Library Assistant

Summary

As a Library Assistant you have a para-professional role where you will deliver a high-quality, proactive and professional service.

You act as the first point of contact with users in person, by telephone, or online. Helping to answer enquiries relating to patient care, research or professional development.

You research enquiries using information from textbooks, databases and other trusted online information sources and triage more complex or specialist enquiries to librarians or other appropriate staff.

You will process new print book acquisitions and ensure items are ready for loan and check that digital knowledge resources such as e-journals and e-books are fully accessible.

You manage the fulfilment of article request and book loan services in accordance with service standards and copyright requirements.

You support users to make effective use of library services and facilities, providing ad-hoc inductions to key services, resources and equipment, and offering basic digital literacy support such as trouble shooting access issues and helping users find and access information using library computers.

You assist with promotional and training activities, including supporting the creation of marketing materials and the planning and delivery of library campaigns and events.

You provide administrative assistance for knowledge and library services and assist with maintaining an accessible and suitable physical and digital library learning space.

Behavioural Skills

Title	Details
Analytical Thinking	Acquiring a proper understanding of a problem or situation by breaking it down systematically into its component parts and identifying the relationships between these parts. Selecting the appropriate method/tool to resolve the problem and reflecting critically on the result, so that what is learnt is identified and assimilated.
Attention to Detail	Applying specific quality standards to all tasks undertaken to ensure that deliverables are accurate and complete.
Critical Thinking	The ability to think clearly and rationally; review and evaluation of processes and outputs; the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking; reasoned thinking involving critique.
Customer Focus	Understanding the needs of the internal or external customer and keeping these in mind when taking actions or making decisions.
Flexibility	Taking account of new information or changed circumstances and/or business requirements and modifying response to a problem or situation accordingly.
Goal Orientation	Maintaining focus on agreed objectives and deliverables.
Improvisation	Dealing effectively with unexpected situations in a timely manner, taking advantage of opportunities and overcoming problems.
Information Acquisition	Identifying gaps in the available information required to understand a problem or situation and devising a means of resolving them.
Initiative	Being proactive, anticipating opportunities for systems, service or product improvement or development and taking appropriate action(s).
Interacting with People	Establishing relationships, contributing to an open culture and maintaining contacts with people from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Effective, approachable and sensitive communicator in different communities and cultures. Ability to adapt style and approach to meet the needs of different audiences.
Organisational Awareness	Understanding the hierarchy and culture of own, customer, supplier and partner organisations and being able to identify the decision makers and influencers.
Planning and Organisation	Determining a course of action by breaking it down into smaller steps and by planning and resourcing each of these, making allowance for potential problems and escalating if necessary.
Resilience	Demonstrates resilience when working under pressure, displaying a calm and rational approach to the task at hand.
Teamwork	Working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal.
Verbal Expression	Communicating effectively using the spoken word.
Written Expression	Communicating effectively in writing, such as reports and via emails.

Professional Development Activity (PDA)

Title	Details	PDA Group
Community of Practice	Contributing to and leading communities of practice to enable the exchange of knowledge for healthcare knowledge and library staff with an interest in specific topics.	Increasing Knowledge
Ethics and Values	Underpinning healthcare ethics and values by providing the best available evidence at the right time, in the right place, to inform decision-making and enable better outcomes for patients and populations.	Developing Professional Skills
Evidence Based Practitioner	Keeping up to date with good practice, innovation and appropriate evidence. Ensuring changes to everyday knowledge and library practice are informed by appropriate evidence and professional knowledge.	Increasing Knowledge
Facilitation skills	Methods and techniques for managing (or facilitating) a meeting or group session (both face-to-face and online) and then through a series of planned activities.	Developing Professional Skills
Gaining Knowledge of Employing Organisation	Gaining basic knowledge of the employing organisation, its business, structure, culture, policies, products/services, operations and terminology.	Increasing Knowledge
Involvement in Professional Body Activities	Attending meetings, seminars and workshops organised by professional body and reading published material, such as journals and web content.	Participation in Professional Activities
Job Shadowing and Special Assignments	Undertaking temporary periods or secondments in other roles, particularly those that offer a new perspective on own function or exposure to other environments and cultures.	Broadening Activities
Organisational and environmental context	Understanding organisational priorities and challenges identified by the executive team.	Increasing Knowledge
Professional development and reflective practice	Reflecting on practice and being self-aware about performance.	Developing Professional Skills
Research Assignments	Exploring a topic which is not part of own normal responsibilities and presenting findings to colleagues and/or management	Increasing Knowledge
Team Working	Undertaking learning and practice in the techniques of team and collaborative working. Gaining an understanding of the underlying concepts.	Developing Professional Skills
Wider library, data, information and knowledge sector context	Networking across the healthcare economy, both information providers, data analysts and health informaticists, to support shared learning and joint working.	Participation in Professional Activities

Qualification Components

Title	Awarding Bodies
Apprenticeship Library, information and archive services assistant (Level 3 ST0664)	Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
CILIP Certified (ACLIP) Member	CILIP
FEDIP Practitioner	The Federation for Informatics Professionals

GKIM Skills Framework Skills

Skill	Level
OR10 \| Risk management Understanding and mitigating risk (for example, as part of a project led by your team).	OR10 \| Awareness OR10 \| Risk management 1.Understand departmental risk management processes and their relationship to GKIM.
IT05 \| Information security Developing a good understanding of information security principles.	IT05 \| Awareness IT05 \| Information security 1.Develop a basic understanding of information security, including security classifications and sharing information with the right people.
CE13 \| Informal learning Facilitating informal learning (for example, through knowledge cafes).	CE13 \| Awareness CE13 \| Informal learning 1.Understand and be able to explain the purpose of informal learning to customers. 2.Support the running of an informal learning event.

Skill

Level

OR10 | Risk management

Understanding and mitigating risk (for example, as part of a project led by your team).

OR10 | Awareness OR10 | Risk management

1.Understand departmental risk management processes and their relationship to GKIM.

IT05 | Information security

Developing a good understanding of information security principles.

IT05 | Awareness IT05 | Information security

1.Develop a basic understanding of information security, including security classifications and sharing information with the right people.

CE13 | Informal learning

Facilitating informal learning (for example, through knowledge cafes).

CE13 | Awareness CE13 | Informal learning

1.Understand and be able to explain the purpose of informal learning to customers. 2.Support the running of an informal learning event.

Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework Skills

Skill	Level
Problem management Problem management involves anticipating and identifying problems in systems, processes or services, and ensuring appropriate solutions are implemented.	Awareness Problem management You can: investigate problems in systems, processes and services, with an understanding of the level of a problem, for example, strategic, tactical or operational contribute to the implementation of remedies and preventative measures

Skill

Level

Problem management

Problem management involves anticipating and identifying problems in systems, processes or services, and ensuring appropriate solutions are implemented.

Awareness Problem management

You can:

investigate problems in systems, processes and services, with an understanding of the level of a problem, for example, strategic, tactical or operational
contribute to the implementation of remedies and preventative measures

Knowledge, Library and Information Management Framework

Skill	Level
1.1 Collection management	1.1 Collection management \| Level 1 - Follow I can understand principles of collection management I can follow guidance to maintain collections, including sustainable disposal of resources.
1.5 Collection evaluation and information quality	1.5 Collection evaluation and information quality \| Level 1 - Follow I can follow service procedures to carry out basic evaluation of collections.
1.6 Collection promotion	1.6 Collection promotion \| Level 2 - Assist I apply an understanding of different groups of staff and learners to develop promotional materials. I can contribute to routine activities to promote collections.
2.1 Data management	2.1 Data management \| Level 1 - Follow I can accurately enter and store data in digital systems.
2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy	2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy \| Level 1 - Follow I can follow policies and guidance to ensure good practice when using new technologies such as AI. I can use effective prompts to retrieve information using AI. I can critically evaluate the results retrieved from using AI.
2.10 Data stewardship	2.10 Data stewardship \| Level 2 - Assist I can follow procedures to ensure the interoperability of data sets. I can assist healthcare staff and learners to understand and protect their data privacy.
3.3 Information retrieval	3.3 Information retrieval \| Level 2 - Assist I have an awareness of diverse purposes for which information is sought. I can develop a basic search strategy. I can apply skills to carry out basic searches using databases, library management systems, discovery tools and the intranet/internet. I can assist with the production of horizon scans, personalised alerts and current awareness bulletins to highlight the latest research and knowledge to healthcare and public health staff.
4.1 Information governance	4.1 Information governance \| Level 1 - Follow I can comply with organisational policies relating to the protection of personal and organisational data and information in my area of work.
4.3 Copyright, intellectual property and licensing	4.3 Copyright, intellectual property and licensing \| Level 2 - Assist I can share information within and beyond organisational boundaries within the limits of licensing, regulation and guidance.
5.1 Information management	5.1 Information management \| Level 1 - Follow I can apply organisational and service policies to collect and organise information resources to make them easy to find.
5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies	5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies \| Level 1 - Follow I can understand the systems and schemes in place in my knowledge and library service to systematically group resources and information together (classification). I can understand the hierarchy of terms applied in my organisation to demonstrate relationships between groups of information and knowledge (taxonomies).
5.8 Subject indexing	5.8 Subject indexing \| Level 2 - Assist I can select and use pre-defined subject headings such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to organise information, knowledge and resources to make them easier for people to locate. I can make suggestions, based on my interactions with healthcare and public health staff and learners, on how to improve pre-defined schemes such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to ensure they remain relevant for use with local collections and reflect evolving language, culture, terminology and remain suited to local needs.
5.10 Cataloguing and resource description	5.10 Cataloguing and resource description \| Level 2 - Assist I can demonstrate an awareness of how the standard rules of cataloguing and describing resources aids the effective location of knowledge resources. I can, under supervision, perform basic cataloguing tasks such as adding copies to pre-existing records or amending classmarks using local guidance. I can use advanced features within catalogues to effectively locate knowledge resources held in knowledge and library collections. I can demonstrate to a library user how to use functions on catalogues to locate knowledge resources.
6.1 Knowledge management	6.1 Knowledge management \| Level 2 - Assist I can provide administrative support to establish and maintain activities to capture and share knowledge and know-how I can assist with the organisation of activities, such as Knowledge Cafes and Communities of Practice, for healthcare and public health staff, learners and the public to connect, collaborate and share their learning, explicit and tacit knowledge. I can organise knowledge captured from knowledge sharing events so that insights and learning can be easily accessed, shared and applied in policy and practice.
6.5 Knowledge sharing and collaboration	6.5 Knowledge sharing and collaboration \| Level 2 - Assist I can assist with opportunities to encourage people to collaborate and share knowledge. I can follow guidance to set-up and assist with maintaining active Communities of Practice. I can provide administrative assistance to deliver knowledge sharing activities such as Knowledge Cafes and Randomised Coffee Trials I can respond to enquiries about knowledge sharing, highlighting collaboration tools and techniques, and referring enquiries about these to my team.
7.1 Information literacy	7.1 Information literacy \| Level 2 - Assist I can assess the quality and validate information sources in my area of work. I can appraise and evaluate information when answering enquiries. I can provide basic assistance to healthcare and public health staff and learners on how to evaluate information and misinformation.
7.2 Digital literacy	7.2 Digital literacy \| Level 2 - Assist I can assist staff and learners in the library learning environment to effectively apply digital skills to access digital knowledge resources.
7.4 Health literacy	7.4 Health literacy \| Level 2 - Assist I can support delivery and promotion of health literacy awareness across the organisation. I can assist when working in partnership to raise health literacy awareness to patients and the public in my local community.
7.8 Learning environments	7.8 Learning environments \| Level 2 - Assist I can oversee the management of the library learning space to ensure suitability for staff and learners. I can maintain an appropriate environment to nurture study, innovation and wellbeing for staff and learners. I can assist with maintaining digital resources and digital learning space. I can provide inductions to staff and learners on the use of the library learning space and availability of facilities and resources
9.7 Communication of research findings	9.7 Communication of research findings \| Level 2 - Assist I can assist with the production of engaging research outputs such as infographics and presentations. I can promote the research repository to help disseminate locally produced research findings.
10.1 Customer service skills	10.1 Customer service skills \| Level 2 - Assist I can engage with staff and learners to adapt knowledge and library service offers to meet their individual needs. I can work with the knowledge and library service team to define and review customer service standards. I can apply a range of techniques to provide a customer-centric effective enquiry service.
10.3 Community engagement in planning	10.3 Community engagement in planning \| Level 2 - Assist I can use a range of different methods to engage with healthcare and public health staff and learners to gather feedback about knowledge and library services. I can carry out basic analysis of feedback about knowledge and library services to assist with identifying and meeting user needs.
10.5 Service innovation, development and design	10.5 Service innovation, development and design \| Level 2 - Assist I can keep up to date with current evidence, good practice, innovation and evidence from knowledge and library research to identify service improvements. I can understand quality improvement methodology and how to apply it to my area of work. I can set up processes to collect service activity data to show use of the knowledge and library service and demonstrate progress. I can execute evidence searches to support decision making and inform service innovation, development and design.
10.8 Marketing	10.8 Marketing \| Level 2 - Assist I can be responsible for taking forward actions in the marketing plan to promote the knowledge service offer taking account of the user experience and needs. I can create targeted and themed marketing and promotion materia.l I an apply an understanding of a range of marketing techniques to identify user needs.
11.1 Leadership skills	11.1 Leadership skills \| Level 1 - Follow . I can lead my own area of work within the knowledge and library service and contribute to the knowledge and library services team.
11.3 Demonstrating value and impact	11.3 Demonstrating value and impact \| Level 2 - Assist I can collect both quantitative and qualitative data for a range of knowledge and library services to demonstrate the impact on staff and learners. I can demonstrate the impact and value of the service and market it in an innovative and proactive way.
12.1 Strategic planning	12.1 Strategic planning \| Level 1 - Follow I can recognise how my role contributes to the organisational aims and priorities of my knowledge and library service and organisation.
12.2 Business planning	12.2 Business planning \| Level 1 - Follow I can contribute to business planning by collecting information about the use of services, resources and space.
12.3 Operational planning	12.3 Operational planning \| Level 2 - Assist I can implement local and national guidance to ensure the effective delivery of services. I can escalate and in some cases resolve issues with resources or facilities so they can be resolved quickly. I can manage risks and maintain continuity of service.
12.8 Financial management	12.8 Financial management \| Level 2 - Assist I can understand and apply within my remit the organisational financial operating procedures.
12.12 Change management
13.2 Exploiting technology	13.2 Exploiting technology \| Level 3 - Apply I can use existing digital technologies effectively to deliver knowledge and library services, find and distribute information and collaborate with colleagues. I can engage with emerging technologies and apply these to improve and streamline the delivery of knowledge and lirbary services. I can establish processes to use the most appropriate technological systems for the exploitation and use of organisational knowledge. This might include maintaining content management systems, knowledge repositories and use of digital resources and services. I can deliver basic training in digital skills an digital literacy in response to enquiries from healthcare and public health staff and learners.
13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies	13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies \| Level 2 - Assist I can use advanced features within a range of knowledge, information and library technologies to answer enquiries and deliver the knowledge and library service. I can select and recommend to healthcare and public health staff and learners the best knowledge, information and library technology to use for a particular task - e.g. a Discovery system to find published journal articles and books and a SharePoint site to locate organisational knowledge assets. I can follow system-standards to contribute data to a variety of knowledge, information and library systems. I can run reports and interrogate knowledge, information and library systems to locate data to drive service improvement.

Skill

Level

1.1 Collection management

1.1 Collection management | Level 1 - Follow

I can understand principles of collection management I can follow guidance to maintain collections, including sustainable disposal of resources.

1.5 Collection evaluation and information quality

1.5 Collection evaluation and information quality | Level 1 - Follow

I can follow service procedures to carry out basic evaluation of collections.

1.6 Collection promotion

1.6 Collection promotion | Level 2 - Assist

I apply an understanding of different groups of staff and learners to develop promotional materials. I can contribute to routine activities to promote collections.

2.1 Data management

2.1 Data management | Level 1 - Follow

I can accurately enter and store data in digital systems.

2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy

2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy | Level 1 - Follow

I can follow policies and guidance to ensure good practice when using new technologies such as AI. I can use effective prompts to retrieve information using AI. I can critically evaluate the results retrieved from using AI.

2.10 Data stewardship

2.10 Data stewardship | Level 2 - Assist

I can follow procedures to ensure the interoperability of data sets. I can assist healthcare staff and learners to understand and protect their data privacy.

3.3 Information retrieval

3.3 Information retrieval | Level 2 - Assist

I have an awareness of diverse purposes for which information is sought. I can develop a basic search strategy. I can apply skills to carry out basic searches using databases, library management systems, discovery tools and the intranet/internet. I can assist with the production of horizon scans, personalised alerts and current awareness bulletins to highlight the latest research and knowledge to healthcare and public health staff.

4.1 Information governance

4.1 Information governance | Level 1 - Follow

I can comply with organisational policies relating to the protection of personal and organisational data and information in my area of work.

4.3 Copyright, intellectual property and licensing

4.3 Copyright, intellectual property and licensing | Level 2 - Assist

I can share information within and beyond organisational boundaries within the limits of licensing, regulation and guidance.

5.1 Information management

5.1 Information management | Level 1 - Follow

I can apply organisational and service policies to collect and organise information resources to make them easy to find.

5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies

5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies | Level 1 - Follow

I can understand the systems and schemes in place in my knowledge and library service to systematically group resources and information together (classification). I can understand the hierarchy of terms applied in my organisation to demonstrate relationships between groups of information and knowledge (taxonomies).

5.8 Subject indexing

5.8 Subject indexing | Level 2 - Assist

I can select and use pre-defined subject headings such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to organise information, knowledge and resources to make them easier for people to locate. I can make suggestions, based on my interactions with healthcare and public health staff and learners, on how to improve pre-defined schemes such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to ensure they remain relevant for use with local collections and reflect evolving language, culture, terminology and remain suited to local needs.

5.10 Cataloguing and resource description

5.10 Cataloguing and resource description | Level 2 - Assist

I can demonstrate an awareness of how the standard rules of cataloguing and describing resources aids the effective location of knowledge resources. I can, under supervision, perform basic cataloguing tasks such as adding copies to pre-existing records or amending classmarks using local guidance. I can use advanced features within catalogues to effectively locate knowledge resources held in knowledge and library collections. I can demonstrate to a library user how to use functions on catalogues to locate knowledge resources.

6.1 Knowledge management

6.1 Knowledge management | Level 2 - Assist

I can provide administrative support to establish and maintain activities to capture and share knowledge and know-how I can assist with the organisation of activities, such as Knowledge Cafes and Communities of Practice, for healthcare and public health staff, learners and the public to connect, collaborate and share their learning, explicit and tacit knowledge. I can organise knowledge captured from knowledge sharing events so that insights and learning can be easily accessed, shared and applied in policy and practice.

6.5 Knowledge sharing and collaboration

6.5 Knowledge sharing and collaboration | Level 2 - Assist

I can assist with opportunities to encourage people to collaborate and share knowledge. I can follow guidance to set-up and assist with maintaining active Communities of Practice. I can provide administrative assistance to deliver knowledge sharing activities such as Knowledge Cafes and Randomised Coffee Trials I can respond to enquiries about knowledge sharing, highlighting collaboration tools and techniques, and referring enquiries about these to my team.

7.1 Information literacy

7.1 Information literacy | Level 2 - Assist

I can assess the quality and validate information sources in my area of work. I can appraise and evaluate information when answering enquiries. I can provide basic assistance to healthcare and public health staff and learners on how to evaluate information and misinformation.

7.2 Digital literacy

7.2 Digital literacy | Level 2 - Assist

I can assist staff and learners in the library learning environment to effectively apply digital skills to access digital knowledge resources.

7.4 Health literacy

7.4 Health literacy | Level 2 - Assist

I can support delivery and promotion of health literacy awareness across the organisation. I can assist when working in partnership to raise health literacy awareness to patients and the public in my local community.

7.8 Learning environments

7.8 Learning environments | Level 2 - Assist

I can oversee the management of the library learning space to ensure suitability for staff and learners. I can maintain an appropriate environment to nurture study, innovation and wellbeing for staff and learners. I can assist with maintaining digital resources and digital learning space. I can provide inductions to staff and learners on the use of the library learning space and availability of facilities and resources

9.7 Communication of research findings

9.7 Communication of research findings | Level 2 - Assist

I can assist with the production of engaging research outputs such as infographics and presentations. I can promote the research repository to help disseminate locally produced research findings.

10.1 Customer service skills

10.1 Customer service skills | Level 2 - Assist

I can engage with staff and learners to adapt knowledge and library service offers to meet their individual needs. I can work with the knowledge and library service team to define and review customer service standards. I can apply a range of techniques to provide a customer-centric effective enquiry service.

10.3 Community engagement in planning

10.3 Community engagement in planning | Level 2 - Assist

I can use a range of different methods to engage with healthcare and public health staff and learners to gather feedback about knowledge and library services. I can carry out basic analysis of feedback about knowledge and library services to assist with identifying and meeting user needs.

10.5 Service innovation, development and design

10.5 Service innovation, development and design | Level 2 - Assist

I can keep up to date with current evidence, good practice, innovation and evidence from knowledge and library research to identify service improvements. I can understand quality improvement methodology and how to apply it to my area of work. I can set up processes to collect service activity data to show use of the knowledge and library service and demonstrate progress. I can execute evidence searches to support decision making and inform service innovation, development and design.

10.8 Marketing

10.8 Marketing | Level 2 - Assist

I can be responsible for taking forward actions in the marketing plan to promote the knowledge service offer taking account of the user experience and needs. I can create targeted and themed marketing and promotion materia.l I an apply an understanding of a range of marketing techniques to identify user needs.

11.1 Leadership skills

11.1 Leadership skills | Level 1 - Follow

. I can lead my own area of work within the knowledge and library service and contribute to the knowledge and library services team.

11.3 Demonstrating value and impact

11.3 Demonstrating value and impact | Level 2 - Assist

I can collect both quantitative and qualitative data for a range of knowledge and library services to demonstrate the impact on staff and learners. I can demonstrate the impact and value of the service and market it in an innovative and proactive way.

12.1 Strategic planning

12.1 Strategic planning | Level 1 - Follow

I can recognise how my role contributes to the organisational aims and priorities of my knowledge and library service and organisation.

12.2 Business planning

12.2 Business planning | Level 1 - Follow

I can contribute to business planning by collecting information about the use of services, resources and space.

12.3 Operational planning

12.3 Operational planning | Level 2 - Assist

I can implement local and national guidance to ensure the effective delivery of services. I can escalate and in some cases resolve issues with resources or facilities so they can be resolved quickly. I can manage risks and maintain continuity of service.

12.8 Financial management

12.8 Financial management | Level 2 - Assist

I can understand and apply within my remit the organisational financial operating procedures.

12.12 Change management

13.2 Exploiting technology

13.2 Exploiting technology | Level 3 - Apply

I can use existing digital technologies effectively to deliver knowledge and library services, find and distribute information and collaborate with colleagues. I can engage with emerging technologies and apply these to improve and streamline the delivery of knowledge and lirbary services. I can establish processes to use the most appropriate technological systems for the exploitation and use of organisational knowledge. This might include maintaining content management systems, knowledge repositories and use of digital resources and services. I can deliver basic training in digital skills an digital literacy in response to enquiries from healthcare and public health staff and learners.

13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies

13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies | Level 2 - Assist

I can use advanced features within a range of knowledge, information and library technologies to answer enquiries and deliver the knowledge and library service. I can select and recommend to healthcare and public health staff and learners the best knowledge, information and library technology to use for a particular task - e.g. a Discovery system to find published journal articles and books and a SharePoint site to locate organisational knowledge assets. I can follow system-standards to contribute data to a variety of knowledge, information and library systems. I can run reports and interrogate knowledge, information and library systems to locate data to drive service improvement.

The Professional Body Responsible for this job family is CILIP. This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus.

Summary

Behavioural Skills

Professional Development Activity (PDA)

Qualification Components

GKIM Skills Framework Skills

Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework Skills

Knowledge, Library and Information Management Framework

Give Feedback