Gateway Readers award
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Who ARe WE?

This site is facilitated by the Missouri Association of School Librarians’ Gateway Readers Award Committee.

Because reading is the gateway to knowledge and lifelong learning, because the teen years are the gateway to adulthood, and because Missouri was the Gateway to the West, the Gateway Readers Award is for authors of books chosen by high school students in Missouri.Librarians serving young adults in school and public libraries recognize the need for books written for this audience. We know the quality of this writing is imperative so that as adults our patrons will continue to seek knowledge and recreation through well-written books.

The goals of the Gateway Readers Award are the following:
  1. To encourage Missouri young adults in grades nine through twelve to select and read quality literature that appeals to their needs, interests and reading levels.
  2. To recognize and honor outstanding works in young adult literature.
  3. To develop a cooperative relationship among schools, libraries and teens.
  4. To encourage the development of school and public library services to teens.

The 2020-21 Committee Members

Nichole Ballard-Long, Past Chair
Greater St. Louis Region (Lafayette HS)
​ballardlongnichole@rsdmo.org

Ethan Evans, Chair
Northwest Region (Lathrop HS)
ethan.evans@lathropschools.com

Tara Willen, Vice Chair
Greater St. Louis Region (Francis Howell North HS)
tara.willen@fhsdschools.org

Nicole Bueno, Secretary
Southwest Region (Glandale HS)

nbueno@spsmail.org

Lorin Blackburn Thierfelder, 1 year member
Central Region (Smith-Cotton HS)
thierfelderl@sedalia200.org

Megan Downs, 1 year member
Public Librarian Representative, Greater Kansas City Region (Mid-Continent Public Library)
mdowns@mymcpl.org

Jessie Kirkbride, 1 year member
South Central Region (Rolla HS)
jkirkbride@rolla31.org

Briana Kleine, 1 year member
Southwest Region (Cassville HS)
bkleine@cassville.k12.mo.us

Jill Varns, 1 year member
Mid-Missouri Region (Rock Bridge HS)
jvarns@cpsk12.org
my read shelf:
MASL Gateway's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)
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