Library Assistant

Job Description

Are you passionate about helping people and creating welcoming community spaces?

West Sussex Libraries are looking for a friendly, confident, and resourceful Library Assistant!
Our libraries are vibrant, inclusive spaces that serve a wide range of community needs. As a Library Assistant, you will be at the centre of this service, providing excellent customer support, helping visitors access resources, and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the library.

Salary: £26,427 to £26,847 per annum, £11,427 to £11,609 (pro rata for part time)

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Part-time (16 hours per week)

Location: East Preston LibraryThe Street, East Preston, BN16 1JJ

Interview Date: Friday 4 November 2026

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. This is to ensure our teams can manage application levels while maintaining a positive candidate experience. We encourage you to submit your application at your earliest convenience.

Shifts:

Week 1:

Monday 12:50pm to 5:05pm

Tuesday OFF

Weds 12:50pm to 5:05pm

Thurs 9:50am to 2:05pm

Fri 9:30am to 12:45pm

Saturday OFF

Week 2:

Monday OFF

Tuesday OFF

Wednesday 12:00pm to 5:05pm

Thursday 12:50pm to 5:05pm

Friday 9:45am to 1:00pm

Saturday 9:50am to 2:05pm

About the job

East Preston is a small, friendly library in the heart of the village near local shops. With pretty flower beds, a flagpole and a war memorial in the grounds.

Step inside East Preston Library with our 360 degree tour.

We are looking for friendly, enthusiastic, and resourceful individuals who have exceptional digital skills and a genuine passion to make a difference to the local community.

It’s not just about the books! We are looking for someone who understands the power of community and the importance of fostering a love for reading in people of all ages.

Library Assistants welcome everyone with a positive attitude and a resilient approach to every request. Providing excellent customer service is central to our library service, creating dynamic and engaging environments. Flexibility, creativity, and initiative are essential qualities for success.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Being the dedicated go-to person for customers at the library, passionately helping them with their questions and sincerely guiding them to other services.
• Undertake Lone working or single staffing often supported by a volunteer.
• Supporting the delivery of a wide range of reading events, including Rhyme Times and author talks.
• Using a variety of IT systems and services confidently and effectively including entering basic data into the library system, such as registering new members.
• Responding to enquiries from customers and colleagues, both in person and over the phone.
• Helping with reading recommendations.
• Creating new themes for book displays.
• Maintaining, presenting, and processing book stock.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead engaging Rhyme Time sessions lasting 30 minutes. We are looking for a confident individual who will play a vital role in inspiring a love of music and language in children through nursery rhymes, songs, action rhymes, musical instruments, and puppets. Watch this video to discover more about Rhyme Time: Libraries are for everyone: Rhyme Time

The variety of our work means that no two days are the same. We get huge job satisfaction from helping everyone who comes through our doors, and you could too!

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• 4 GCSEs with 9-4 / A-C passes including Maths and English, or equivalent qualification/experience. Experience working collaboratively within a team to complete shared tasks.
• Digital skills to effectively assist customers, including navigating emails and accessing the library website, app, and eLibrary.
• Strong communication and customer service skills to engage effectively with the public.
• Good interpersonal skills with the confidence to engage effectively with children, families, and customers of all ages.
• Capable of consistently meeting deadlines and adapting to the varied demands of each day, ensuring smooth and effective service.
• Skilled in taking initiative and applying sound judgment, while unwaveringly adhering to library practices and procedures.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please download the job description and person specification.

Rewards and Benefits

From access to our Employee Assistance Programme to training and development opportunities, we aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

We think libraries are great places to work, where you can make a difference to local communities every day. Find out more about the variety that comes with working in a library and hear first-hand from some of our library staff here: Library Jobs at West Sussex Libraries

You will benefit from 25 days annual leave (pro rata for part time) rising to 28 days (pro rata for part time) after 5 years’ service plus the opportunity to buy additional leave, an excellent local government pension scheme as well as a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers.

For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is 362

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Sarah Brand atSarah.Brand@westsussex.gov.uk

For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk

Click apply, upload your CV and complete the application form. Please explain how you meet the key skills outlined in the job description and person specificationas these will be used as the shortlisting criteria and highlight the experience you can bring to the role.

Please ensure all that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.

Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to right to work within the UK, satisfactory references, and a health check.

Any candidates wishing to apply for this position, who would require sponsorship can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the post by assessing their circumstances against criteria specified on thegov.uk website.

Equity, inclusion, accessibility and diversity is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all cultures, ethnicities, identities, backgrounds and lived experiences, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.