Positive Action Graduate Trainee Library Assistant

The University of London is both the UK’s largest provider of international distance and online learning and the convenor of a federation of 17 renowned higher education institutions.

The federation brings together more than 250,000 learners and 50,000 staff in a collaborative community that is delivering high-quality research and education across all disciplines.

Since 1858, we have expanded access to world-class higher education. Today, around 40,000 students in more than 190 countries are part of our global learning community.

The University of London is also home to the School of Advanced Study, the national centre for the humanities, whose mission is to advocate for the discipline.

By working together, we expand access to outstanding higher education and resources, and extend their benefits to learners and researchers across the UK and around the world.

The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS)

The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) is a postgraduate research institute with a core of over 130 researchers, research students and legal information professionals, but which draws its primary membership from academic researchers and postgraduate research students from other institutions throughout the UK, and which also provides services to researchers in the wider legal community.

The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) Library is committed to changing the staff profile in libraries by introducing an annual Positive Action* Graduate Traineeship. 

We are seeking to appoint a Positive Action Graduate Trainee for the Academic Year 2026/27.  The post is a one-year fixed term training post, designed for graduates carrying out a year of work experience and training.

This post is for Black, Asian, and Global Majority Ethnic applicants.

Libraries should better represent our diverse society.

Less than 5% of the library workforce identifies as Global Majority Ethnic (CILIP 2023)*.  This must change.  SCONUL (SCONUL 2022)* has also undertaken work in this area by collecting data on the ethnic diversity of the workforce to improve diversity and to address inequality.  SCONUL (2023)* also published its first statistics report on the make-up of the academic library workforce in 2023.

*Positive action is covered by section 158 of the Equality Act 2010

Positive Action Graduate Trainee Library Assistant

The post is a one-year fixed term work experience and training post designed for graduates prior to obtaining a professional qualification in librarianship or other information work. Each trainee is initially based in one of the library’s teams, and halfway through the contract they will move to a different team so as to experience working throughout the library. This timetable enables them to develop an overall understanding of the links between the different teams and how the library fits together as a whole. The trainee is entirely integrated into the smooth running of the Library, undertaking essential back-office duties as well as working on our busy Issue & Enquiry Desk. An extensive staff development programme is detailed elsewhere and monitoring and feedback from that programme takes place.

This post has an identical job description and training programme to the other Graduate Trainee post advertised at the same time.

For a full role profile, please refer to the job description.

Further Information

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit your application form and CV (via the ‘Apply’ button above) before the closing date at midnight on 1st February 2026.