After 27 years in New Hampshire, Westbrook’s own Rebecca Albert is returning to take the helm at Walker Memorial Library.

When Albert, 53, was growing up in Westbrook, her grandfather, and then father, owned The Men’s Shop on Main Street, a well-known clothing store. Her large and tight-knit family lived in Westbrook and the surrounding communities, and she worked at the store while attending Westbrook High School.

For almost three decades, Albert has lived in New Hampshire and worked at the New Hampshire State Library, and served as the library director at the Tilton School, a boarding school, and most recently, the director of the Belmont Public Library in Belmont, N.H.

All these years later, Albert, along with her husband, Alan Berman, is returning to Westbrook, a trip that just so happened to coincide in the middle of two snowstorms, which she called “harrowing.”

Her first day as director of the Walker Memorial Library was Monday, Feb. 9. It was the culmination of a long process since June, following longtime director Karen Valley’s retirement. The former director of the South Portland Public Library, Bill Alexander, filled the void as interim director in the meantime.

Albert said this week that she and her husband are temporarily living in a friend’s summer home while they look for a home in Westbrook, Gorham or Cumberland.

In her downtime, she said, she takes in a lot of live music – and, of course, she loves to read.

The American Journal spoke with Albert last week leading up to her first day at Walker Memorial Library.

Q: When did you become interested in being a librarian? What attracted you to the field?

A: I decided to become a librarian when I was working for a law firm in Portland. I had a bachelor’s degree in history, and I knew I wanted to go on for a master’s degree in something that would lead to a career. One of my friends had a master’s in library science, and I was good friends with the librarian at the law firm. I could see from the two of them that librarianship was a diverse field with many different career options – there are public librarians, school librarians, university librarians, corporate librarians, hospital librarians, etc. That spring (1986) I applied to several different graduate programs in library science, and chose to attend the University of Kentucky.

Q: Growing up in Westbrook, did you frequent the Walker Memorial Library? What do you think makes the library so special?

A: I spent many hours at Walker Memorial Library as a child, and at the Warren Library, as well. I remember going downstairs to the tiny children’s room, and feeling important when I was old enough to use the big room upstairs. What I think is special about the library today is how it has grown with the community. You still have that beautiful old building showcasing Westbrook’s past, and then you have the bright, welcoming, new library that answers the needs of a thriving 21st-century community.

Q: How did your time at Westbrook High School play into your career? What does it feel like to be returning to the city to oversee the library?

A: Westbrook High School taught me the two most important skills for anyone moving onto college and a career: how to write and how to think. Oh, and that third great skill – typing. Where would any of us be today without that?

Q: What was your experience in New Hampshire? How did it prepare you for a director position?

A: I have had the great fortune of working in many different venues in New Hampshire. I started out at the State Library as a coordinator for public libraries and adult and family literacy programs. Through that work I got to know many public libraries and librarians, and became active in the New Hampshire Library Association, specifically on the Conference Planning Committee. I left the State Library after 12 years to become the director of the library at Tilton School, an independent boarding and day high school. While that library was much smaller than Walker and had the very specific mission of supporting the school curriculum, I did gain the experience of directing all aspects of a library, including collection development, information literacy training, budgeting and supervising staff. I spent 13 years working for Tilton School, and next became a public library director for the town of Belmont. I discovered there that I love public librarianship the best. There are so many different kinds of patrons using a public library – from the very young to the very old, from those who come in just to use a computer for a moment to those who want to learn how to use their own cell phone, iPad or other device, from those looking for the latest book by James Patterson or Nora Roberts to someone who needs to obtain a copy of an article from a scholarly publication for a research project.

Q: What are some things you’d like to accomplish as director at Walker? Do you have any specific goals on your agenda?

A: My first priority is to get to know the library, how it is perceived in the community, and how it is currently serving the community. I want to get to know the staff and how each of them contributes to the overall picture. Next, I’d like to meet with various organizations that represent and serve the citizens of Westbrook – schools, business leaders, social organizations – to investigate any constituent needs that could be met by library services, and how those organizations can work with the library to enhance services to meet those needs.

I want Walker to be a center for personal enrichment, community discourse and lifelong learning, and I want every segment of the population to know what the library has to offer.

Q: In the digital age, what must libraries do to keep up? Do you think Walker is on the right path?

A: Libraries have always been centers for information, education and cultural preservation. The media may have changed, but the goals remain the same. Librarians need to stay current with advancements in information technology, whether it’s a new e-reader or the latest social media platform. Libraries must be prepared to offer the latest technology and to reach out to the community in new ways.

I think the Walker Memorial Library is definitely on the right path. The new Makerspace (creative spaces) is right on target with the latest library innovations. I recently attended a Library Makerspace workshop in New Hampshire, so I’m looking forward to trying out Walker Memorial Library ‘s offerings. I am very excited to have this opportunity to serve the city that has been home to my family for several generations. And I can’t wait to greet my great-nephew Joshua at next week’s Toddler Storytime. He’s a regular!

Rebecca Albert