Prison Library Assistant

Hull Culture and Leisure; Hull and East Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 26,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS pension

Annual leave

Career development

Job summary

Hull Culture and Leisure is seeking a part-time Library Assistant to provide customer-focused access to public library services at HMP Hull. You will support the library service, promote reading initiatives, and assist visitors with information, IT help, and reader development activities under the Library Manager’s guidance.

The role emphasizes safeguarding, data protection, and delivering high-quality customer care in a prison environment.

Qualifications

• Provide customer-focused library assistance to visitors.
• Operate SIRSI library system per procedures.
• Follow Data Protection Act when handling stock and user data.

Responsibilities

• Promote library services to users, including outreach.
• Support reader development activities and events.
• Assist with inquiries in person, by phone, or in writing.

Skills

Customer service

IT help

Reader development

Tools

SIRSI library system

Job description

Number of Vacancies: 1 Time Type: Part time Worker Type: Regular Proposed Interview Date: Friday, November 6, 2026 Hours of Work: 15 Hiring Manager: James Brown Contact Number:

We are the largest Leisure and Culture employer in Hull and offer candidates enviable pay and conditions packages including, a generous annual leave allowance, on the job training opportunities and career development. For more information on the benefits of working for us please visit the ‘Working at Hull Culture & Leisure’ page.

Job Description Summary: Please note: Shortlisted applicants will be expected to visit HMP Hull over the weekend of 30th October 2026 – 1st November 2026. The visit is intended to give shortlisted applicants a realistic insight into the prison environment and the opportunity to meet members of the HMP Hull team. If you have any queries about the position and role, please contact the Library Manager, Mr James Brown, at [e-mail].

ROLE AND PURPOSE

• To act as the primary point of contact for the customer by providing a customer-focused service to help and support access to public library services at HMP Hull.
• Supporting the library service in delivering its aims and objectives as specified in the Service Level Agreement with HMP Hull by advocating all elements of the library service to the customer.
• Generally raising library awareness through excellent customer care following policy guidelines and procedures.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. To promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and/or vulnerable adults
2. To assist in providing and developing a high quality customer focused library and information service within agreed service plans, e.g. annual library plan, position statement; to meet local and national standards, e.g. public library standards, etc.
3. Carries out basic library functions in accordance with the Library Procedures Manual which will include the operation of the library management system (SIRSI) to input and retrieve data relating to both stock and customers in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
4. Supports the library service in its aims and objectives by actively providing reader development support to the Prison population and Prison Staff, including their families, by giving basic assistance, encouragement and advice to customers choosing reading or music or multimedia material. Participates in reader days, reading groups, etc. advocating reader development and other initiatives, e.g. Bookstart, Skills for Life, Reading Ahead etc.
5. Provide information both in person, over the telephone and in writing, within policy, guidelines and procedures. To answer basic enquiries from the client groups concerning the stock and services of the library and legalities of life in prison at a level appropriate to the user and nature of the enquiry. Referring more complex situations to the librarian duty officer or staff on site.
6. As directed by their line manager, supports the delivery, promotion, and evaluation of library events and other related promotions, both on / off site. This will include providing support for the libraries and associated services in outreach work e.g. Family Days, exhibitions etc.
7. Encourages customers to participate in consultation exercises, both formal and informal, on and off site; to encourage a high take up and response to the service. Actively supporting the library service to improve overall customer service or working practices and to promote and foster a positive image of the service
8. To assist library customers with IT help when working at other library sites e.g. how to search for a job or search the Internet etc.
9. To assist in the libraries stock management programme which will include routine care and maintenance to ensure quality of the stock, identify stock deficiencies and assessment of stock e.g. binding and discards, in line with the Library Procedures Manual and Stock Policy.
10. To have an awareness and knowledge of library service initiatives and give proactive support to those initiatives and partnership arrangements which contribute to the Library Service aims and objectives, e.g. Reading Ahead
11. As directed, to actively participate in training to develop and enhance the library service in line with current aims and objectives, often but not exclusively, to enhance the service to the customer e.g. Skills for Life, Reader Development etc. Also, to participate in personal development activities, e.g. Personal Performance and Development Interviews, training enabling the acquisition of skills to develop the individual, etc.
12. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull Culture and Leisure, as your employer and you as an employee of the company. In addition to the Company’s overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health & safety and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Company’s Corporate H&S policy.

Compensation Grades: GRADES 3. Pay Ranges: £24,796.00 - £25,583.00 Job Classifications: 3- Not Politically Restricted - Designated As Not Politically Sensitive (Politically Restricted Posts), 3- Standard - (Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)), Casual - (Travel Allowance Policy), No - (Childcare Disqualification Requirement), No - (Statutory Post)

Benefits of Working of Hull Culture & Leisure:

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture
• Great career development opportunities

We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage. We reserve the right to amend the dates associated with this advert, which may include closing the advert early where required. Hull Culture & Leisure is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and is an equal opportunity employer. Online searches, including social media, may be carried out as part of the recruitment process. We are the largest Leisure and Culture employer in Hull and offer candidates enviable pay and conditions packages including a generous annual leave allowance, on the job training opportunities and career development. For more information on the benefits of working for us please visit the ‘Working at Hull Culture & Leisure’ page. Hull Culture & Leisure is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and is an equal opportunity employer. Working in partnership with Hull City Council, we manage a diverse range of facilities across the cultural, leisure, libraries and parks sectors. Should you experience any technical issues accessing your account or completing/submitting your application for our jobs, please refer to the guide below; Application Issues