Library Assistant [Temporary Cover]

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.

The role 

Would you like to gain experience of working in a busy Faculty Library, delivering tailored services to a wide and varied Education community of 1100+ students? We are looking for an enthusiastic, customer-focused person to join our collaborative team on a fixed-term basis who is passionate about providing a high-quality service to the Education Faculty.

This full-time, site-based temporary position covering maternity leave involves front-facing duties and we are therefore looking for someone who enjoys and excels at communicating and working with a wide variety of people. 

As Library Assistant (maternity cover) you will: 

• Support readers in their use of the extensive range of electronic information resources available via the Library VLE (Moodle), as well as access print collections available in the Library.
• Assist the Acquisitions Librarians in updating over 100 Faculty online reading lists.
• Contribute to the development and expansion of the unique Education Ebooks Collection on Moodle.
• Catalogue new material to RDA/MARC21 standards.
• Update content in our heavily used online guides.
• Help to ensure that the Faculty's large number of part-time, distance and PGCE students receive parity of service provision with full-time students. 

What we are looking for: 

• The ability to work collaboratively in a team.
• A commitment to exemplary customer service.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent IT skills.
• A high level of accuracy and the ability to pay attention to detail.
• A creative and resourceful approach to delivering library services. 

Familiarity with Moodle is also desirable, but the Education Library Team will provide full training and support for the role.

What we offer: 

• Flexible opportunities such as part-time hours.
• Generous annual leave allowance of 36 days, if working across 5 days.
• 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.  

We welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part-time working or other flexible working arrangements.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our department.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click 'Apply' above.

How to apply

For informal inquiries please contact the Deputy Librarian, Education Library - Emma-Jane Batchelor (ejb40@cam.ac.uk). We welcome any potential candidates to get in touch to arrange a visit and meet the team. 

Application closing date: Monday 4th May 2026

Interview date: Tuesday 19th May 2026

For further details please refer to the Further Particulars.

Temporary cover: This post is fixed-term for 12 months or the return of the post holder, whichever is the earlier. 

Please quote reference VS49433 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.

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