Role: Relief Library Assistant
Salary: Grade D £13.69 an hour
Location: Various Libraries across Derby City
Hours: Relief
Closing Date: 16/06/2026
Contract Type: Relief
Are you comfortable engaging with customers, communicating with a wide range of people, and working in a busy, customer-focused environment? Do you have a keen interest in books, reading and literacy? If so, we'd love to hear from you.
We are looking for staff to join us as Relief Library Assistants within our network of libraries across the city. You will need to be able to travel to different locations in Derby, as sessions may be at any library in the city. There are no fixed or guaranteed working hours. You must be regularly available Monday to Saturday to work morning, afternoon and/or evening sessions. You must also be contactable by phone and/or email.
In all Derby’s libraries, the focus is on enthusing people about the library offer, promoting reading, providing internet access, improving literacy and improving wellbeing.
As a Relief Library Assistant, good customer care and IT skills are essential, as is the confidence and ability to support customers using IT. You will also play a key role in ensuring that Derby’s libraries are well presented, safe, and welcoming to all.
Who We Are
Here at Derby City Council, we’re dedicated to delivering nearly 250 first-class services to citizens and businesses in the heart of the Midlands. People are at the centre of all that we do, and we have an outstanding track record of recruiting and developing talented individuals by providing them with varied and fulfilling career opportunities. Find out more about what it’s like to work for us.
What We Offer
You too could be part of something brilliant by becoming a colleague at Derby City Council; in addition to making a difference to the lives of people across the city, you’ll also receive:
- Continued professional development opportunities & career conversations
- Team Derby Rewards – retail and leisure discounts
- Tusker Car Benefit Scheme
- Cycle2Work Scheme & free cycle training
- Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Calendar and Support
- Access to our Equality Employee Networks – LGBTQ+, Disabled Employee Network & Carers and our Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Employee Support Network and Neurodiversity Network
- Support for colleagues who are carers
The Opportunity
In the role of Relief Library Assistant, here’s an example of what you’ll be doing to make an impact:
- Working as part of a team of staff and volunteers so that, together, you can provide a high-quality professional service to customers and colleagues that drives service improvement
- Supporting and delivering initiatives on a range of key areas including literacy, well-being, IT learning sessions
- Supporting the delivery of campaigns, activities and events to increase library use, book borrowing and return visits
- Promoting the library confidently and effectively by being aware of the benefits of libraries and the positive impacts they have on the communities they serve
- Helping to make sure the building is a safe, accessible and welcoming environment
About You
To be successful in this role, you’ll ideally have…
- Minimum Grade C GCSE English or equivalent
- An understanding of the how libraries can contribute to improving people’s physical and mental wellbeing.
- The skills to work in a busy environment and deal effectively with difficult people and confrontational situations
- The ability to be a positive, enthusiastic and flexible team player
- An enthusiasm for reading and able to talk about the benefits of reading.
Next Steps
If you would like to apply for this vacancy via an application form, please submit an application via the Derby City Council website.
The closing date for this vacancy is at midnight on Tuesday 16 June 2026. Any applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
Interviews will be held week commencing 29 June 2026 at Mackworth Library
If you would prefer to apply for this job using your CV, then please download the attached Declaration Form and send the Declaration form and your CV to [email protected] . Without a completed declaration form, your application will not be accepted. We also encourage you to download the Equalities Form and return this to [email protected], however this is optional and will not affect your application.
Important Information
Links to the full Job Description and Person Specification are below.
All employees will normally be appointed to the minimum of the grade for the job.
Before you complete your application, please read our guidance on filling in your application form.
Remember to align your personal statement to the essential criteria in the Person Specification.
Please be aware that where there are colleagues within the organisation who are 'at risk' of redundancy, requirements to redeploy to another suitable role will apply and take priority.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are a fair and inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We recruit for diversity and value difference. As many of our roles can now be home-based, we are able to offer more opportunities for people who need this facility.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. If you are a disabled person, you have the choice to apply under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme so long as you demonstrate that you meet the essential requirements for the job.
We feel it is essential that we recruit a talented workforce that is as diverse as the community we work for.
Please let us know of any individual requirements or reasonable adjustments you may have during the application, interview, or onboarding process and we’ll do all we can to help. We strongly believe in social understanding of disability and for us it’s all about removing barriers to equality.
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy or are having difficulty applying, please contact our Recruitment Team on 01332 640844 (Relay UK - 18001 01332 640 844) or at [email protected]. https://www.derby.gov.uk/signing-service/
