JACKSON TWP — There is one word Seneca Valley Middle School librarian Sandy Reidmiller hates to hear: Shush.

"What's sad is that sometimes the library is perceived as a boring place. I try to make it a more exciting place to be," she said.

"Libraries aren't the quiet places they used to be."

Reidmiller will demonstrate that fact this coming week, during Teen Read Week, a national literacy initiative aimed at teens. The program is by the Young Adult Library Services Association, according to its Web site, www.ala.org.

Following the theme "Get Philanthropic at Your Library," students submitted more than 100 photographs of their pet dogs, cats, birds, rodents and even horses for a contest. Winners will be named in categories including sleepiest, cutest and most playful, she said.

Votes will be cast by placing pennies in jars under the photographs. Proceeds will go to the Butler County Humane Society.

On Thursday, the library club will sponsor magician Dustin Ashbaugh, who will incorporate required reading selections into his "Dust 'n Magic" performance. But for Reidmiller, one week of events is not enough. In November, students can create book characters from potatoes — à la Mr. Potato Head — and compete for prizes.

"There are too many things I want to do and not enough time to do them," said Reidmiller, who moved to the middle school from Haine Elementary School this year.

Her transition was an easy one as retiring librarian Barb Thompson recruited her last year, said Tracy Vitale, middle school principal.

"(Thompson) knew of the work Sandy was doing at Haine and convinced Sandy she'd be a good fit here," Vitale said.

Reidmiller's commitment to her new position was evident early on.

On National Talk Like a Pirate Day in September, she offered free eye patches to students who checked out books. More than 500 books were snatched up that morning, she said, a school record.

"If you generate enthusiasm with kids and you provide an exciting, comfortable place to be, kids will come in and that will create lifelong readers and library users. That will benefit them the rest of their lives," Reidmiller said.

By seventh grade, when students enter the middle school, the library is at the bottom of their to-do list, Vitale said. Personal development and social obligations begin to overshadow independent reading.

"It is a critical age because of all the adolescent development that children go through by seventh grade. This is where reading becomes make-it-or-break-it; this is the last building where they embrace it," she said.

"So we have to continually remind children how important it is and have gimmicks to get them into the library and Sandy is definitely the queen of gimmicks."

Reidmiller's gimmicks don't end with students.

At the start of the school year she hosted a breakfast for teachers and staff to introduce them to new books. Throughout the year, any staff member who checks out a book will be entered to win a gift basket.

"My philosophy is a library should be a warm, welcoming place people want to be," Reidmiller said. "I just want to generate that excitement for the library with the staff, administration, the kids — everybody."