Library Assistant

Come and join the warm and friendly knowledge and library team

Our purpose is to ensure that all NHS staff have access to the latest knowledge and evidence to help them make the best decisions for patients, and to support learners and students within the Trust. If you have excellent customer service skills and you enjoy helping people, why not apply?

Library assistants are the front-line staff of the library service.

The main duties of this role are to run the enquiry desk helping library users with their questions, and a range of administrative tasks.

**You will have**:
Previous customer service / customer care experience, which could be in a paid or voluntary role;
Good communication and customer service skills;
Ability to work effectively as part of a team;
Ability and willingness to work independently;
Ability to work accurately and with attention to detail;
Good IT skills, including word processing and use of the Internet;
An enthusiastic and flexible approach to work;
And you will demonstrate commitment to the Trust’s Values and Behaviours of Kindness, Integrity, Teamwork and Equality.

Previous experience of Library / Information work or of working in the NHS is useful but not essential, as full training will be given.

The library is a small, friendly team within the wider Medical Education, Library and Learning & Development team. We work closely together to support education and training for staff, and for students and learners on placement with the Trust.

**Key working relationships are with**:
Library colleagues and our wider team;
Library users, other Trust employees and students on placement;
and NHS Library staff in other organisations

The library serves Trust staff, including students and volunteers. There is no direct patient contact in this role, though you may occasionally go into clinical areas, eg taking information resources to staff. The role is based at Harrogate District Hospital, and there is no requirement for travel to other Trust sites.

**Duties and responsibilities of the post are**:

- To work on a day to day basis with supervision and guidance from senior library staff, and take day to day responsibility for the Library during their absence.
- Carrying out opening up, library operation and closing procedures as required.
- Providing advice, assistance and support to users of the Library, including help with using electronic information resources: use of internet, bibliographic databases, registration for Athens accounts and use of the library catalogue.
- Providing induction to the Library and its services to new users, and assisting with formal group induction sessions.
- Assisting with the preparation, maintenance and/or production of promotional and training materials, printed guides, posters, workbooks and web pages, letters, reports and spreadsheets as required
- Carrying out day to day operation of the library management system including borrower registration, issue, return, renewal and recall of library materials.
- Maintenance and repair of stock.
- Cataloguing and initial classification of new library materials; editing, upgrading and deleting records from the database.
- Day to day maintenance of the physical environment, including security and basic troubleshooting of equipment e.g. PCs and printers; equipment fault reporting.
- Assistance with the recording and maintenance of statistical data.
- To put forward ideas and new initiatives for improvement and development of the Library Service.
- To liaise with other NHS libraries and outside organizations as required.
- Handling money and payments such as library fines and replacement charges.

The post is responsible to the Library Manager, and supervised by the Library Manager and the Senior Library Assistant.