Library Assistant

Location: Bodleian Art, Archaeology & Ancient World Library, 1 St John Street, Oxford, OX1 2LG and Taylor Institution Library, St Giles’, Oxford, OX1 3NA

About the role

The Bodleian Art, Archaeology & Ancient World Library is one of the University of Oxford’s principal research libraries, with collections focused on these named subject areas (inclusive of Classics, Egyptology & Ancient Near Eastern Studies, and Architecture). Along with the Taylor Institution and Nizami Ganjavi Libraries, the Art Library is part of Section 3 of the Bodleian Libraries’ Humanities Libraries, and the three libraries work together as a group to provide services. You are likely to provide cover at one of the other two libraries within the section from time to time, or other Bodleian Humanities Libraries in an emergency.

As a Library Assistant, you will be part of our Reader Services team. Your duties will include staffing the Issue Desk and Lodge, assisting readers and working with both the University’s online library catalogue (SOLO) and the automated library management system. You will also fetch and re-shelve books, scan extracts of texts for our Scan & Deliver service, and assist with a variety of other tasks and projects.

This is a permanent, full-time position, working 36.5 hours per week. The usual working hours are 08:45 - 17:00, with the possibility of a weekly evening shift at the NGL during term time (working 10:00 - 18:15). The postholder will work 13:00 - 21:15 on pre-agreed weekday evenings as part of a pool of staff covering planned leave. The postholder can expect to work approximately 12 scheduled evenings per year.

The role involves lifting, carrying and shelving books, climbing ladders, and pushing trolleys.

About You

You will have a strong customer focus and the ability to communicate effectively, confidently and courteously, as well as to undertake routine library tasks with care and accuracy. You will have the ability to work effectively as part of a team and to prioritise work under pressure in a busy library environment.

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.

We provide a supportive working environment and are always happy to discuss training and professional development opportunities. The Chair of this recruitment panel will be Colin Walker, Reader Services Supervisor at the Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library, who can be contacted with enquiries relating to the role (colin.walker@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).

Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (GMT) on Friday 28 February 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place during the week commencing Monday 17 March 2025.

Close: Friday 28 February 2025

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