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On a quiet Thursday morning in North Carolina, Media Specialist Jen Miller stood in her school’s hallway, her phone propped on a stack of notebooks. A 600-pound crate loomed behind her. She hit record and whispered to her 900k followers on TikTok, “I don't mean to keep secrets from you... this is a big secret”.
In less than ten minutes, that short video was in the feeds of hundreds of thousands of librarians and educators around the globe. Comments flooded in: “Show every step.” “Tell us what you’re thinking.”
Spanning a handful of videos, Miller documented what one might expect if they bring Inchy's Bookworm Vending Machine to their school.
Who Is Jen Miller?
Jen Miller is not just a school librarian with a strong social presence. She is one of the leading voices in BookTok and other social media niches for educators. With over 920,000 followers on TikTok (at the time of this publication) and over 75k on Instagram, Miller has amassed a sizable following of educators who follow Miller keep up on her entertaining unboxings, book reviews & thought leadership.
| Platform | Handle | Followers |
| Tik Tok | @meetmeinthemediacenter | 919.6k |
| meetmeinthemediacenter | 75k | |
| Meet Me In The Media Center | 30k | |
| Youtube | Meet Me In The Media Center | 25k |
Her latest series: documenting the unveiling of Inchy's Bookworm Vending Machine, serves well as a live, step-by-step case study for schools interested in getting one of their own.
Jen’s social trajectory was neither overnight nor planned. Before she became a media-savvy librarian, she spent nearly two decades as a classroom teacher. In 2023, after transitioning into school librarianship, she created a TikTok account for MeetMeInTheMediaCenter, initially to observe what other librarians were doing.
In just months, she went from watching to posting. Three short viral videos about book repair changed the arc of her channel, catapulting her from a few thousand followers to over 400,000.
By positioning her content at the intersection of daily library operations and digital storytelling, Jen carved a space few librarians had occupied: the influencer-sphere.
How Does Jen Miller Use Her Book Vending Machine?
The arrival of the machine was only the beginning. For Jen Miller, the book vending machine is a "novel" extension of her library, PBIS structure, and student engagement strategy. Here are the main ways she plans to use it:
1. School-Wide PBIS Reward System
One of the core uses is tightly linked to her school’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports) program. Students who demonstrate positive behavior, respect, effort and leadership can earn golden tokens. Those tokens become a kind of currency: redeemable at the vending machine for actual books. Students never need to pay for books to keep with real money.
- Positive actions are rewarded with choice and ownership of books, rather than candy or trinkets.
- The machine aligns with existing reward systems, making it easy for principals or district leaders to see it as a natural complement, not an extra burden.
Related Story: Customer Survey - 98.7% of Customers Surveyed Report Improved Reading Culture
2. Student Choice & Ownership of Reading
Rather than a static display or rotating “teacher picks,” Jen uses the vending machine as a student-driven library extension:
- Students choose their own books. Their autonomy increases buy-in and sense of ownership.
- She curates the inventory with the help of Inchy's Custom Book Bundle to quickly choose from a large catalog of engaging, age appropriate books that fit the slots of her machine.
- Jen Miller ensures that titles promote diversity, equity and inclusion with Inchy's Book Bundle
3. Custom Wrap & On-Machine Messaging
Before the first book ever rolled off the shelf, Jen Miller faced a question that most librarians never have to answer: What should a book vending machine look like?
Working with Global Vending Group’s in-house design team during production, she helped shape every element of the machine’s look—from the school’s mascot and colors to the PBIS slogans printed across its panels: "Earn a Token. Choose a Book. Keep It Forever."
"Can we just take a minute for (to admire) the graphics," Jen Said. "When it catches the light it shimmers."
Watch: Inchy's Book Vending Machine - How It's Made
You can check out more custom design examples here.
4. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Build Excitement
A week after the book vending machine was wheeled into Northern Guilford Middle School, Jen Miller decided it deserved an entrance worthy of its mission.
She ordered Bookvending.com's Red Carpet Ribbon Cutting Kit and sent a short announcement through the school’s morning broadcast: “Something special is happening in the media center today.”
By the time students filed in, the air buzzed with curiosity. Teachers gathered along the walls, parents peeked through the doorway, and a few administrators made sure the district’s communications team was recording. Jen positioned the machine against a freshly decorated backdrop of banners and balloons. Its new wrap, colorful and one of a kind caught the light. When she snipped the ribbon, the crowd broke into applause usually reserved for a championship game.
How to Bring a Book Vending Machine to Your School
For districts, PTOs, and educators ready to follow her lead, BookVending.com makes it possible to do just that (regardless of your follower count 😉). We've helped over 11,000 schools implement a book vending machine of their own.
Whether you’re exploring funding options, looking to integrate PBIS rewards, or simply curious how it all works, our team can help you take the first step.
Request a quote or book a discovery call to start your school’s next chapter in reading, rewards, and pride.
