Archive Library Assistant

Starting Salary: £25,185 per annum, with opportunity to progress to £28,142. Salaries are pro‑rated for part time. Hours: 37 hours per week. Location: Hertford – fixed base; majority of hours onsite with occasional travel. Contract Type: 1 permanent and 1 fixed‑term (2 years).

About The Role

You will be required to work some Saturdays and Tuesday evenings – the first Saturday and Tuesday evening a month are open, and you may be asked to work out of hours on an occasional basis. Both roles support HALS public service, while the fixed‑term role also includes dedicated time to prepare collections for safe and secure relocation.

Public Service Responsibilities

• Provide high‑quality customer service, responding to enquiries in person and remotely, ensuring customer care standards are met.
• Support customer service through completion of administrative tasks such as recording user statistics, and projects such as digitisation of collection documents.
• Retrieve books and documents from storage areas, involving manual handling and driving a leased van to off‑site holdings.
• Assist with collection and processing of archive and local studies materials, using catalogues and indexes.
• Contribute to promotional events, including group visits and occasional out‑of‑hours activity.
• Provide support for volunteers.
• Use ICT to provide services to customers and carry out collections work, including digitisation, photographing, scanning, processing and preserving archive material.
• Remain flexible, calm under pressure and prioritise workload – key qualities for the role.

Move Preparation Project Responsibilities

• Check information and records survey.
• Organise, package, re‑package and label collections.
• Update information on the collections management system.
• Perform other clerical tasks.
• Liaise with archivists over document appraisal and retention, and with the conservator over packaging and preservation needs.
• Participate in community‑facing activities related to the move project, such as gathering data on customer usage, contacting depositors and supporting focus groups.

About You – Essential

• Friendly, confident, and able to work in a public‑facing role in a busy search room with minimal supervision.
• Able to communicate effectively in person, by telephone and in writing, with fluent spoken English for external stakeholders.
• Confident and competent using a range of computer software such as Microsoft Office, the internet and other computer‑based information resources, and able to support public use of IT.
• Organised, methodical and detail‑oriented, able to sort items in alphabetical and numerical order.
• Able to lift and carry awkward and heavy items; specialist equipment (e.g., trolleys) will be provided.
• Able to promote the service at events onsite and around the county.
• Flexible, initiative‑driven and capable of working effectively without direct supervision.
• Hold a full UK driving licence and able to drive a leased vehicle to retrieve documents from out‑stores and elsewhere.

About You – Desirable

• Interest in and knowledge of archives, local or family history.
• Experience of cash handling.
• Experience of customer service.

Benefits

• Opportunity to learn about and work with fascinating collections from 1060 to the present.
• Enjoy helping customers and supporting access to unique collections in the archive reading room and local studies library.
• Promote the service and assist with learning events.
• Be involved at an exciting and challenging time, preparing collections for relocation while continuing to deliver service to Hertfordshire residents.

We are a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to any candidate disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. Applicants must have right to work in the UK. This role is Level 6.