Overview
Community Library Assistant – Cottenham Library, Margett Street, Cottenham, United Kingdom
Our Benefits
We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…
- A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
- Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
- Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
- Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
- Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
- Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
- Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
- Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
- An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes
Take a look at our Employment Benefits Brochure attached to this advert to find out more.
About the role
South Cambridgeshire libraries are all at the heart of the communities they serve.
We are currently recruiting for a part time post in Cottenham Library for 13.75 hours per week.
We are looking for a friendly, enthusiastic, and versatile person. You will have high standards of customer care and be able to work using your own initiative.
The successful candidate will be responsible for creating a friendly and welcoming library space for all customers and volunteers. You will be able to multi-task, be flexible and enjoy working under pressure. There will be scope for working in other locations, so flexibility and adaptability is a must, with access to your own transport desirable.
IT skills are essential for this role and full training will be given on library specific systems and processes. The role involves a significant amount of standing, bending, carrying books and pushing heavy trollies.
You will:
- be confident using your initiative.
- have excellent communication and digital skills.
- be able to work with volunteers.
- be open to support a variety of events and activities.
- be able to quickly master the varied aspects of library routines, including front line customer care, using the library management system, the self-service machines, handling cash, stock requests and stock circulation procedures.
- demonstrate a mature and professional attitude.
Please highlight in your supporting statement how you meet each of the essential criteria, with a description and clear examples to illustrate your points.
For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact Terri Lewis, Area Library Manager, at: Terri.Lewis@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or, come to our ‘Meet the Team’ Event on Thursday 7th May 2026 between 2.00 – 5.00pm for an informal chat about the role.
Interviews will be held on Tuesday 19th May 2026.
About you
Please refer to the job description and person specification for full details about this job role.
Please note: The supporting statement is the most important part of your application. This will be used in the shortlisting process to assess whether you meet the essential requirements for the role.
When completing the supporting statement for this position, please tell us how your skills, experience, capability and potential match each of the criteria in the person specification. Think carefully about the following criteria and provide practical examples of how and when you have used the particular knowledge, skill or experience:
• Demonstrate your understanding of delivering good customer service.
• Interpersonal skills, including patience and listening skills with an ability to establish exactly what the customer requires.
• A pleasant, helpful manner with customers of all ages and abilities.
• A strong team player, able to work with colleagues on projects and contribute to team goals.
• Flexibility and adaptability in all areas of work, including being able to respond to a change in hours or workplace location.
Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment
About us
Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon and St Ives as well as more rural landscapes.
We are proud to serve the diverse communities of Cambridgeshire and want our workforce to be reflective of this diversity, which we believe benefits our employees, the organisation and our communities.
Visit our jobs and careers section to find out more about our wide range of learning and development opportunities; apprenticeships; our wellbeing package; staff benefits; our commitment to equality, diversity and Inclusion.
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/jobs-and-careers
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
