The Role

• Do you have the experience and passion to support the development of creative library services for children, young people and the wider community?
• Do you have a qualification in Library & Information Science or significant
  experience in public libraries or another relevant role?

If you answered yes, we would love to hear from you! We are currently recruiting for a Librarian to join our Children and Communities Team.

Who we are:
Richmond upon Thames Library Service has 12 community libraries, the highest book issues per capita and the fastest reservation service in London. This offers someone with drive and commitment the opportunity to be part of a successful and dynamic service.

Responsibilities:

• Working within an efficient and creative team for a high performing and well-funded library service, you will focus on engaging young people and reaching out to vulnerable members of the community.
• You will manage high profile early years and children’s literacy campaigns such as Bookstart and the Summer Reading Challenge.
• You will work to further develop partnerships with voluntary and community sectors and other organisations.
• You will deliver services for the discerning residents of Richmond upon Thames, who highly value their library service and demand that our stock reflects their wide-ranging tastes.
• You will help to develop new and engaging initiatives and working practices for a COVID era.
• You will develop and deliver staff training and support the provision of frontline library services where necessary.

You will need:

• A recognised qualification in Library & Information Science or significant relevant experience
• An up to date knowledge of developments and trends in the area of library services for children and young people
• Experience of working in partnership and developing links with outside agencies and voluntary organisations
• Experience of delivering and promoting library services and event programmes to live and digital audiences.
• Experience of selecting and purchasing books for lending and managing both physical and digital resource budgets.

• Experience of delivering successful digital marketing campaigns that target specific audiences, utilising a variety of social media platforms and web applications to engage the local community.

All the librarians (across all teams) in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Library Service work to a generic librarian job profile, however this particular role is situated in the Children and Communities Team and therefore prioritises the above areas.

Working hours:
The working hours are 36 hours a week, timetabled as alternate long and short weeks; working two Saturdays in four and up to two late nights a week.

The role includes occasional Sunday and additional evening working as required. A flexible approach to fulfilling the needs of the service is necessary.

You will be based in Richmond but will be required to travel to other libraries and locations around Richmond upon Thames as necessary.

Please contact Colm O’Reilly, Children and Communities Manager on 020 8734 3311 / Colm.OReilly@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk for an informal conversation about the role.

In return, we can offer you working arrangements that will enhance your work-life balance.  These include a generous holiday allowance of 31 days plus bank holidays. 

In addition, we offer a range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts at many leisure activities, restaurants, shops, and other establishments. A wide range of developmental opportunities are also offered.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

Closing Date:   Sunday 30th January 2022

Shortlisting Date:  W/C 31st January 2022

Interview Date:  W/C 14th  February 2022

Useful Information:

Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

For DBS Posts ONLY the statement below should be used.

Important Information:

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils