Ever wanted to work in an institution that is home to one of the world's great collections of cultural treasures and research materials?
Spanning thousands of years of human thought and discovery, Cambridge University Libraries and Archives house unique treasures and research materials made up of nearly ten million books, maps, manuscripts, photographs and priceless objects.
We are looking for 5 Library Assistants. If you are able to work Sundays, are customer focused and enjoy intellectual detective work, solving all sorts of queries from students, Cambridge academics and researchers, and international visitors, we would like to hear from you.
As Reader Services Library Assistant you will
- Provide a welcoming point of contact to the Library's readers and visitors.
- Assist with enquiries in-person at busy service desks, and by email, phone, and chat service, advising readers on how best to use our collections, both print and electronic.
- Use the Library Management System to carry out all aspects of library work including the issuing and returning of books.
- Assist or lead library and information skills activities.
- Assist in the induction, training and supervision of cover staff; documenting procedures.
What we are looking for
- Enthusiasm, flexibility, and a committed approach to the delivery of the highest possible level of customer service.
- Experience of working for a service that provided a high standard of customer service.
- Excellent communication skills.
- A thorough knowledge of IT and of electronic resources.
- The ability to work well under pressure.
- The ability to work unsupervised as well as part of a team.
What we offer
- Generous annual leave allowance of 36 days but this will be pro-rata depending on number of days worked across the week.
- Exceptional parental leave (including maternity, paternity / co-parent, adoption and shared parental leave).
- Discounts on major retailers.
- Professional development opportunities such as apprenticeships and access to a variety of training courses.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 12 months in the first instance.
We particularly welcome applications from women and /or candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our department.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
For informal enquiries please contact Steve Stacey, Customer Support Manager, sjs34@cam.ac.uk.
Application closing date: Tuesday 24 November 2026. Interview date: Thursday 3 December 2026.
For further details please refer to the Further Particulars.
Please quote reference VE51640 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
