Director of IT to Modernize a Multi-Site Public Library System

Public libraries sit in a strange place between government accountability and community service, and few operate at the scale of this Nevada-based institution. It has an extensive workforce of over 600 employees and a specialized IT department of more than 30 people, organized into two teams of specialists, serving the Las Vegas metro area through a network of more than 25 facilities. As the institution’s leadership thought about how it could more actively leverage technology to support its community mission, the question of who would lead that function became a critical one to answer.

It is not often that a Director of Information Technology position opens at this type of institution . The retirement of a long serving incumbent, who had been a leader for over 20 years and helped build the department’s foundations, created a vacancy and an opportunity, not just to fill the seat, but to lift the whole function. The new Director would be responsible for modernizing the IT approach, developing new capabilities including application support, and repositioning technology as a more active contributor to organizational performance and community impact in a geographically dispersed, multi-facility environment.

Running government IT at this scale requires a different profile than most IT leadership roles. The new Director will be responsible for managing the infrastructure of a large network of multiple locations, but also for working credibly at a civic level, as a partner to an executive director and board of trustees in an institution that is accountable to the public it serves. Finding such a combination within the public sector IT talent pool required a broad and disciplined approach.

A public posting attracted more than 58 applicants, and direct outreach to IT leaders at similar government agencies and public library systems across the country also helped fill the pool. The evaluation process was conducted over several rounds, using virtual interviews to assess a strong initial field before inviting the strongest profiles to meet with the executive director and senior leadership team in person. Seven candidates made it to the virtual stage; two advanced to in-person evaluation.

Following a competitive national process, the appointment was then confirmed. The chosen professional’s relevant senior IT leadership experience and background in the government sector matched the requirements of the role. The formal offer was accepted and the pre-employment checks were completed in advance of the start date, including fingerprinting and FBI clearance. The new Director’s first-day message showed strong early engagement and a clear understanding of the work ahead.