Community Library Assistant

Cambridgeshire County Council; Little Eversden; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in England seeks friendly and enthusiastic individuals for a library role. Candidates will create a welcoming space, handle customer interactions, and assist with various library operations. Flexibility, strong communication skills, and IT proficiency are essential. The position may involve opportunities for overtime across various libraries, promoting a diverse and supportive work environment.

Benefits

Comprehensive wellbeing package

Buy additional annual leave

Flexible bank holiday arrangements

Access to development opportunities

Paid volunteering hours

Qualifications

• High standards of customer care.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Excellent communication and digital skills.
• Capability to work collaboratively with volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Create a friendly and welcoming library space.
• Manage varied aspects of library routines.
• Handle cash and stock circulation procedures.
• Work effectively under pressure.

Skills

Customer care

Communication skills

Digital skills

Initiative

Flexibility

Job description

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.
• be able to work with volunteers.
• be able to 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.
• be able to work collaboratively with partners in the building.

Disability Confident Employer

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people. For more details please go to .

Location

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.

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.