Former Prince Rupert librarian takes new position with UNBC

One time Prince Rupert Chief Librarian Allan Wilson is about to make a career change of sorts, as he prepares to take on a new position with the University of Northern British Columbia.

Wilson, who arrived in Prince Rupert in 1996, served as both Deputy Librarian and Chief Librarian until he left the city in 2004 to take on his duties at the Prince George Library.

Over the last nine years in Prince George he has developed a number of initiatives that have been well received in that community.

He joins UNBC as the university's top librarian as of September 1st.

Wilson was perhaps best known in Prince Rupert for his plan to develop a "book boat". The ambitious plan that would have seen a waterfront library for the community, which would also offer library resources to the neighbouring First Nations communities.

At that time, Wilson had enlisted the help of famed architect John Rattenbury to try and move that project forward.

While there was enthusiasm for the plan at the start, in the end, the timing wasn't quite right as the economic downturn in the community put many plans on the back burner, the book boat proposal was one of those many projects of the time that did not move forward.

That proposed project, as well as a review of his lengthy experience in the library field was mentioned as part of an awards ceremony in 2011, which awarded the CLA/Ken Haycock award to Wilson.
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In addition to the video above, some of his time in Prince Rupert was reviewed  as part of this press release heralding the awards notification.

The Prince George Citizen provided this review of his time in that city and the new challenge that he is set to take on.

Opinion 250-- Chief Librarian heads to University

Correction: Item has been corrected to reflect the position at UNBC and not UBC as previously noted.