Senior Library Assistant

Advert

Senior Library Assistant

The post of Senior Library Assistant is a diverse customer services role, dealing with a range of enquiries face to face, by telephone and via our internet chat service – no day is the same as another.

You will assist with ensuring our customers get the books and journals they want when they need them, both physically and electronically. You will also support our remote services, including the online instant chat facility.

You will use your IT skills to assist customers and colleagues, including Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and NHS Wales staff, university academic staff and students, and members of the public.

This post will be primarily based at the Archie Cochrane Library, Llandough Hospital, but you may be required to work at other Cardiff University sites on occasion to support the library service.

The post is part time, 25 hours per week and open ended.

Working Pattern:
Tuesday: 12.00 to 17.00
Wednesday: 12.00 to 17.00
Thursday: 08.30 to 17.00
Friday: 08.30 to 17.00

Salary: £23,700 to £24,533 per annum, pro rata for hours worked (Grade 3).

You will be part of a team ensuring that the library services:

• are delivered in a customer friendly and customer focused way, in line with the Library Service Promise;
• are responsive to the changing needs of Cardiff and Vale users, University staff, students and those of our partner NHS Wales Health Boards/Trusts; 
• support the University’s teaching, learning and research programmes;
• support the University’s strategy.

You will engage and uphold the University Library Service’s values and behaviours. (See additional information).

We offer an excellent renumeration package including 32 days annual leave per year plus 8 bank holidays, pro rata for part-time staff, as well as access to a range of staff discounts and development opportunities through accredited training.

As the biggest university in Wales – and a major employer, with more than 7,000 staff – we are an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. We can offer you the chance to work in a vibrant organisation, with great benefits and opportunities for progression.

We want to employ people with a wide variety of experiences. We welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We are particularly seeking applications from candidates who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented at the University, including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

We are looking for a team player who will work with colleagues to provide a great service to staff and students. You don’t need to have worked for a University before; this is an opportunity to show your potential and start or continue your career at Cardiff University.

Date advert posted: Thursday, 4 April 2024

Closing date: Thursday, 18 April 2024

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Job Description

Key Duties

• Deal with a range of enquires from internal (staff & students), NHS Wales users and external (members of the public) customers in a professional manner, establishing their needs and adapting the responses accordingly.
• Work with others to make recommendations for the development and improvement of current University processes and procedures.
• Create good working relationships with key contacts to help improve service levels.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the team and department.
• Gather and review data to update administrative systems such as databases and spreadsheets, making sure the information is accurate, and highlighting to your manager/supervisor basic trends and patterns.
• Actively contribute to the success of the team and support the supervision and management of it, giving advice, guidance and feedback to colleagues as appropriate.

• assist the Library Operations Manager/Assistant Library Operations Manager with the day to day supervision and operation of the library site;
• support the provision of an effective service for customers including issuing, returning, and requesting items. This could be via self-service or at the desk.
• take responsibility for the order and tidiness of the library site and its collections, delegating shelving and other tasks where necessary;
• actively support library customers by helping to resolve basic IT and library site queries, dealing with those that are more complex and those referred by Library Assistants and referring any queries that cannot be resolved immediately to the appropriate technical support staff;
• guide customers in the use of electronic resources, e.g. e-books, electronic journals and databases;
• support the use of mobile devices;
• support customers via the online chat service dealing with basic and more complex library site queries and referring any that cannot be resolved immediately;
• handle debit/credit card payments for a range of library site activities;
• assist with the operation of printing, photocopying, scanning equipment, laminating and soft binding (where applicable);
• assist with the instruction of library users in the use of resources, such as providing tours for new students and/or assisting with Information Literacy workshops;
• assist with collection management and development within the library site, which may include removing old editions, checking reading lists and stock checking;
• participate in library service working and project groups (this may include arranging meetings and taking minutes as a group member);

• ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• uphold the Professional Services Values & Behaviours and local equivalent (where applicable).
• actively contribute to the provision of outstanding/excellent customer service in line with the University Library Service’s Customer Care Promise and Customer Service Excellence Award.
• Abide by University policies and undergo personal and professional development.
• Ensure the ULS regulations are observed.
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

You may be required to work in more than one library site during the course of your employment.

Person Specification

Your application will be assessed against the following essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please copy and paste this section into a new document and give clear examples of how you can evidence meeting each criteria by writing under each one. You can draw on elements from any aspect of your life (e.g. work, home, education/qualifications or community life) as long as you focus on their relevance to the role.

Please save your supporting statement in a separate document with the title [YOURNAME - 18444BR - JOB TITLE] and attach it to your application in the recruitment system.

Please note that these are also the criteria shortlisted applicants will be assessed against at interview and/or by other means (e.g. a skills test) where applicable.

Essential Criteria

Additional Information

Our values
Each of our values defines the behaviour expected of our staff and line managers:

Collaboration

• I am aware of my own behaviour and how it impacts on others
• I work co-operatively with others and share relevant information to achieve objectives
• I consider the wider benefits to our customers
• I share problems and seek solutions that work for everyone

• I provide an excellent service to external and internal customers
• I suggest areas of improvement when processes could be enhanced
• I do not act without consideration of the needs of my colleagues and customers
• I do not avoid difficult tasks that would add best value for my customers

• I show commitment to my own development including new technology
• I acknowledge mistakes, look for solutions and learn from that process
• I work creatively to analyse problems and develop innovative and workable solutions

• I plan and organise my workload to ensure that meaningful activities are prioritised
• I make effective use of available resources including people, information, data, technology, networks and budgets
• I see change as an opportunity and am receptive to new ideas

• I respect the views and opinions of others
• I demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion and value difference
• I support colleagues and consider and adapt my approach
• I maintain a healthy work life balance and support others to do so
• I do not disrespect or ignore the views of others
• I do not fail to consider the effect of my language and behaviour on others at all times
• I do not ignore the value of a diverse university

The University Library Service is one of number of departments within Cardiff University’s Professional Services.

The University Library Service is part of the University’s Department of Academic and Student Support Services.

The University Library Service consists of multiple libraries across Cardiff University, providing access to 1.1 million printed books, access to more than 1.5 million online books, journals and resources, and an extensive range of rare and historical books and archives. Each library operates in close co-operation with its academic schools to ensure that the services they offer continue to meet the needs of all teaching, learning and research groups. The University Library Service also delivers services to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Velindre University NHS Trust, and the NHS Wales Library and Knowledge Service Partnership.

As well as housing printed and electronic books and journals, the libraries also offer many services to enable specialist research, including the SURE team of systematic reviewers and unique research collections such as Special Collections and Archives, the European Documentation Centre, and other archive facilities.

The University Library Service is committed to excellent customer service. The Library Service has been awarded the 'kitemark' of the UK Government's national Customer Service Excellence ® standard, which recognises that customer service is at the centre of our services.  We are committed to providing a service which is friendly, helpful and responsive to the needs of our customers and do everything reasonably possible to ensure the reliability of our services.

Job Category

Admin / Clerical, Library Services