Farewell to Vea Coronado, Outgoing Executive Director
The Board of BCLTA bids farewell to Vea Coronado who leaves the ED position on December 7th, 2024. Vea has done a wonderful job of revitalizing BCLTA’s services to the membership, Trustees of Provincial Public Libraries and Public Library Associations. She has actively participated in and contributed to the Library Partners and its advocacy initiatives. We greatly appreciate her leadership and hard work for BCLTA, all delivered with a cheerful and positive demeanor. We wish Vea the best as she moves forward with her career.
As she wraps up some BCLTA projects behind the scenes, you can continue to reach Vea at vea.coronado@bclta.ca in the upcoming months.
A message from Vea: I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to BCLTA and to all the trustees, library directors, and sector partners that I got to collaborate with. I’ll be continuing to support board governance and leadership through my consulting work in Crown and Calling. I’ll also be helping Chris and the board to ensure a smooth transition of BCLTA programs and support to trustees. Please feel free to connect via email or LinkedIn.
Welcome to Christine Middlemass, Interim Executive Director
The Board of BLCTA welcomes Christine Middlemass as the Interim Executive Director of the organization, beginning December 1, 2024. Christine comes to us with a wealth of public library and non-profit boards experience. Her skill set includes administration, leadership, teaching and training. We are excited to work with Christine as she leads us forward in our journey to enhancing governance supports to our membership.
You can reach Chris at chris.middlemass@bclta.ca.
A message from Chris: I am honoured to have dedicated my career to the world of libraries, serving in various capacities as a librarian, manager, educator, and advocate. Throughout my journey, I have been driven by a deep passion for learning and a commitment to public service.
My 38-year tenure at the Vancouver Public Library, from 1979 to 2017, provided me with a comprehensive understanding of library operations, from information services to the complexities of collections and technical services management.
As an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Information, I have shared my management knowledge and experience with future library leaders.
My involvement in professional organizations has enriched my career and allowed me to contribute to the broader library community. I served on the Board of the British Columbia Library Association for over a decade, including a term as President in 2020-2021. Currently, I am the Recording Secretary and Board member of Urban Bounty, the Richmond Food Security Society.
I possess a strong foundation in strategic planning, budget management, human resource management, and labour relations. I am excited to leverage my skills and experience to serve as the Executive Director of the BC Library Trustees Association and to advocate for public library trustees and for public libraries.
