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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Assist customers, shelve books, run events, and provide digital support.
- Company: Join the London Borough of Newham's vibrant library team.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, part-time hours, and a chance to engage with the community.
- Why this job: Make a difference in your community while sharing your love for reading.
- Qualifications: Customer care experience and a passion for libraries and community engagement.
- Other info: Flexible working environment with opportunities for personal growth.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 31600 £ per year.
Overview
Newham Libraries is an ambitious library service that plays a pivotal role in improving the quality of life of our residents. The service is well placed within the Council and works closely with Public Health and other services. Key priorities for the service are ensuring that our book stock is representative of and relevant to our communities; encouraging Reading for Pleasure for all; developing our Digital Lending offer; building on our innovative approach to the Summer Reading Challenge; developing our Under 5s offer; and delivering a high quality library offer. There are 10 libraries across the borough delivering a high number of opening hours and a large number of events and activities. Library and Senior Library Assistants have an essential role in delivering this ambition.
Responsibilities
- Assisting customers with transactions
- Shelving of books and book displays
- Providing digital assistance and basic digital skills sessions
- Information provision and sign-posting
- Running or supporting events and activities including Under 5s storytimes
- Promoting books and reading
- On occasions, supporting outreach activities or resident forums
- As duty managers, Senior Library Assistants may be required to open and close buildings; take bookings and payments; oversee staff activity; and carry out cashing up / banking functions
Candidate profile
The candidate will have excellent customer care skills and experience, will enjoy helping people and be genuinely passionate about the role of libraries in providing a range of opportunities for our residents. They should have libraries or similar customer focused experience, love reading and talking about books, enjoy STEM and digital engagement, have a good level of literacy, numeracy and IT skills, experience of running activities, and enjoy working with the public.
Equal opportunities
We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that\\\’s all that matters to us.
Safeguarding
The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Application instructions
Please attach your supporting statement, explaining in no more than two A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.
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Senior Library Assistant employer: London Borough of Newham
Contact Detail:
London Borough of Newham Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Library Assistant
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the library scene in Newham! Familiarise yourself with local events, community needs, and popular books. This will help you connect with the interviewers and show your passion for libraries and community engagement.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your customer care skills! Think of scenarios where you might assist customers or run activities. Role-playing these situations can boost your confidence and prepare you for those tricky questions during the interview.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your digital skills! Be ready to discuss how you can provide digital assistance and run basic skills sessions. Maybe even share a few ideas on how to engage the community digitally – it’ll make you stand out!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, keep an eye on the closing date – applying early can give you an edge over the competition!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Library Assistant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: Let us see your love for libraries and community engagement shine through in your application. Share specific examples of how you've helped customers or promoted reading in the past.
Tailor Your Supporting Statement: Make sure your supporting statement is tailored to the role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills, especially those related to customer care and digital assistance, as these are key for us.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured documents that are easy to read, so avoid fluff and focus on what makes you a great fit for the Senior Library Assistant position.
Apply Early!: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. We might close the advert early if we get a lot of applications, so get yours in through our website as soon as you can!
How to prepare for a job interview at London Borough of Newham
✨Know Your Library Stuff
Brush up on your knowledge of library services and community engagement. Be ready to discuss how you can assist customers with transactions and promote reading. Showing your passion for libraries will definitely impress!
✨Showcase Your Customer Care Skills
Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've excelled in customer service. Think about times when you helped someone find the right book or ran an engaging activity. This will highlight your suitability for the role.
✨Get Digital Savvy
Since digital assistance is part of the job, be prepared to talk about your IT skills and any experience you have running basic digital skills sessions. Maybe even think of a fun way to explain a tech concept to someone who’s not so tech-savvy!
✨Engage with the Community
Think about how you can support outreach activities or resident forums. Have some ideas ready on how to engage the community through events or storytimes. This shows you're proactive and passionate about making a difference!