Casual Library Resources Officers

Buckinghamshire Council; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A local government council is seeking individuals to cover library staff on an ad-hoc basis across Buckinghamshire. The role involves supervising volunteers, delivering services, and ensuring library operations run smoothly. Candidates should have customer-facing experience, excellent communication skills, and a passion for libraries. The position is casual with an hourly pay of £14 plus holiday entitlement. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to community services and engage with library users.

Benefits

Employee Assistance Programme

Mental Health First Aiders

Mindfulness workshops

Opportunities for social events

Qualifications

• Experience in supervising and supporting staff or volunteers in a customer service role.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a team of volunteers to serve library users effectively.
• Deliver library services and resolve complex customer enquiries.
• Responsible for opening and closing the library and health checks.
• Oversee volunteer rota and train new volunteers.

Skills

Customer-facing library experience

Excellent communication skills

ICT skills

Good research skills

Positive attitude

Ability to work with adults and children

Job description

Job Overview

You will work ad‑hoc hours as and when cover is required for library staff at different locations within Buckinghamshire – typically to cover annual leave, sickness, and vacancies. You will work as part of a team to maintain the efficient delivery of library services. This is a customer‑facing role and will involve working across multiple sites. Applicants must be willing and able to work at multiple locations, particularly in our libraries in the south of the county (e.g., Marlow, Burnham, Iver Heath, Bourne End, Burnham Library and Micklefield) and may also need to travel to other libraries across Buckinghamshire.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a team of dedicated volunteers and support them to serve library users and maintain the library collections.
• Deliver library services directly to customers and resolve complex enquiries escalated by volunteers, for example by signposting to council services under the library's role as a Council Access Point.
• Be responsible for opening and closing the library, ensuring the building is in good order and carrying out regular health and safety checks.
• Oversee the volunteer rota, plan ahead to ensure sufficient coverage, and train new volunteers in accordance with library service policies and procedures.
• Work with service colleagues to maintain a diary of planned activities and partner events to develop the library as a community hub, particularly around cultural participation and health and wellbeing.

Contact

If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact Roberta Stephens

Legal & Disclosure

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and/or convictions. For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023). We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please submit your application as early as possible.

Values & Culture

• A fair and inclusive culture
• The chance to really make a difference to those around you
• Health and well‑being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• A unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• Ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• Opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

Qualifications

We are looking for people with customer‑facing library or retail experience, excellent communication and ICT skills, good research skills, a positive and outgoing attitude, willingness to work with adults and children, and passion for libraries. Experience in supervising and supporting staff or volunteers in delivering professional customer service to residents and visitors is required.

Working Conditions

This is a casual appointment and you will be paid an hourly rate of £14. Holiday entitlement is 12.07% on top for every hour worked.