Job summary
You will assist the Library and Knowledge Services Manager and library team in delivering an efficient, forward-looking and innovative Library and Knowledge Service (LKS).
The Librarian plays a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of library and knowledge services to healthcare professionals, students on placement, researchers, innovators and other groups.
Some of your responsibilities will be to manage the front-of-house library services on a day-to-day basis; provide support to library users (staff and students across the integrated care organisation), line-manage junior library staff; deliver outreach activities, contribute to the library's evidence search service; marketing and promotion of library and knowledge services; help maintain library collections; co-manage regional OpenAthens administrative duties; and deputise in the absence of senior library staff.
Main duties of the job
- To manage the front-of-house library services on a day-to-day basis
- Provide support to library users (staff and students across the integrated care organisation),
- Line-manage junior library staff; deliver outreach activities, contribute to the library's evidence search service
- Marketing and promotion of library and knowledge services
- Help maintain library collections
- Co-manage regional OpenAthens administrative duties; and deputise in the absence of senior library staff.
About us
Why Work With Us
We are a small, friendly team of 5 staff based at Torbay Hospital, Torquay, providing library and knowledge services across Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. We help improve patient care by enabling and transforming the way professionals use evidence-based information.
Our users are Trust staff, students (medical, nursing, allied health professionals and others) on placement, Rowcroft Hospice staff, primary care and health and social care colleagues across Torbay and South Devon, and Devon Partnership NHS Trust staff.
We also work nationally and regionally on the national NHS England resource discovery workstream by contributing to development of the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub and co-managing the regional library management system.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communication and working relationships:
- Liaise with and visit specific departments and other sites to increase awareness of library and knowledge services.Deliver induction sessions, including the main Trust induction and induction sessions for new students joining the Trust.Contribute to collaborative activity and policy-making in health library networks at regional and national levels, as appropriate.Support junior library staff to provide high-quality library services.Implement the LKS marketing and promotion plan aimed at Trust staff and students.Create and manage social media posts to promote LKS services and specific health and social care related campaigns.
Analytical and judgement:
- Undertake collection management activities, including purchase lists for students on placement, assessment of old stock for withdrawal, identifying areas for development, assessing appropriate material for purchase and ordering new stock; catalogue and classify new stock where necessary.
Planning and organisation:
- Supervise the day-to-day running of front-line library services to deliver high quality services to users.
- Co-manage the NHSE-contracted elements of OpenAthens regional administration for the South West and Thames Valley & Wessex.
- Manage and deliver inter-library loans/document supply service.
Physical skills:
- Ability to type quickly and accurately when entering data into a system or compiling reports.
- Ability to carry books and other physical resources, and reshelve items.
- Able to manage distractions and interruptions when working from the enquiries desk.
- Able to sustain attention and concentration when entering data for sustained periods.
Patient and client care:
- There is no direct patient contact with this librarian role, but there may be some interaction with patients when working with staff in clinical areas or areas supporting patients/service users.
- Manage all types of enquiries from service users, other departments and other library services.
- Identify unmet training and information needs within our user base.
- Deliver formal information skills training to groups and individuals via face-to-face or remote learning, enabling them to effectively undertake evidence searches and critically appraise information.
- Provide basic training and support to users on accessing and navigating library systems, electronic resources and online catalogues.
Policy and service development:
- Help contribute to continuous service improvement by gathering and collating feedback and statistics.
- Support the Library and Knowledge Services Manager to demonstrate quality improvement in LKS delivery.
- Assist in the development, documentation and review of policies, procedures and standards relating to the whole library service.
Finance, equipment and other resources:
- Aid and assist library users as appropriate with library equipment.
- Assist the Library and Knowledge Services Manager to evaluate resources to inform procurement decision-making.
- Share information from collection management activities.
People management and training:
- Line-manage junior library staff.
- Provide cross cover within the library team, where appropriate, in order to cover NHSE-commissioned activity, outreach and leave.
- Undertake personal and professional development as appropriate to the post.
- Assist in the creation and maintenance of course training plans, guides and handouts for library users.
- Contribute to the development of LKS e-learning packages or videos.
Information technology and administrative duties:
- Supervise regular housekeeping tasks to ensure that member records are kept in accordance with GDPR, and expired records are disposed of in a secure and timely manner.
- Contribute to the maintenance and development of the library website.
- Aid and assist library users as appropriate with IT.
Research and development:
- There is no direct responsibility for research or quality improvement in this post, but the post does involve undertaking evidence searches under the guidance of the Clinical Librarian.
- Horizon scan library and knowledge service literature to inform best practice.
Freedom to act:
- Understand and uphold all current legislation pertaining to the service, including data protection, copyright and the NHS CLA agreement.
- Undertake any other appropriate tasks which may be requested.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communication and working relationships:
- Liaise with and visit specific departments and other sites to increase awareness of library and knowledge services.Deliver induction sessions, including the main Trust induction and induction sessions for new students joining the Trust.Contribute to collaborative activity and policy-making in health library networks at regional and national levels, as appropriate.Support junior library staff to provide high-quality library services.Implement the LKS marketing and promotion plan aimed at Trust staff and students.Create and manage social media posts to promote LKS services and specific health and social care related campaigns.
Analytical and judgement:
- Undertake collection management activities, including purchase lists for students on placement, assessment of old stock for withdrawal, identifying areas for development, assessing appropriate material for purchase and ordering new stock; catalogue and classify new stock where necessary.
Planning and organisation:
- Supervise the day-to-day running of front-line library services to deliver high quality services to users.
- Co-manage the NHSE-contracted elements of OpenAthens regional administration for the South West and Thames Valley & Wessex.
- Manage and deliver inter-library loans/document supply service.
Physical skills:
- Ability to type quickly and accurately when entering data into a system or compiling reports.
- Ability to carry books and other physical resources, and reshelve items.
- Able to manage distractions and interruptions when working from the enquiries desk.
- Able to sustain attention and concentration when entering data for sustained periods.
Patient and client care:
- There is no direct patient contact with this librarian role, but there may be some interaction with patients when working with staff in clinical areas or areas supporting patients/service users.
- Manage all types of enquiries from service users, other departments and other library services.
- Identify unmet training and information needs within our user base.
- Deliver formal information skills training to groups and individuals via face-to-face or remote learning, enabling them to effectively undertake evidence searches and critically appraise information.
- Provide basic training and support to users on accessing and navigating library systems, electronic resources and online catalogues.
Policy and service development:
- Help contribute to continuous service improvement by gathering and collating feedback and statistics.
- Support the Library and Knowledge Services Manager to demonstrate quality improvement in LKS delivery.
- Assist in the development, documentation and review of policies, procedures and standards relating to the whole library service.
Finance, equipment and other resources:
- Aid and assist library users as appropriate with library equipment.
- Assist the Library and Knowledge Services Manager to evaluate resources to inform procurement decision-making.
- Share information from collection management activities.
People management and training:
- Line-manage junior library staff.
- Provide cross cover within the library team, where appropriate, in order to cover NHSE-commissioned activity, outreach and leave.
- Undertake personal and professional development as appropriate to the post.
- Assist in the creation and maintenance of course training plans, guides and handouts for library users.
- Contribute to the development of LKS e-learning packages or videos.
Information technology and administrative duties:
- Supervise regular housekeeping tasks to ensure that member records are kept in accordance with GDPR, and expired records are disposed of in a secure and timely manner.
- Contribute to the maintenance and development of the library website.
- Aid and assist library users as appropriate with IT.
Research and development:
- There is no direct responsibility for research or quality improvement in this post, but the post does involve undertaking evidence searches under the guidance of the Clinical Librarian.
- Horizon scan library and knowledge service literature to inform best practice.
Freedom to act:
- Understand and uphold all current legislation pertaining to the service, including data protection, copyright and the NHS CLA agreement.
- Undertake any other appropriate tasks which may be requested.
Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential
- Graduate level qualification in LIS OR Post graduate qualification (or working towards) in LIS OR commensurate work experience
- Evidence of recent, relevant continuing professional and personal development
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Experience in the delivery of presentations
- Experience of providing services to a remote user base
- Positive attitude to change
- Effective communication skills at all levels, both verbal and written, together with the ability to relate to library users
- Good ICT skills and extensive knowledge of library, web and office applications
- Ability to work as part of a team, work unsupervised and to prioritise workloads
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to think innovatively and creatively and a willingness to offer new ideas and approaches
- Knowledge of UK copyright and data protection law
- Self-motivated, team player
- Proactive and flexible approach to work
- Positive customer service attitude and excellent interpersonal skills
Desirable
- Experience of developing training material
- Experience in user research and service evaluation
- Experience in delivering knowledge management activities
- Social media/website administration experience
- Experience in change management
Specific skills
Essential
- Experience in the use of an electronic library management system
Desirable
- Experience of searching specialist databases
- Experience of supporting in-depth enquiries: searching and retrieval of information via electronic and printed sources
- Knowledge and experience of cataloguing and classification
- Developing e-learning materials
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Critical appraisal skills
Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential
- Graduate level qualification in LIS OR Post graduate qualification (or working towards) in LIS OR commensurate work experience
- Evidence of recent, relevant continuing professional and personal development
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Experience in the delivery of presentations
- Experience of providing services to a remote user base
- Positive attitude to change
- Effective communication skills at all levels, both verbal and written, together with the ability to relate to library users
- Good ICT skills and extensive knowledge of library, web and office applications
- Ability to work as part of a team, work unsupervised and to prioritise workloads
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to think innovatively and creatively and a willingness to offer new ideas and approaches
- Knowledge of UK copyright and data protection law
- Self-motivated, team player
- Proactive and flexible approach to work
- Positive customer service attitude and excellent interpersonal skills
Desirable
- Experience of developing training material
- Experience in user research and service evaluation
- Experience in delivering knowledge management activities
- Social media/website administration experience
- Experience in change management
Specific skills
Essential
- Experience in the use of an electronic library management system
Desirable
- Experience of searching specialist databases
- Experience of supporting in-depth enquiries: searching and retrieval of information via electronic and printed sources
- Knowledge and experience of cataloguing and classification
- Developing e-learning materials
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Critical appraisal skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
