I like the idea of showing something other students made - hopefully that'll get the new kids thinking creatively. Also, if your library circulates video games, mentioning that will get their attention.

Something else popular with our kids are the programs we offer - a writing club, anime club, cinema nights, teens volunteering to help with programs for younger kids. They really like being active and getting involved, so if you have those, be sure to mention them.

Good luck - but really, when I was in grades 7-9, you would have had me with a packet of bottle rockets (just kidding - I'm sure you mean something else).

Show them that you are friendly and approachable and that in addition to making use of student artwork, etc. that you are open to their ideas.

Since you have so little time available, I think the main thing is presentation:

*first you: clothes, smile, positive attitude, etc...,

*then the library: invite them to stroll around the library with you, showing a "Welcome to XYZ school!" poster on the door, displays with students' favorite books in prominent places, a few things of interest on a beautiful display on tables [the bookmarks, the brochures, a list of the events/contests organized during the year], and then you again at the door distributing the Rockets when they leave.

Along with the program listings, I would hand them Mentos and Diet Coke and tell them to combine the two outdoors.

If you aren't meeting the students and families in the library, it would be nice to have a big tri-fold display of pictures of the library, especially with photos of students who look happy to be there.

You might also put up a list of the most popular books. If kids see that you have books like Twilight and other favorites, they'll know you don't have a stodgy, dusty library full of boring books.

Three words; "Rube Goldberg Device".

Try to get a few of your coolest students who frequented the library from last year to volunteer with passing out fliers (teens need to know if reading is "cool" at the new school). Have the volunteers and visitors introduce themselves with their name and their favorite book.

Have a suggestion box for students to write their favorite books. Give each student a form to put in the suggestion box on which to write their own favorite book/series/author and say you will fight to get any of these favorites that you don't already have. Create a display with lots of hip, diverse students reading their favorite book, and string these pictures throughout the library, but especially around where you will stand.

At a school where I used to work, we stole a page from elementary teacher conferences and made student faces from cardboard and wire hangers. We then dressed them with uniform shirts from the school store, made large name tags of famous book characters, and did a book display on every table in the library, showing off the collection by putting out different subjects on each table.

It was a lot of work, but the staff also had a lot of fun with setting it up, and everyone loved the cardboard children--and it made the library look like the lively place it usually was, not just a room with books and computers (cardboard children also used the databases). We also made a continuous loop power point which played.

We didn't speak at all, just answered questions. Our student tour guides handled questions about us (and often repeated what they had learned in freshman orientation).