Principal Library Assistant

Location: Weston Library, Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BG

Salary: Grade 4: £27,838-£31,459 per annum

THIS POST COULD BE CONSIDERED AS A SECONDMENT OPPORTUNITY 

About the role

The John Johnson Collection of Printed Ephemera is one of the largest and most important collections of printed ephemera in the world, and has recently acquired the Burnett Collection of playing cards. Working in the Rare Books Section of the Weston Library, you will sort, shelf mark and catalogue the collection using the allegro system. 

You will be expected to develop expertise in the subject area, meet ambitious cataloguing targets and prioritise your own workload on a day-to-day basis. In addition, you will supervise volunteers in the absence of the John Johnson Curator of Printed Ephemera and assist with engagement activities related to the Burnett Collection. 

This is a full-time, fixed-term post for 5 months. 

This role requires lifting and carrying boxes of library materials, pushing trolleys, climbing ladders and kick-stools in order to access some of the library’s bookshelves and to re-shelve materials. 

About You

You will be able to demonstrate a careful and sensitive approach to handling original documents. You will have the ability to undertake routine and repetitive tasks consistently and with a high level of accuracy. You will also be able to work effectively and reliably both as part of a small team and independently with minimal supervision. 

What We Offer

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days of annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans 

More information is available at https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/staff-benefits 

Diversity

Our staff and students come from all over the world, and we proudly promote a friendly and inclusive culture. Diversity is positively encouraged, through diverse groups and champions, as well as a number of family-friendly policies, such as the right to apply for flexible working and support for staff returning from periods of extended absence, for example, shared parental leave. 

How to apply

You will be required to upload your CV and a supporting evidence form using the attached template (or a supporting statement) as part of your online application. Your supporting evidence form should list each of the essential and desirable selection criteria, as listed in the job description, and explain how you meet each one. CVs alone will not be considered. 

We aim to provide a supportive working environment and are happy to discuss training and professional development opportunities. The Chair of this recruitment panel will be Jo Maddocks, John Johnson Curator of Printed Ephemera, who can be contacted with enquiries relating to the role (jo.maddocks@bodleian.ox.ac.uk).  General queries about the recruitment and application process should be directed to the Recruitment team within our Human Resources department (recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk). 

Please discuss secondments with your line manager in the first instance, as you must have their agreement that you can be released for a secondment before you submit an application.

Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (GMT) on Monday 20 January 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place during week commencing 3 February 2025.

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