Library Assistant (Prison Library Service)

London Borough of Hounslow; Hounslow; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A local government authority is seeking a motivated part-time Library Assistant to support the prison library service at Feltham Prison. You will engage with prisoners to promote reading, oversee library operations, and assist with educational activities. Ideal candidates will have good communication skills and the ability to work independently in a challenging environment. This role is vital to fostering literacy and educational opportunities within the prison setting.

Qualifications

• Confidence to deal with challenging behavior.
• Able to work flexibly and in a team.
• Commitment to improving education and reducing reoffending.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of prison library services.
• Engage with prisoners to promote library use.
• Plan and deliver library outreach activities.

Skills

Confidence in facing challenging behavior

Ability to work independently

Flexibility in work hours

Education

English A-C GCSE or equivalent

NVQ Level 3 in Customer Service desirable

Job description

About Us At Hounslow

We’d love you to join us at the London Borough of Hounslow! Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be.

We are an outstanding council, serving an outstanding borough. With brilliant, visionary leadership, a dynamic Cabinet and a can‑do culture, we’ve built strong partnerships which have transformed how we serve one of London’s most diverse boroughs. Hounslow is the world in one place and full of potential. We are stepping up for our residents like never before.

About Our Commitment To Diversity And Inclusion

We live by five core values: Lead with Heart, Do New, Pass on the Power, Harness the Mix and Be a Rock. All our work has equality, diversity and inclusion at its very heart, best articulated in “Harness the Mix”. It’s about breaking down barriers between our parts and people and unlocking the problem‑solving power of our amazing mix of minds. We serve a diverse community, have a diverse workforce and are committed to being an inclusive employer.

We work hard to create representation across our workforce and leadership community, we have thriving employee network groups and our learning and development programmes help us lead, model and breathe ways of working that eliminate inequality, inequity, injustice and bias.

As part of this and under our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer, we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate our candidates. There’s space for you to tell us what you need within our application form.

Our Benefits

About The Role

Feltham Prison is a Category C facility located within the London Borough of Hounslow, housing adult males from the age of 18. We are recruiting a part‑time Library Assistant to support and develop the delivery of the prison library service within the unique environment of Feltham Prison.

You will be working in a challenging but rewarding environment, supporting the Prison Library Manager and Senior Library Assistant to deliver a first‑class service throughout the prison. This role is ever changing and evolving to suit the needs of the library users and the regime of the prison, and it is an exciting time for the library team as they plan and provide a library service to the prison population.

You will be involved in the daily operational delivery of class and unit visits to the library throughout the day, advising prisoners on appropriate reading for pleasure and educational materials.

About The Team You’ll Be Working In

The aim of the library within HMP Feltham is to provide a library service to the prison population and work closely with all departments to support prisoner education and reducing reoffending. In this role, you will be working with the prisoners of all ages to ensure they are offered opportunities to develop their reading skills and opportunities upon release.

Working in a small team, you will be working closely with the Senior Library Assistant and Prison Library Manager to ensure the library provides essential services to the library users. You will be required to support educational classes when they visit the library, sign‑posting adults to useful materials and helping improve their reading skills. During unit visits to the library, you will be responsible for engaging with prisoners to promote stock, reader development and library activities and outreach.

You will be involved in the delivery of a new programme of library outreach activities which will include researching, planning and delivering events, including a new Book Club. Working closely with the Senior Library Assistant, prison Governors and educational providers, these activities will support learning and educational pathways.

The prison library team works with the wider community within the prison to ensure a joined‑up approach to reducing reoffending, improving prisoner opportunities and maintaining the safety of all colleagues. Networking is an important part of this role to maintain consistency of service to all units and to be a good ambassador for the library service. This requires an outgoing and confident approach to work to build relationships with the prison community.

About You

You will be adept at providing advice and guidance to library users on suitable library materials to assist their learning, provide essential support and encouragement and promote the use of the library.

Take a positive role in promoting the library service and stock, and ensure the library is well‑presented and tidy at all times, with a high standard of display and promotional materials.

You will be confident to work flexibly with the team and alone to provide a rota of unit and class visits to the library and take responsibility for ensuring the delivery of materials across the prison.

You will be required to participate in mandatory, prison‑provided training and development activities and attend and participate in meetings as required.

You will be confident when working in a challenging environment and able to work calmly under pressure.

If the points below resonate with you, we’d love you to put in an application:

• You have the confidence to face and deal with challenging behaviour head on.
• You can work independently and as part of a small team.
• You are willing to work flexibly and adapt at short notice.
• You care about improving education opportunities, reducing reoffending and rehabilitation.

Qualifications

• English A‑C GCSE or equivalent or able to demonstrate an equivalent level of attainment through qualification or experience in a relevant discipline.
• NVQ Level 3 in Customer Service desirable.

Essential For The Role

Enhanced DBS check is required.
Read more about the work you’ll be doing in the Role Profile.

Don’t meet every single requirement? We know that sometimes people can be put off applying for a job if they think they can’t tick every box. At Hounslow, we realise the ‘perfect candidate’ doesn’t exist. So, if you can do most of what we’re looking for, go ahead and apply. You may be just the right candidate for the job or be perfect for one of our other roles!

When Interviews Will Be Held And Who To Contact

Interviews for this job will be held during week commencing 21st January 2026.

Contact:
Telephone: [phone]