CURRENT POSITION Technology and Metadata Services Manager, Helen Plum Library, IL DEGREE MLIS, San José State University, 2017 FAST FACT Vancina volunteers with the Forest Preserve District of Will County, IL, maintaining and restoring natural prairie and woodland areas. FOLLOW linkedin.com/in/alexvancina; alexvancina.com Photo by Michael A. Foley

Tech Troubleshooter

When Alex Vancina joined the Helen Plum Library (HPL) administration in 2017, plans to build a new $30 million facility had been put on hold owing to issues with the property’s location. Vancina used the temporary setback as an opportunity to initiate a total revamp of the library’s IT and technical services departments, merging them to form the technology and metadata services department—streamlining processes, reducing redundancies, and providing significant budget reductions. He collaborated with the marketing department to relaunch HPL’s new website, and migrated the online catalog to open-source Aspen Discovery.

When the library secured new property and began building the branch in 2020, Vancina collaborated with the executive construction team, meeting weekly with architects and contractors to review progress until its completion in April 2023. He then led the IT team in overseeing the decommissioning of all technology at the old facility and the full tech installation in the new building. His expertise eliminated the need for HPL to hire an outside consulting firm, saving tens of thousands of dollars.

“Alex is an innovator and a master troubleshooter,” says Sue Wilsey, HPL’s director of strategic marketing and communications, adding that the cry “Call Alex!” can be heard every day from staff or managers seeking help with the new library’s technology.

“My team and I get to solve problems,” says Vancina. “Even though I’m not always at a public service desk, I know the work that I and my team do improves the experience of every staff member and patron in the library, every day.”