Library Assistant Apprentice

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth; Greater London; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 19,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40 days annual leave

Flexible working

Generous pension

Job summary

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth is offering a Library Assistant Apprenticeship. The role involves shelving stock, assisting customers, and supporting a range of reading events across 12 libraries.

You will study for a Level 3 qualification while earning and gaining hands-on experience.

Qualifications

• Must hold Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths. We can provide Functional Skills Level 2 support if not already held.
• Ability to communicate clearly with the public via telephone, email and social media.
• Ability to work without close supervision and follow procedures.

Responsibilities

• Shelve and tidy stock, promote it to customers, ensure collections are well-presented and accessible.
• Deliver reading events and activities (e.g., Rhymetimes, author talks).
• Use IT systems at a high level and respond to customer enquiries in person and by phone.
• Be flexible to work across any of the 12 libraries in the borough.

Skills

Communication with public

Handling challenging situations

Community awareness

Flexible working

Education

Level 2 English

Level 2 Maths

Tools

IT systems

Job description

Job TitleLibrary Assistant Apprentice

Salary RangeApprentice rate - 80% London Living Wage in Year 1; 100% London Living Wage in Year 2

Full time, Fixed Term 18 months

LocationTwickenham Cluster – Richmond Libraries

Other essential informationYou will work to achieve a Level 3 qualification in Library, Information and Archive Services Assistant Apprenticeship. This will involve travel to Westminster Adult Education Service’s Lisson Grove Centre (which is near Marylebone), approximately once a month. You will be given an appropriate time allowance to undertake this qualification, which is projected to be on average 6 hours per week.

Objective of role

Our Library Assistants play a vital role in promoting reading, supporting learning, and encouraging our visitors to participate in the rich cultural and community life of Richmond upon Thames.

Do you want to be part of our exciting, high-performing service as we look to the future and embrace new technologies and innovation to meet the needs of our customers?

Do you want to help us deliver our strategies of:

• Inspiring a community of readers of all ages.
• Empowering learners and bridging the digital divide.
• Supporting health, wellbeing and inclusion.
• Opportunities for cultural and creative enrichment.
• Promoting sustainable choices.
• Instilling a sense of pride and belonging.

About the role

• Day to day duties include:
• You will shelve and tidy stock, promoting it and helping customers choose books and ensuring that our collections are ordered, well-presented and accessible.
• You will also help to deliver a wide range of reading events, such as weekly Rhymetimes and author talks.
• You will use a range of IT systems and services at a high level.
• You will answer customer and colleague enquiries both in person and on the phone.
• You will be required to work in any of our 12 libraries across the borough, so you will need to be flexible in your attitude to work.

This will be a full-time 36-hour post working 4 days every weekday and every other Saturday.

Weekdays from 9.15 – 6.15/7.15

Saturdays from 9.15 – 4.15

This post is fixed term lasting 18 months with intention to recruit you into a permanent role upon successful completion of the apprenticeship qualification.

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience

To successfully complete your apprenticeship, you must hold Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths. We can provide Functional Skills Level 2 support for you if you do not already have these qualifications.

Essential criteria for this post include:

• The ability to communicate clearly, and with understanding, when working with the public including using the telephone email and social media.
• The ability and confidence to deal with challenging situations in a calm and effective manner.
• Awareness of the range of resources and services currently delivered by libraries and the importance of libraries within communities.
• Awareness of the Level 3 Library, Information and Archive Services Apprenticeship offered by Westminster Adult Education Service.
• Ability to work without close supervision, retain information and apply procedures as instructed.

You will be required to work in any of our 12 libraries across the borough, so you will need to be flexible in your attitude to work.

Closing Date: End of day Sunday 30 August 2026

Shortlisting Date: 31/08-20/09 this process might be delayed due to the number of applications

Interview invitations: w/c 21 September

Interview Date: from 14th October

We may close this vacancy early once a sufficient number of applications has been received.

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know.

We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

We offer a wide range benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan.