Maura Albertson
Meet Maura Albertson, the Coordinator of the Library System on the Instructional Services team. An educator for more than 21 years, she first came to Ulster BOCES in 2019. Here, she supports district librarians as they learn to use the latest automated library system software. This includes helping them troubleshoot issues and make the best use of educational databases such as EBSCO and JSTOR. She also leads training and professional development workshops for librarians and teachers, often inviting guest speakers to discuss the latest advances in library science.
“We can always learn something new. The education system is changing, and we need to stay up-to-date with best practices,” Maura says. “When I receive positive feedback from the participants and when they share how they are using what they learned, it is very rewarding.”
Maura holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education B-6 and a Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Educational Administration from SUNY New Paltz, as well as a Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) from SUNY Albany. She is currently finishing her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Russell Sage College. Before her current role, she worked as a school librarian in the Kingston City School District, and most recently, for many years at Highland Elementary School.
In addition to her busy work schedule, Maura sits on the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, where she and other librarians from around the region meet to discuss the latest library and media resources, and set goals for the region as a whole. Every year, the council decides on a new theme, this year’s being “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI),” which Maura feels is a timely issue.
“We need to provide students with a well-rounded representation of the real world, not just the immediate community surrounding them,” she says. “It is a great thing to give a student a glimpse into the life of someone else they may not be likely to meet, someone they have not known about before.”
Along with DEI, social-emotional health is an important focus for educators around the globe to consider, she says, especially after the stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We need an educational system that is equitable and student-centered. It is so important to keep up with what is going on with younger folks, whether they are in elementary, middle, or high school,” she says.
In her spare time, Maura loves reading, citing Jane Austen as her favorite author. She also enjoys gardening, kayaking, and spending time with her husband and three children.