Assistant Academic Support Librarian – Lime Grove (2024)

The opportunity

We are pleased to advertise an exciting opportunity for a full time Grade 3 Assistant Academic Support Librarian within the latest development of UAL Library Services. You will be part of a brand new team supporting Foundation and Pre Degree students based at our newly renovated heritage Library Hub in Lime Grove, West London. The new hub opens in September 2024.

As a member of the Library Services team you will contribute to the development of high quality and student-focused library services which support the academic activities of the University. You will contribute to the daily operational running of the library, which includes local frontline services and working in a functional team. You will support specified courses/programmes of study, participating in course committees. You will establish constructive working relationships with course teams, and promote access to resources, collections and services through effective academic liaison.
You will assist in the provision of enquiry services and develop learning materials which encourage the use of resources and services. You will also answer enquiries in person and on-line, via our live chat service, ASK and assist users with general directional and initial information enquiries, including the use of the library catalogue, electronic information resources. You will supervise and contribute to library shelving plus related activities, demonstrating an understanding of manual handling guidelines which will be required when lifting heavy items.

The role, based in Lime Grove site will be working 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 7 hours per day. Normal working hours will be between 9.00am to 6.00pm but there can be a requirement to work any time during our 8.30am to 8.30pm core hours. You will be required to work a variety of 9am starts or 6pm closes each week.

There might be limited opportunities to work from home dependent on operational needs but onsite working will be the main focus for this role.

About you

We are looking for someone with a compassionate and student-centred approach. You should have a degree qualification or equivalent and relevant experience in library or other education or information roles. Knowledge and experience within a Higher Education institution is desirable but not essential.

Alongside demonstrable experience of working in a library or customer service environment and the ability to work in a team, you will be a first rate communicator with excellent written, presentation and liaison skills. You must also demonstrate the ability to teach information skills. You will need to be proficient in Microsoft office with good IT skills too.

Further details about the requirements can be found in the person specification section of the job description. There are essential criteria that cover experience, knowledge and soft skills.

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) offers an extensive range of courses in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts. We are a collegiate University spread across London with six Colleges, four Institutes and five Research Centres. UAL also has two subsidiary companies, delivering specialist activities – UAL Short Courses Ltd, and UAL Arts Temps Ltd.

We’re made up of all types of people, coming together in London, the world’s creative capital. We are designers, artists, performers, thinkers, researchers and makers. Our students, staff and graduates form a global network of creatives, entrepreneurs and leaders. Together, our ideas change the world. Because the world needs creativity.

We are ranked highly across the board. We are ranked first for specialist art and design, second in the world for Art and Design in the 2023 QS World University Rankings (for the fifth year in a row), ranked fifth in sustainability and two of our colleges were rated in the top three fashion schools in the world.

Our culture

We have become one of the world’s most international Universities, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. And, as a global university, staff and students learn from different cultures and perspectives, which leads to new conversations and innovative work. At our very core, everything we do seeks to challenge the status quo by driving social purpose and standing up for what matters.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds including those who may feel underrepresented in the workforce due to their socioeconomic circ*mstances such as those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E.) backgrounds. We aim to be a university where everyone can be themselves and are supported to reach their full potential.

With our commitment to inclusion and diversity, we are proud to be a Race Equality Charter (REC) member to help us reduce barriers that negatively impacts B.A.M.E. staff, a Stonewall Diversity Champion to ensure all LGBTQ+ people are valued at work, a Disability Confident Scheme Committed employer and member of the Business Disability Forum which help us to improve the lives of disabled people in the workplace.

Candidates are advised to submit applications early.