SELI Community Children's Library

SELI Community Children's Library The SELI Community Children's Library is a project of the Star-Education and Leadership Initiative (SELI).

Promote early literacy, nurture a culture of reading and improve access to quality learning resources for children and teenagers

Hello people! It's time our book of the week review.Book title : Abo and the crocodile from the lantern adventure series...
17/08/2026

Hello people! It's time our book of the week review.

Book title : Abo and the crocodile from the lantern adventure series.
Author : Anthonia Ekpa

Oku and his sister lived with their parents in a village called Etonko. Their father's name was Asikpo and their mother's Uyi.

Oku and his sister were stubborn children and always refused to do their chores which earned them beatings. Their parents were very hard and this earned them the fondness of the villagers.

Asikpo would go out to tap palm wine which he sold to the thirsty traders and whatever money he got was used buy food and other household items. His wife, Uyi, was a farmer.

One day, as their mother was about to go to the farm she left instructions for them and was happy when they assured her they would do all she had told them to do.

Immediately she left Oku lured his sister to play one round of a game which eventually turned into many, soon they were exhausted and went inside to eat. After eating they fell asleep.

Luckily for them, they woke up and got to their chores but that was short lived. As Oku was cutting the grass he was asked to, some children passed by on their way to the stream to get water and to swim. He quickly asked to follow them and his sister Abo left what she was asked to do and followed him as well.

When they got to the river, the other kids told them to avoid the far part of the river because a crocodile resided there. Oku and Abo became scared but went on anyways even though they didn't know how to swim.

Soon enough the children spotted the crocodile and quickly made their way out of the river but Abo and her brother didn't make it out on time, one of the children saw them and went back to get them. He only succeeded in getting Oku's hand and swimming out fast with him leaving Abo behind.

Thee crocodile grabbed her leg and began to pull her away to the far part of the river, she's struggled but to no avail and soon they couldn't see her again. Panicking, her brother ran into the village to call for help and a search party came to look for Abo.

Fortunately she was found, though unconscious and still in the grip of the crocodile. The men attacked the crocodile and rescued her and took her to the medicine man so the wound on her leg would be treated.

Oku went to get their mother, when she arrived, she was already in tears. She explained how she gave them instructions to carry out before leaving the house which they didn't do. The villagers scolded the children and when they got home they were punished for their disobedience.
Abo had a scar that would always remind her of her disobedience.

This story teaches children the importance of obedience and how disobedience comes with its consequences. It's available at our library too.

What are you waiting for? Bring your kids to read this book at our free community children's library.

14/08/2026

Happy Friday!!!

Today our readers share with us from what they have read so far.

Enjoy!

Parents Tip Wednesday for your readers : Reading is the metaskill that enables other skills. Once your child learns to r...
12/08/2026

Parents Tip Wednesday for your readers : Reading is the metaskill that enables other skills. Once your child learns to read, education is made easier.

Our free community library offers a space for your kids to improve their reading skills, offer educational support and encourage literacy.

What are you waiting for?

On today's edition of our book of the week series, we'd be looking at the book : The Strange Bird authored by Olajire Ol...
10/08/2026

On today's edition of our book of the week series, we'd be looking at the book : The Strange Bird authored by Olajire Olanlokun.

In a certain village, lived a notable and well-known farmer named Okuduti. He worked so hard and his farm produce were always the first to get to the market. He had workers on his farm and soon picked interest in one of the females (Ataye) and married her. She was very hardworking and beautiful.

It was a beautiful wedding even though her parents were not there because she had lost them early. She grew up with her grandma whom she had become so fond of.

After one year the Okudutis hadn't given birth and they were beginning to get worried. There was a drought that year but they had food to eat because Okuduti had a habit of food storage. Towards the end of the second year of their marriage, Ataye conceived and they had a healthy boy.

Ataye's grandma came to help her with the baby and stayed for 3 weeks before she returned home. 3 weeks later, Ataye's grandma died. She cried and cried and wouldn't be consoled, her grandma was buried and she returned home still sad.

Six weeks later, Ataye's husband became sick, the doctor said it was yellow fever and gave him some herbs but he died on the 7th day of the illness. It was such a sad moment for Ataye, she wept and neighbors, family and friends gathered to console her. He was buried behind their house.

The drought lingered and she needed to find a means to get food for her and her baby so she decided to begin to sell firewood which she would get from the forest.

She went to the forest often to get firewood and would always keep her baby under a big Iroko tree she could work. One day, a big black bird perched on the tree and began to sing, it then carried the baby away. She cried and cried and begged the bed to return her baby but it refused.

The bird told her it would give her riches in exchange for her baby but she vehemently refused and begged harder for it to return her baby. It finally did and told her she had done a noble thing and would be rewarded with riches for being a good mother. Before she knew what was going on, gold, silver, diamonds and two bales of clothes fell.

Ataye became so rich after that and she built a house, started a textile business and employed many people. Yiga, a female employee of hers admired her so much and wanted to become like her badly. Yiga later got married and had a child, she was so happy because finally, she could use her baby to become a rich woman too.

She went to the same forest to get firewood even though she was could have gotten from her husband's farm and then the bird appeared and did the same thing it did to Ataye's child. Yiga asked for her child back but the bird said it would give her riches in exchange for her child and she agreed.

Gold, diamonds and silver fell and the bed flew with her child. It told her it would return her baby next season. After the bird had gone, she realized what she had done and cried. The items also turned to dry leaves and she became hysterical, her body began to itch and she ran to the village looking like a mad woman.

She explained everything that happened and the villagers talked harshly to her. A search party went to look for her child and found him under a tree. She was still scolded by the mother's council for her behaviors and she promised it would never happen again.

How much money can you trade your child for??

This book teaches readers to be hardworking, contented and not to be envious of others. It is suitable for readers from primary 1-5 and secondary school students too.

It is very much available at our library so bring your kids to read it for free.!

The holiday season has brought something we are deeply grateful for at the SELI Community Children's Library.Demand.Last...
04/08/2026

The holiday season has brought something we are deeply grateful for at the SELI Community Children's Library.

Demand.

Last week was our busiest week yet. We averaged thirty children per day with some days recording over forty. We have more books in the hands of children than on our shelves and new children are signing up and showing up daily. Word is spreading organically through the community and the results are showing up in our logbook.

One moment that captured the spirit of this season perfectly was when we noticed over eleven children in the library bearing the same surname. The Dabo Family. Cousins and siblings who had all found their way to us. Eleven of them. From one family.

That is community impact in the most personal and concrete form.

With the increase in numbers we have also had to be more deliberate about our age policy. We have had mothers bring in children as young as two years old and while we deeply appreciate the enthusiasm and trust, our library currently starts from age three, which aligns with standard school entry age. Accommodating children below that age requires a different level of attention and resources that we are still working toward. We are communicating this clearly and kindly to families as the need arises.

The energy in the library these days is something to behold. Children arrive early, stay late and leave only when we ask them to. Our Lego and building blocks have become particularly popular across all age groups and we now offer them deliberately as relaxers, a way for children to decompress between reading sessions. Watching a child build something with their hands after a focused reading session is its own kind of learning.

We are also working toward getting a screen in the library so children can engage with educational content and age appropriate films from time to time.

We welcomed a new volunteer to our team this week. She has already begun supporting our literacy classes for non readers and is championing our early years section. Her first read aloud session with the children was a delight to witness. We will be sharing more about her contribution in a dedicated post soon.

As the new term approaches we are already putting structures in place to ensure that what the children have experienced during this holiday season translates into measurable progress in their academics. More on that in our next update.

We are grateful for every child who has walked through our doors this season. We are grateful for the parents who trust us with them. And we are grateful for a team that shows up every day to make this space what it is.

The library is getting chocked. And we are super glad for it.

📍 14 Kyan Rikkos, Adjacent St. Gabriel's Parish, Bauchi Ring Road, Jos.
🕐 Weekdays: 11am to 5:30pm | Saturdays: 10am to 5:30pm
✅ All services are completely FREE.

SELI Community Children's Library
Read. Learn. Grow.

Last week was one of our best weeks at the SELI Community Children's Library since we reopened in January.We averaged ab...
23/07/2026

Last week was one of our best weeks at the SELI Community Children's Library since we reopened in January.

We averaged about twenty five children a day. Some days we had twenty eight. One day we had thirty. And the shift did not happen by accident.

The Saturday before, we sat down with the children after our games session and shared some of our plans with them. We told them that our end of year party and excursion would be based, in part, on consistent attendance.

We also introduced a simple but intentional reading journal system.

Every child was asked to get a notebook and a pen. Each time they visit the library they are expected to write down their time in and time out, the title of the book they read, the author's name and a summary of what they read, even if it was just a page or a chapter.

A member of our team signs their record before they leave.

The response exceeded what we anticipated.
Throughout the week children arrived with brand new notebooks.

They read. They wrote. They requested signatures from our librarians before going home.

The reading journal system is already creating a culture of accountability and intentionality among our young readers.

Then Saturday came. And it rained.

Some of the children had already left home before the rain started and rather than turn back, they kept coming.

By the time they arrived some of them were tucking their notebooks under their clothes to shield them from the drizzle.

The outdoor games session could not hold that Saturday because of the rain. The children understood. And they stayed anyway. When the rain settled, more children came in.

That told us something important about where we are.

These children are no longer coming only for the games or the incentives. They are coming because this space has become meaningful to them.

That is the shift we have been working toward and we are seeing it happen in real time.

It also reaffirmed something central to our approach. Sometimes children simply need a reason to begin.

A reading challenge, a notebook, a game session, an excursion to look forward to or an end of year celebration can be the gentle push that starts a reading habit.

And once a child begins showing up consistently, the habit itself becomes the reward.

The reading journals are working. The Saturday game sessions are working.

And whenever we find something that is genuinely helping children learn, read and keep showing up, we do not stop. We improve it, sustain it and build on it.

Because sometimes lasting change begins with something as simple as giving a child a reason to come back tomorrow.

The SELI Community Children's Library is located at 14 Kyan Rikkos, Adjacent St. Gabriel's Parish, Bauchi Ring Road, Jos.

We are open weekdays from 11am to 5:30pm and Saturdays from 10am to 5:30pm. All our services are completely FREE...
SELI Community Children's Library.
Read. Learn. Grow.

If you have ever wondered what actually happens inside the SELI Community Children's Library, let's walk you through it....
18/07/2026

If you have ever wondered what actually happens inside the SELI Community Children's Library, let's walk you through it.

And before we do, we need to say this clearly.

Everything we do here is completely FREE.

There's no registration fee nor hidden charges. No cost of any kind. We just want you to bring your child and we will take it from there.

We are a structured free space designed to serve every child that walks through our door, regardless of where they are in their learning journey.

Here is what a typical day looks like.

When a child arrives, the first thing they do is register. A team member welcomes them with our logbook and takes their details.

Your name, your class, your age, the time you came in. And when you pick your book from the shelf, we write down the title.

This is how we track who is coming, what they are reading and how we can serve them better over time.

From there, the child moves to the shelves and picks whatever they want to read. Storybooks, fiction, science, geography, the variety is there and it is growing. They sit, and explore as they read.

I remember one of the children who came in recently. She picked a book, sat down and was so absorbed in it that when we told her it was time to go she looked up genuinely surprised, like she had forgotten where she was. That is the kind of thing that reminds me why we built this place.

They also sign out at the end of their stay while they return the books to the Librarian.

We're introducing books and pens for each reader who comes in so they can track what they've read and give summaries for each book, depending on their age and level. Of course, there'd be new words to follow.

But reading is not all we do. Others include;

1. Homework Support
Children come in with their assignments and our team sits with them, guides them through what they do not understand and helps them work it out themselves. We do not do the homework for them. We teach them how to do it. There is a difference and it matters.

2. Book Clubs
Our book club is planned to run in three dedicated sessions to make sure every age group is properly catered for.
We have a session for early years, children between two and six/seven.
Another session for primary school children. And a session for secondary school students and teenagers.
Each group gets a space that speaks to where they are developmentally.

3. Educational Games
We have Lego, building blocks, counting blocks and we are adding more, puzzles, Scrabble, Snakes and Ladders and other games that make learning feel like play.
For our youngest visitors especially, these games are often the entry point into the library before books become their comfort zone.

Coming Soon
We are also introducing monthly mentoring sessions, bringing in authors, professionals and inspiring people from different walks of life to sit with these children, share their stories and show them what is possible.

And there are a few other exciting programmes we cannot wait to share with you. I'll stop here as the post is already getting longer than I planned.

Because a library goes beyond being a place to read but also a place to dream.

Our Hours
On weekdays we are open from around 11.00am to 5:30 PM, giving children time to come in after school.

On Saturdays we open from 10.00am and close at 5:30pm.

And again, EVERYTHING we do here is completely FREE.

To every parent reading this who is in our community, we want you to know that this space was built with your child in mind.

If you have any questions or reservations, come and see us.
Walk through the door. See what we do. Talk to our team.

We would rather you come and see for yourself than make a decision from a distance.

Your child deserves this space. And we would love to have them. This is WHY we are here.

We are located at 14 Kyan Rikkos, Adjacent St. Gabriel's Parish, Bauchi Ring Road, Jos.

The SELI Community Children's library is a project of SELI.

SELI Community Children's Library
Read. Learn. Grow.

Last Saturday at the SELI Community Children's Library was one of our best days yet.We recorded close to forty children ...
15/07/2026

Last Saturday at the SELI Community Children's Library was one of our best days yet.

We recorded close to forty children through our doors, the highest Saturday attendance since we opened. And the energy in that space was something we will not forget quickly.

We had secondary school learners, primary school pupils and our youngest early years visitors all in the same space at the same time. Reading, exploring and simply being present in a space that belongs to them.

Before we had even returned from a brief community outreach in the neighbourhood, the library was already full. The children had come, settled in and were ready. That told us everything we needed to know about where things are headed.

At some point we moved the session outside. We played Rock Paper Scissors and Shoe, a game that has taken social media by storm and for good reason. The rules are simple but the competition is real. If you win, you eat while the other person runs back to try again. We had teams of boys versus girls and boys versus boys. Even our youngest visitors joined in.

The laughter and energy on that Saturday afternoon was exactly the kind of atmosphere we want to be known for.

As we played outside, children passing by stopped to watch. Some of them came in afterwards. The library continues to draw curiosity from the community and we are grateful for that.

When we returned inside we held a general session. We asked the children about the books they had been reading. Most could name their books confidently. When it came to retelling the plot, some searched for words.

But the moment we asked what they gained from the book, what it taught them, they responded quickly, clearly and confidently. Both the positive lessons and the difficult ones.

That told us something important. Reading is forming these children even when they cannot yet fully articulate how. And that is exactly what a library should do. Not just inform. But form.

Going forward, outdoor game sessions will become a regular feature of our Saturday programme. We want the children to have dedicated time to play together, form teams, compete and simply enjoy being children in a safe and welcoming environment.

At closing time, parents arrived to pick up their children. The feedback was warm, grateful and encouraging.

Forty children. Laughter outside. Honest conversations about books inside. Parents saying thank you at the door. This is the library we set out to build. And it is becoming exactly that.

The SELI Community Children's Library is located at 14 Kyan Rikkos, Adjacent St. Gabriel's Parish, Bauchi Ring Road, Jos.

We are open weekdays from 11am to 5:30pm and Saturdays from 10am to 5:30pm.
All our services are completely FREE.

SELI Community Children's Library
Read. Learn. Grow.

On Tuesday, the SELI Community Children's Library welcomed Primary Five pupils from Equara Academy, Nasarawa Kwong, for ...
25/06/2026

On Tuesday, the SELI Community Children's Library welcomed Primary Five pupils from Equara Academy, Nasarawa Kwong, for a library visit.

As the pupils walked in alongside their teacher, it became clear that for many of them, this was not just their first visit to our library. It was their first time stepping into any library.

That moment reminded us exactly why this space exists.

Some pupils reached for books immediately. Others took their time, moving through the shelves, taking in the space and figuring out where to begin. We introduced them to the library, talked about the importance of reading and books, and gave them time to explore freely. They settled into the space and engaged with the books, the shelves and the environment around them.

This is one of the core goals of the SELI Community Children's Library. To give children a sense of belonging, to bridge learning gaps they may not otherwise have the opportunity to bridge, and to show them that the books on these shelves are available to them too.

Access to reading spaces and resources is something many children in our communities do not have. For some, opportunity begins with something as simple as walking into a room full of books for the very first time and realising those books are within reach.

We also reflected afterwards that we should have created more space for the pupils to ask questions and share their curiosities. It is something we are intentionally building into future school visits, because every visit is also a learning opportunity for us.

We were particularly encouraged when the class teacher requested copies of the photographs from the visit for the pupils' parents. It was a simple request that reminded us that experiences like this matter not only to the children but to the families and communities behind them.

As schools prepare for the long vacation, the SELI Community Children's Library is already planning activities to keep children engaged through the break. We welcome children and pupils who would benefit from reading, discovery, educational play and a community of learning.

Our doors are open.
We are located at 14 Kyan Rikkos, Adjacent St. Gabriel's Parish, Bauchi Ring Road, Jos, Plateau State.
We are open weekdays from 11am to 5:30pm and Saturdays from 10.30am to 5:30pm. All our services are completely free.
Thank you to ECWA Academy, the class teacher and the pupils for spending time with us. We hope to welcome you again soon.

Sometimes the impact of a library visit is not measured by the number of books read on the day but by the new possibilities a child discovers are within reach.

SELI Community Children's Library.
Read. Learn. Grow.

Saturday at the SELI Community Children's Library was a beehive of activity.We had about thirty children through our doo...
19/05/2026

Saturday at the SELI Community Children's Library was a beehive of activity.

We had about thirty children through our doors. Those completing their assignments. Those who came to read independently. Those exploring the space for the first time. And our youngest visitors who were not quite satisfied with the games available and made sure we knew it. They also had a spontaneous spelling competition. At some point the place became hot and stuffy and we had to raise the windows to allow proper ventilation. A fan is clearly on our shopping list.

But we want to be honest about how the day began.

We opened two hours behind schedule. Some children had already arrived, waited and left before we could open. A parent came in later to let us know her children had waited over an hour and returned home. We apologised, took her contact and committed to doing better. When families trust us enough to show up, we cannot afford to let them meet a closed door. We are tightening our operations to ensure this does not happen again.

Now for the highlights.

Three young apprentices from the welding workshop next door were spotted outside, curious about what was happening inside the library. We invited them in. Their boss gave them the time and in they came. They spent about an hour with us, played with our Lego games and picked up books to read independently.

Three young men who had no plans to visit a library that day ended up reading because a door was opened and they were told they were welcome. That is what this space is becoming.

We also want to highlight one of our regular attendees, Azaf Gerald. A consistent and enthusiastic reader who simply needed a break that Saturday. Rather than push him to sit with a book, we let him play outside, get some fresh air and return when he was ready. Once in a while he wandered back in, read a little and went back out again.

Because the SELI Community Children's Library is a safe space, not a pressured one. Children are trusted here to know what they need.

Since opening in January we have recorded over three hundred entries in our logbook. Attendance is growing consistently. Children are returning and bringing friends and siblings with them.

At closing time the children did not want to leave. We gathered outside, took photographs together, laughed and closed out a full and meaningful day.

Next month we launch our dedicated literacy classes for children who are struggling to read. Our volunteer team is coming together and we are preparing to pilot this programme. We are grateful for every step of this journey.

I tell you, this is working.

More to come.

The SELI Community Children's Library is located at 14 Kyan Rikkos, Adjacent St. Gabriel's Parish, Bauchi Ring Road, Jos. We are open weekdays from 11am to 5:30pm and Saturdays from 10am to 5:30pm. Everything we offer is completely FREE.

SELI Community Children's Library
Read. Learn. Grow.

Address

14 Kyan Rikkos, Adjacent St. Gabriel's Parish, Bauchi Ring Road
Jos
930232

Opening Hours

Monday 11:00 - 17:30
Tuesday 11:00 - 17:30
Wednesday 11:00 - 17:30
Thursday 11:00 - 17:30
Friday 11:00 - 17:30
Saturday 11:00 - 17:30

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