node.js - Load custom modules from root directory with NPM -

probably simple answer i'm lost. if i'm in file several directories below root there way can require ('mylib/module1') in file , have search 'mylib/module1.js' root rather relative path of i'm using require statement?

obviously if require('underscore') inpackage.json, couldn't find way set reference inpackage.json` point right folder, like:

dependencies: { "mylib/module1" : "./mylib/module1.js" }

i did find reference browser allows map client-side files, i'm looking work on back-end.

one way of doing without needing npm support rename mylib folder node_modules. can require('module').

the reason works because require searches recursively directory structure until / looking folders called node_modules. simple mechanism allows node have multiple levels of lib directories can overridden @ multiple "local" level necessary. example, can have following directory structure:

/usr     /home         /diplosaurus             /node_modules                 module1.js   <-------- version 1             /code                 /node_modules                     module1.js  <-------- version 2                 /projecta                     /node_modules                         module1.js  <------- beta version                     main.js                 /projetb                     main.js 

all code in home directory use version 1 of module1 code in code directory use version 2 , projecta uses beta version.

this means can let npm manage project's node_modules directory yet maintain manually managed, higher level node_modules directory personal libraries.