Librarian Communities - #1741798

Job title: Librarian (Communities)

Salary: C3 £31,067 - £32,654 (pro rata for part time employees)

Hours: 2 x Full time (37 hours per week) and 1 x part time (31 hours per week)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Across Leeds Libraries

Are you passionate about books and reading, and can you share this passion with others?

Can you engage with a range of diverse audiences to champion Leeds Libraries?

Would you thrive in a multi-tasking role, working with different teams and communities, building partnerships and engaging with the public?

We are looking for new librarians to join the Communities team at Leeds Libraries.

As a Communities Librarian, you will join a small team of librarians based in one of three areas in the city – West, South or East. You will play a key role working across the Community Hubs and Libraries in your area, managing stock, delivering key library services, running cultural and community engagement events and activities, and supporting the Customer Service teams that you’ll work closely alongside.

An adaptable communicator, you’ll thrive on engaging audiences of all ages in a range of environments, both within libraries and as outreach, from delivering primary school assemblies promoting the Summer Reading Challenge, to providing reading recommendations to library users, to delivering digital support to learners of wide-ranging abilities and facilitating school holiday events to children.

You will have a flair for working with people, and be able to create a friendly and welcoming environment for a diverse range of customers, while maintaining positive relationships with a variety of different stakeholders. You’ll work closely with Customer Service Assistants across sites, and be able to support, inform and engage colleagues. At the heart of everything you do will be sharing your passion for books to help promote and develop a culture of reading for pleasure in the sites and communities you serve.

Supported by the Senior Communities Librarian for your area, you will write Library Development Plans for the sites you cover, using statistics, demographic data and local priorities to inform your planning. You’ll be able to analyse data and identify trends to inform your stock management. Resourceful and engaging, you’ll be active in identifying opportunities for audience development and engagement in the communities you serve, seek out new partnerships to support and diversify our offer, and link these up to city-wide library service aims.

This is a diverse role and you will need a have-a-go attitude and be keen to engage in continued professional development. You will have good basic digital skills and a willingness to build on these in order to deliver creative digital activity. A keen team-player, you will work closely with other librarians and colleagues in community hubs. Together with enjoying working as part of a team, you’ll also be adept at using your own initiative, as at times this role will involve lone working. Please note that the role will involve travel between multiple sites and is physically demanding.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About You

As a Communities Librarian, you will bring to the role:

• You have an excellent understanding of, and passion for, the role of public libraries and community librarianship.
• You have well developed digital skills, are confident using technology, maximising its benefits and are able to support and encourage customers to develop their skills.
• You have excellent communication skills, listening, written and verbal. You are able to communicate clearly and appropriately to a wide range of audiences.
• You are a highly motivated team player, able to both support and lead other team members.
• You have an understanding of community-based working.
  
  
  

What We Offer You

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays.
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements.
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities.
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.
  
  
  

How To Apply

Complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Kate Midwood or Kirsten Pendlebury, Senior Librarians (Communities). Email [email protected] / [email protected]

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Purpose:

To deliver a responsive library service which increases citizen engagement with the service through:

• Supporting the city with its information, reading and learning needs
• Connecting communities to the opportunities and resources available through the library service
• the development and delivery of core programmes of activity outlined in the Annual Business Plan
• Proactive approaches to keeping current customers engaged with the service and attracting new service users
  
  
  

This is a generic job description and you will also be expected to deliver on one of the key service areas detailed below:

Service Support

• Responsibility for the delivery of the acquisition service
• Line management of the team of Library & Digital Assistants
• Ensure Library & Digital Assistant support for SLS
  
  
  

OR

Service Delivery

• Line management of Library & Digital Assistant
• Delivering programmes of activity across community libraries and central library
• Management of staffing rotas in Leeds Central Library and enquiry line
• Operational management of Leeds Central Library
  
  
  

OR

Service Development

• To deliver the programmes of activity supporting one or more of the specialist functions either within Central Library Departments, across the community library network or in other venues across the city.
  
  
  

Responsibilities for Grade:

• You will be proactive in contributing to the development of the library service, engaging in project groups and delivering the priorities of the business plan
• You will be working directly with library customers, supporting their information, reading, learning and community needs
• You will creatively contribute to the design, development and delivery of exciting and innovative library events and activities, including learning sessions, for customers of all ages
• You will develop and maintain awareness of sector wide best practice
• You will facilitate digital engagement and assist library members with new technologies
• You will assist with audio-visual and digital support for library events and activities
• You will actively develop and manage stock and other resources ensuring that library resources are well maintained and attractively presented
• You will contribute to ensuring that performance standards and targets are achieved
• You will actively engage with library service users and potential users about services and collections in order to extend use of the service by residents. This will include delivering talks and presentations for the public
• You will be contributing to the development and delivery of outreach projects and initiatives
• You will develop and deliver the highest standards of customer engagement, dealing with complex complaints and enquiries
• You will support the wider library staff team and deputise for managers and colleagues in a variety of forums and duties as required, commensurate with grade.
• You will manage, lead and motivate your team and community hub colleagues
• You will assist in the recruitment, selection and development of staff, delivering training as required
• You will provide a high standard of day to day management of a specific department, collection(s), venue and/or staff
• You will develop excellent book knowledge, research and information skills as well as expertise in a specialist field(s)
• You will be responsible for the supervision of assigned staff, volunteers and work placements
• You will apply HR policies and procedures consistently, including managing attendance, special leave, improving performance, disciplinary and grievance
• You will follow LCC financial procedures and regulations.
• You will be required to carry out risk assessments and implement safe systems of work.
• You will be responsible for your personal health and safety and that of other people who use the library service. You will be expected to be vigilant for the safety of the building, opening and closing as required. Completing the duties of fire marshall, fire warden and emergency incident officer as assigned. There may be occasions when you are working on your own.
• You will carry out the role of duty manager as assigned.
• You will work within multiple teams and at other venues as required, be flexible in working hours within your contracted hours and work evenings and weekends as required, including events outside of library opening hours. The work is physical and involves standing, lifting and carrying.
• You will carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy and other policies which respect the rights and needs of customers and colleagues
• This post involves direct work with the public in an open access setting, the post holder will need to display resilience to some demanding situations
  
  
  

The above list is neither exclusive nor exhaustive, and the service may require the job holder to undertake duties commensurate with the level of the role. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters

Qualifications

• You have a degree or are able to evidence relevant experience of public library work
  
  
  

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION: Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements

Skills Required

• You have an excellent understanding of, and passion for, the role of public libraries and community librarianship
• You have well developed digital skills, are confident using technology, maximising its benefits and are able to support and encourage customers to develop their skills
• You can connect readily and naturally with people
• You are committed to customer service excellence, able to deal positively with feedback and difficult situations and to seek positive resolution
• You have excellent communication skills, listening, written and verbal. You are able to communicate clearly and appropriately to a wide range of audiences
• You have well developed organisational skills and show excellent attention to detail
• You are a highly motivated team player, able to both support and lead other team members
  
  
  

Knowledge Required

• You have a good knowledge and understanding of the current climate of public libraries
• You have an understanding of community based working
• You have a degree / postgraduate degree or are able to evidence relevant experience of public library work
  
  
  

Experience Required

• You have experience of working in the public library sector
• You have experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders
• You have experience of facilitating work in a community setting and of community team building
• You have experience of supervising others either through employment, volunteering or project based work
• You have experience of assessing information, learning and reading needs and using a variety of resources to support
  
  
  

Behavioural & Other Characteristics Required

• You are adaptable and flexible to changes in workloads, locations and hours
• You are fully committed to Leeds City Council values
• You will abide by the Council’s Equal Opportunities and Health & Safety Policies
  
  
  

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS: It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role. Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

Knowledge Required

• You have attained a qualification relating to educating adults
• You have a degree/postgraduate qualification in Library Studies or Information science
  
  
  

Experience Required

• You have experience of working with vulnerable people in community settings and people from diverse cultural background
  
  
  

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