Prison Library Assistant

Job Introduction
**Do you have a passion for reading, literacy, information and customer service? Are you looking for a unique and inspiring role?**

We see our library roles as more of a vocation, because you’ll be part of a community of partners, providing a much-needed service to our library users. The library is crucial in supporting the wellbeing of those in prison and it helps to promote positive behaviours in those library users. So, the work you’ll do will have a real impact on people’s lives and the community.

HMP Featherstone is a category C adult male prison which has a team of 1 Library assistant led by the Library Supervisor and is a well-used and valued resource within the Prison and is currently open daily Monday to Saturday. Prison Library staff offer both outreach / wing based and main library, service provision, supporting all prisoners with access to books, information & resources.

Main Responsibilities
The Prison / custodial environment can be challenging but also extremely rewarding. Working in Prison Libraries is a vocational customer service role, that offers an opportunity to make a difference on a daily basis.

You will:

- provide and develop an essential service, encouraging and promoting creativity, literacy and reading for pleasure and learning.
- Actively engage with customers, to support them in using their library space, service and resources for their personal and professional development and benefit both short and long term.

We aim to play a part in reducing reoffending and enabling prisoners in improving their prospects and situation whilst in custody and for a future on release in the community, linking with public libraries.

The Prison / custodial environment can be challenging but also extremely rewarding. Working in Prison Libraries is a vocational customer service role, that offers an opportunity to make a difference on a daily basis.

You will:

- provide and develop an essential service, encouraging and promoting creativity, literacy and reading for pleasure and learning.
- Actively engage with customers, to support them in using their library space, service and resources for their personal and professional development and benefit both short and long term.

We aim to play a part in reducing reoffending and enabling prisoners in improving their prospects and situation whilst in custody and for a future on release in the community, linking with public libraries.

About Staffordshire County Council
**We are no ordinary county council**:
**Our Values**:
The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:
We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

**Our benefits**:
We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to a range of benefits.

**Our recruitment process**:
As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.