Weekend Library Assistant

Experienceguildford; Guildford; On-site; GBP 1,900 - 2,300; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement 26–31 days

Option to buy up to 10 days additional

Pension scheme

Carer's leave

Volunteer days

Employee Assistance Programme

Learning and development hub

Wellbeing discounts

Make a difference to residents

Job summary

Surrey County Council is seeking a Weekend Library Assistant based at Guildford Library. You will join a team delivering customer-focused library services across multiple sites, with Saturdays 10am-1pm on a 3-hour weekly shift.

The role emphasizes friendly, proactive service, event support, and stock maintenance, contributing to community learning and access to resources. The post includes generous leave and pension benefits.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in providing or receiving excellent customer service.
• Evidence of observing or contributing to a community service that made a positive impact.
• Creative ideas for attracting more people to our libraries, aligned with the Surrey Way framework.

Responsibilities

• Greet visitors with a positive attitude and assist with requests.
• Help with reading recommendations, book displays, and events planning.
• Assist with Storytime and Rhymetime sessions and other activities for children and adults.
• Maintain, present, and stock book stock; support information and virtual services.
• Occasional lone working or staffing at other libraries in the area.

Skills

Customer service

Job description

Based at Guildford Library, the starting salary for this role is £2,007 per annum (£12.83 per hour) working 3 hours per week (Saturdays 10am-1pm). The full-timeequivalent salary is £24,092 per annum.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and self-motivated Weekend Library Assistant to join our dedicated team. You will be based at Guildford Library, you will also be required to work at Horsley and Cobham Libraries.

Libraries are spaces for social interaction, learning, cultural experiences and act as an economic enabler, providing support for local communities and businesses. Surrey's libraries offer vital services to all members of their communities.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service (prorated for part time staff)
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.

About the Team

Surrey Libraries hold a unique place in our communities. They provide universal access through a programme of reading, learning digital, health and wellbeing activities.

About the Role

There is something for everyone at Surrey's libraries and the same day never happens twice.

The library is many different things to many different people. Curious readers come looking for their next adventure. Students meet to revise for their exams. Families gather for Storytime and Rhymetime. Special interest groups share their passions and older people access resources and secure their bus pass. Weekend Assistants greet each person with a positive attitude and resilient approach to any request.

Customer service is at the forefront of the library service. They are busy, lively places to work, requiring flexibility, creativity, and initiative. This could mean helping someone with a reading recommendation, thinking up new themes for book displays, planning events or assisting people with information and virtual services. Maintaining, presenting, and processing book stock is also a major part of the role.

The role may include leading craft events, Rhymetime and Storytime sessions, and assisting with other activities directed at both children and adults. From time to time there will be a need for lone working or single staffing at this and other libraries in the area.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following criteria and align with our behaviours:

• Proven experience in providing or receiving excellent customer service.
• Evidence of observing or contributing to a community service that made a positive impact.
• Creative ideas for attracting more people to our libraries, aligned with the Surrey Way framework.

If shortlisted for interview, you will be sent interview questions in advance and you will be asked to read a short story.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 20/09/2026 with interviews planned for w/c 05/10/2026.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation and will move to new authorities in April 2027. This role is currently employed by Surrey County Council and will remain so until then. If you are employed by Surrey County Council on 1 April 2027, your employment will transfer under TUPE arrangements to one of the new councils, with your current terms and conditions protected. The provisional allocation for this post is West Surrey Council, subject to final confirmation through the wider transition process later this year. Please see more information here:Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and haveevidencedyou meet theminimum shortlisting criteria, as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day,we'recommitted to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.