Job Title: Librarian (Enquiry Services)

Salary range: £37,181 – £38,296

Grade: AG6

Directorate: Legal, Governance and Research Services

Business Area/Office: Research and Information Service (RaISe)

Accountable to: Senior Librarian

Accountable for: AG7 (Assistant Librarian)

Job Purpose

To manage the Library’s Enquiry Service, answering queries across a wide remit of Assembly business in a non-partisan manner.

Job Description:

Main duties and responsibilities of the job.

Enquiry Service:

• Manage and contribute to the Library’s Enquiry Service, answering queries using a wide variety of electronic databases, across a wide remit of Assembly business in a non-partisan manner.
• Ensure deadlines are met with high quality, objective information provided to MLAs, Party Support and Secretariat staff. Liaising appropriately with other Government bodies and using the library’s range of resources (electronic and hard copy) to respond.
• Be responsible for the delivery of Library awareness and legislation training sessions to new staff.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring and review of all relevant Library policies.
• Ensure that the Library’s Enquiry Service complies with any legal requirements and Assembly policies in areas such as FOI, GPDR etc.

Publications:

• Be responsible for the production of Information Packs for Private Members’ Motions, Private Members’ Bills and selected Committee Motions to a high standard, ensuring Packs are compiled and distributed to agreed deadlines. Liaise with colleagues in RaISe, Business Committee, statutory committees and in other business areas as necessary.
• Manage and contribute to production of Event Packs to support Parliamentary and Community Outreach and other events.
• Develop, refine and continue to compile and publish updated versions of ‘Reading Lists’ as and when required by RaISe management.

Acquisitions:

• In keeping with the Library’s Collection Development Policy (and Donations Policy) and making sure of value for money, order printed publications.  Monitor output from publishers to acquire appropriate stock.
• Ensure stock is effectively organised by overseeing cataloguing and classification work.
• Ensure best use is made of limited storage space by revising stocks of printed material.

Development:

• Oversee and train staff in the work of the Enquiry Desk.
• Plan workloads and manage the work of a team of staff in line with Assembly guidance and performance managements systems.
• Maintain own professional development through courses and conferences as appropriate.
• Participate in and potentially lead projects aimed at improving service delivery.
• Complying with all Assembly Commission’s staff policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures; and
• You may also be required to carry out other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.

Essential Criteria:

Applicants must, by the closing date for applications have:

1. A degree or postgraduate diploma in Librarianship or Information Studies; or possess Chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and at least 2 years’ experience in the areas detailed at a) – c).

Applications may also be considered from applicants with relevant formal qualifications, considered by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, to be of an equivalent or higher standard to those stated.

OR

2. at least 4 years’ experience at the areas detailed at a) – c):

The experience specified above at 1 and 2 must be in the following areas:

a) undertaking the duties of a professional librarian.

b) working in a library enquiry service role, using a wide variety of electronic and hard copy sources

c) managing staff in a library environment.

Shortlisting Criteria:

Should shortlisting be required, the following shortlisting criteria will be applied:

• 1 years’ experience of working in a government, legal or academic library environment.

Skills & Behaviours:

The following Assembly Skills and Behaviours will be assessed during the selection process:

Delivering a quality service

…is about providing a high-quality and efficient service to our customers. It is thinking ahead, managing resources effectively and delivering work on time and to a high standard. It is also using professional or technical expertise to enhance service delivery.  

Building relationships and effective communication

…is creating and maintaining positive, professional and respectful internal and external working relationships through effective and appropriate communications.

Parliamentary & Political Understanding

…is displaying an appropriate understanding of the wider political environment; what the Assembly does and how our role fits in; and the level of public scrutiny to which the actions and decisions of Assembly staff are exposed. It requires impartiality, integrity and political sensitivity.