Look to The Northstar
In ancient times, when sailors and wayfarers needed to find their way, they looked to the star that was most stable and most visible to the human eye at night. In finding the true north, they could tell their current position and their future destination. One is only truly lost when they don’t know they are or where they are going. At the Northstar Library, we believe that books are guiding lights — they will take you everywhere and bring you back home. We also believe that the most important journey a person will ever embark on is to discover or remember oneself.
We discover who we are in the waves of experiences and the terrains of thoughts and feelings. On this journey, we often think that our experiences are unique, or our feelings are invalid and our thoughts are unimaginable. This thinking often leads to despair. And “it was books”, said James Baldwin, “that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” Books tell you where you are and who you are with.
Educational research indicates that literature “encourages readers to consider the decisions they make in forming their identities and to consider if their genuine selves and the personalities they project to the outside world are compatible.”
Self-identity, cultural identity, critical thinking and empathy are unmined gems in today’s Nigeria because those who can, do not read and those who want to are limited by poverty and the lack of access to books. We used to be a learned people. We used to be a people proud of our cultural identity.
The Northstar Library is on a mission to preserve who we are as a people and guide us to a brighter future by:
- Providing access to all kinds of literature.
- Creating a reading community and replicating it across the country.
- Building a creative space for artistic forms of expression.
We want to see libraries everywhere. We want to make reading cool again. And we cannot travel this road without your help. If you believe in our mission, partner with us by donating books or funds to our cause and by spreading the word.
Life is a journey and we often lose our way. If ever you do not know which way to go, look to The Northstar.
Further reading:
Aina, A. J.; Ogungbeni, J. I.; Adigun, J. A.; and Ogundipe, T. C., “Poor Reading Habits Among Nigerians: The Role of Libraries” (2011). Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 529.
Altun, Mustafa. (2023). Literature and Identity: Examine the Role of Literature in Shaping Individual and Cultural Identities. International Journal of Social Sciences and Educational Studies. 10. 381–385. 10.23918/ijsses.v10i3p381.
Ojaide, T. (1992). Modern African Literature and Cultural Identity. African Studies Review, 35(3), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.2307/525127
