Community Library Assistant

Cambridgeshire County Council; Hilton; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in England is seeking friendly and enthusiastic individuals to create a welcoming library space. The successful candidates will manage customer care, collaborate with volunteers, and maintain library routines in a busy environment. Flexibility and IT skills are essential, along with a strong commitment to customer service. Opportunities for overtime and personal growth are available.

Benefits

Comprehensive wellbeing package

Flexible bank holidays

Paid volunteering hours

Employee Recognition Awards

Qualifications

• Enthusiastic and friendly attitude is essential.
• Ability to work under pressure and multi-task.
• Willingness to work in various locations.

Responsibilities

• Create a welcoming library space for customers.
• Manage front-line customer care and library routines.
• Work collaboratively with volunteers and partners.

Skills

Customer care

Communication skills

Digital skills

Flexibility

IT skills

Job description

Position Overview

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, along with our employee network 'IDEAL' and self‑organised peer support groups help us to foster an inclusive, supportive and safe working environment where people feel valued, respected, and empowered. We collect relevant diversity data for monitoring as part of the recruitment process to understand the diversity of our applicants and monitor any trends throughout the recruitment processes so that we can take meaningful action.

We are looking for friendly, enthusiastic, and versatile people. You will have high standards of customer care and be able to work using your own initiative. The successful candidates will be responsible for creating a friendly and welcoming library space for all customers and volunteers. You will be able to multi‑task, be flexible and enjoy working under pressure. There will be scope for working in other locations, so flexibility and adaptability is a must. IT skills are essential for this role and full training will be given on library specific systems and processes. The role involves a significant amount of standing, bending, carrying books and pushing heavy trollies.

Responsibilities

• Be confident using your initiative.
• Have excellent communication and digital skills.
• Work with volunteers.
• Quickly master the varied aspects of library routines, including front‑line customer care, using the library management system, the self‑service machines, handling cash, stock requests and stock circulation procedures.
• Demonstrate a mature and professional attitude.
• Work collaboratively with partners in the building.

This role is based at Bar Hill Library. Bar Hill is a busy, modern library situated in the heart of the community. There may be opportunities for overtime within other libraries in the cluster – Cottenham, Histon, Papworth and Willingham. Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon and St Ives as well as more rural landscapes.

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage.

Benefits

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family.
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro‑rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme.
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances.
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings.
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth.
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day.
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network.
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards.
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in‑store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes.