations and resources. They are uniquely positioned to expose families to a wealth of resources to support their children's early learning and development.
• Early language, reading and writing development begins in the first five years of life and is closely linked to a child's earliest experiences with words, books and stories.
• All children are born wired for feelings and ready to learn. Children's physical, social, cognitive and emotional development is understood as interrelated. Development in one area affects and is affected by development in others.
• Children's development unfolds along individual pathways that are often uneven across developmental areas, with peaks and plateaus leading to new peaks.
• Every child is recognized as an individual with unique abilities, personality traits, learning styles, interests, needs, background and ways of responding to the world.
• Young children develop and learn best when they are safe and valued, their physical needs are met, they feel psychologically secure and they have positive interactions with other people.
• Early environments matter and nurturing human relationships are essential.
• Families are children's first and most powerful teachers. Their strengths and resources are highlighted, not their deficits, and their diversity and expertise is respected.
• Learning opportunities for parents and caregivers are varied and responsive to parent/caregiver needs, including both informal and non-traditional approaches.
• For young children, play is valued as the primary medium for social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development and learning.
• Public libraries are in a unique, neutral position to embrace and explore cultural diversity.
• Choice and flexibility are in abundance.
• Collaboration with families and community partners is embraced as a valuable source of learning and creativity.
• Family and child empowerment is key and is reflected in library policies, programs, partnerships and environments.
• Libraries and literacy services are especially skilled at introducing families and their children to the magic of the written word, the joys of storytelling, the wonder of books, and the value of language in nurturing young children's development.