Keely Nudo, the Scappoose School District Librarian, was recently honored as the Oregon Association of School Libraries’ Elementary Teacher-Librarian of the Year!

The Columbia County Spotlight reports, since 2022, Nudo has taught weekly lessons to more than 900 students within the district’s three elementary schools. This has boosted student literacy above the statewide average, which sunk during the COVID-19 pandemic. The success of Scappoose students caught the attention of Oregon Department of Education officials, who visited Nudo to discuss improvements she’s made to the SSD’s library program.

On the award, Nudo said, “It means the world to me. To be recognized this early in my librarianship – I just am so honored. I’m so proud.”

Nudo also recently received the Gregory Lum Award, which paid for her to attend the American Association of School Librarians biennial conference in St. Louis, Missouri.  At the conference, she attended classes, got to see a screening of “The Librarians,” which tells the story of librarians fighting against censorship, and even got to meet Mychal Threets, the new “Reading Rainbow” host.