Libraries Facilities Operations Supervisor Brings a World of Experience to UB

by DENISE WOLFE

Growing up between the American Midwest and a small Italian town shaped an appreciation for culture, history and the power of shared spaces that still drives the work of James Cachey, the University at Buffalo Libraries' newest facilities operations supervisor.

Cachey joined UB Libraries on April 27, 2026, stepping into the role of Libraries Facilities Operations Supervisor, and operates out of Abbott Library while also overseeing facilities operations at the university's offsite Annex. Marnie Mancuso, UB Libraries facilities planning and management officer, expressed enthusiasm about the hire, noting she is personally excited to see what ideas Cachey will bring to the team and its spaces.

He comes to UB from the University of Notre Dame's Hesburgh Library, where he most recently served as Special Collections Operations Supervisor for Rare Books and Special Collections. Over more than a decade working in special collections and academic library settings, Cachey built a broad and impressive skill set spanning facilities coordination, space planning, employee supervision, workflow management, inventory tracking and cross-departmental collaboration. His experience supervising, training and scheduling staff, managing documentation and serving as a primary liaison for departmental requests and issue resolution positions him well for the demands of this position.

His path to UB was a personal one. Cachey had committed himself to pursuing a career in higher education libraries, and when his partner wanted to relocate to Buffalo to be closer to family, he began looking for opportunities. As he began his search, UB Libraries stood out.

"It seemed most like Notre Dame," he said. "I liked what the institution stood for and wanted the experience of working for a state institution. Plus, everyone raved about what a great place it was to work."

Day to day, Cachey is responsible for ensuring that faculty, staff and patrons have the spaces and resources they need to succeed — whether that means tackling large-scale facilities planning or simply making sure a burned-out light bulb gets replaced. For Cachey, no task is too small if it helps someone achieve their goals.

"Libraries are one of the few places people can walk into and use without any real limitations or algorithms pushing you in a direction," he said. "Being a part of that, especially at a university, really makes it easy to come to work."

Looking ahead, Cachey is particularly focused on the anticipated arrival of a new James Joyce museum at UB, a project he describes as one of the most exciting challenges on his horizon. As construction moves through multiple phases, his priority will be maintaining a safe, welcoming and fully functional environment for the university community throughout the process.

He also brings an impressive track record to the role, having won the Library Staff Excellence Award two consecutive years while at Notre Dame.

Born in Mesa, Arizona, Cachey spent his formative years splitting time between South Bend, Indiana, and the Italian town of Piumazzo, where the family stayed with his mother's relatives while his father held a visiting professorship, spending time in Florence and traveling throughout Italy for research and conferences. He and his sister traveled to Italy once a year and even attended school there during those extended stays. These experiences fueled a deep love of history, language and culture. He went on to earn a double major in history and Italian literature from Indiana University Bloomington, a focus that combined his academic curiosity and his personal roots.

Outside of work, Cachey, a self-described history nerd, stays active on the soccer field, loves to travel and unwinds in the kitchen with his partner, trying out new recipes on quiet evenings at home.

And for those who love Italian literature, there may be a familiar name in his family tree: his uncle is acclaimed Italian author Valerio Massimo Manfredi, known internationally for his historical fiction.