“The Search for a Library Assistant” (a short story)

Based at Caterham Valley Library and Caterham Hill Library, the starting salary for this role is £7,034 per annum for working 12 hours per week (two-week rota basis). The full-time equivalent salary is £21,103.

Once upon a time (yep, we are doing this), there lived a group of books who wanted nothing more than for their stories to be read.

Before long, the books realised there was in fact more than just the stories within their covers to be shared. There was a whole other world of electronic information to be explored, computer coding to be taught, and Minecraft sessions to be hosted.

With so much to be offered to the community, the books quickly determined they could only do so by enlisting the help of a dedicated Library Assistant, someone with the flexibility to provide help and advice to library users at different times and from different locations.

Before embarking on their search for this person, the books carefully thought about who it was that they were looking for. They knew an enthusiasm for reading was a given, but it became clear that this Library Assistant would also need a positive attitude and the resilience to deal with diverse requests.

Once found, this Library Assistant would need to use their creativity and initiative to reach out to people across the land of Surrey. What was certain is that there would always be others to learn from along the way, to share ideas with and create a Library (a warm space, a place to explore, discover and learn) where everyone feels welcome and is treated with fairness and respect.

The end? Well not quite...

Now, to help us finish this story and ensure it has a happy ending, we need you! If you want to audition to be the main protagonist, and believe you have what it takes, we really want to hear from you!

The library service is so much more than stacking shelves and processing fines (ok it’s a little bit of this but not only this!). Our vision is for our libraries to become hubs of the community that all are proud of, and we need people who share this passion to see them become more and more successful.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to answer the following questions along with uploading your CV:

• What are your motivations for applying?

• What do you think good customer service looks like from a Library Assistant?

• Why do you feel the library is important to the community?

• What would you do to attract more people to the library?

For more information, please find the full role profile below and refer to this before submitting your application. We also invite you to read our Life at Surrey handbook to see insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 21/05/2023.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview on Thursday 25/05/2023. You will be asked to answer a few questions and read a short story, with interview questions provided in advance.

Rota

Week 1: Tuesday 9.30am-5pm, Friday 10.30am-5pm

Week 2: Tuesday 9.30am-5pm, Friday 10.30am-5pm

Please note that the above rota is subject to temporary or long-term revision, when required, to meet the needs of the library service, including occasionally covering until 7pm.

Location

Although based at Caterham Valley Library and Caterham Hill Library, you will also work at Oxted, Merstham, Redhill, and Warlingham Libraries, which are in the same group, and will travel to other locations to support the wider library network as required.

There are no staff parking facilities at libraries in Surrey, however there are pay and display car parks close to most locations. If using public transport, please check what options are available for you to travel to individual locations, and when making your application, consider your travel costs and arrangements.

Contact Details

For an informal discussion please contact Jacqueline Wilson by e-mail at jacqueline.wilson@surreycc.gov.uk or Victoria Mitchell by email at victoria.mitchell@surreycc.gov.uk.

We look forward to receiving your application. Please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Benefits

• 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• Option to buy up to 10 days’ additional holiday (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Employee Assistance Programme
• My Staff Shop/shopping discounts

For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit MyBenefits for Surrey County Council staff.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.