< On Jan. 11, Rapper Noname Wants You To Register For A Library Card

January 10, 20205:07 AM ET

On Jan. 11, Rapper Noname Wants You To Register For A Library Card

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Tomorrow is library card registration day. If you've never heard of this, it's because Fatimah Warner made it up.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SUNNY DUET")

NONAME: (Rapping) I used to have a name that look like butterflies and Hennessy. I'll trade it in for happiness, but joyful don't remember me.

INSKEEP: Warner performs under the name Noname. In 2018, NPR Music called her album "Room 25" one of the best of the year. When she's not recording in the studio, she is often at the library.

NONAME: Just going to the library and talking to a librarian and their wealth of knowledge on books and material is so amazing to me.

INSKEEP: Noname wants to encourage people to get their own library cards, not just for the free books but also for the people who can guide you to them.

NONAME: I've been put onto some crazy books I'd never would have ordered online just because I was in person talking to another human being.

INSKEEP: One of those human beings was her mom who used to own a shop called Afrocentric Bookstore, which shaped Noname as a young reader. Now she highlights works by authors of color in the book club that she started with meetups across the country - has a couple of goals in mind.

NONAME: Really making sure that folks of color feel valued and feel seen and heard and also highlighting voices and writers that might not necessarily get picked by, like, Reese Witherspoon's book club or even sometimes Oprah's Book Club, you know what I mean?

INSKEEP: Fatimah Warner, also known as Noname, hopes you will get hooked.

NONAME: Right now, I have "Sabrina & Corina" checked out. And today is technically the day I'm supposed to give it back.

INSKEEP: (Laughter) Technically. Well, have a happy library card registration day. And if you want to get a card yourself, bring a photo ID to your library with your real name, just as Noname says.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YESTERDAY")

NONAME: (Rapping) And I know the money don't really make...

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