MOUNT ZION - Principal Jerry Birkey calls the Mount Zion Junior High Library the center of the school.

Physically, the library is located in the center of the school, and its open floor plan - bookshelves and partitions are all that separate it from classrooms - give it a welcoming feel. New and comfortable reading chairs provided by the Community Club draw youngsters in to sit and read. The large aquarium's occupant, a female tortoise named Tallulah, gives it a homey atmosphere.

And presiding over it is librarian Valerie Brunner, herself a former teacher who calls being a librarian "the best job in the world."

"I love my job," she said. "I get all the good things the teachers get - I get the kids, I get books, but I don't have to grade papers."

Teacher Tami Wagers said she was especially impressed with the way Brunner encourages special education students to read. One such student, who wasn't interested in reading, was willing to try the first book in a series when Brunner showed him a Playaway, which are MP3 players pre-loaded with audio books.

"(The student) loved the book so much that when he was finished with the first book in the series, he wanted to read all four books in the series," Wagers said. "Since the beginning of second quarter, he has read all four books in this series and has far surpassed his reading goals. This student didn't read one book first quarter, so you can imagine how excited we are about his progress, and it is all thanks to Mrs. Brunner."

Her specialty is steering kids to books that appeal to their interests, and with that in mind, she's in the midst of reorganizing the library's books into genres she's dubbed adventure, chick books, war, fantasy, sci-fi, animals, Holocaust, historical fiction, mysteries, sports and realistic fiction. It's a mammoth job.

"It's hard because re-shelving becomes more complicated for me," she said. "Then you don't have to find an author, you say 'What kind of book is that?' and you go that section and all those kinds of books are together."

Brunner came to Mount Zion Junior High five years ago, Birkey said, and has taken the library to a new level.

"When I walk down there, I see the students really involved in reading," he said. "It's an inviting atmosphere, and she makes it inviting."

TERRIFIC TEACHERS

Terrific Teachers is a new series, running the first Tuesday of each month, highlighting a special teacher for his or her extra efforts, creative ideas and influence on students. To nominate a teacher or school staff member, contact Valerie Wells at vwells@herald-review.com or 421-7982.

vwells@herald-review.com|421-7982