Summary
As a para-professional, Senior Library Assistant, you will deliver a high-quality, proactive and professional service.
Senior Library Assistants often have responsibility for managing the operational running of the physical knowledge and library space and facilities. They might include:
- Managing enquiries to find research and knowledge to inform patient care, research and professional development for health and public health staff and learners, signposting to resources and undertaking basic research if required
- Delivering introductions to services and provide assistance to help staff and learners use knowledge and library facilities, services and resources
- Supervising the work of other assistants, allocating work, providing advice and training to support the team.
- Ensuring availability and accessibility of all print and digital resources and assisting with making these easy to find and use
- Maintaining library management systems to manage collections, article requests, book loans and report on service activity
- Planning and organising promotional activities and events
Work Activity Components
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Analytical classification and coding (ANCC) (Level 3) | Independently assigns accurate classifications/labels to a broad range of information. Interprets complex information and chooses appropriate classifications/labels. Participates in team quality improvement initiatives. Provides advice and guidance on classification/labelling to others. |
| Learning delivery (ETDL) (Level 3) | Teaches, instructs, and/or trains students/learners in order to develop knowledge, techniques and skills using appropriate methods, tools, online environments, equipment and materials. The students may be of differing levels of ability and potentially have minimal experience of IT. |
| Learning delivery (ETDL) (Level 4) | Teaches, instructs and/or trains students/learners in order to develop knowledge, techniques and skills using appropriate methods, tools, online environments, equipment and materials. The students are likely to be of differing levels of ability and to have some understanding of the application of IT |
Behavioural Skills
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Ambiguity | Comfortable dealing with ambiguity and operating in environments that evolve and change. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Delegation | Delegating tasks, responsibilities and authorities effectively. |
| Follow-up and Monitoring | Checking progress against targets, taking action to resolve exceptions/ issues and reporting and escalating where necessary. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Leadership | Clearly articulating goals and objectives, and motivating and leading others towards their achievement. |
| 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. |
| Providing Direction | Directing others to undertake specified tasks within a defined timescale. |
| Resilience | Demonstrates resilience when working under pressure, displaying a calm and rational approach to the task at hand. |
| Stress Handling | Retaining objectivity and proper understanding of a problem or situation when placed under conditions of stress. |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coaching skills | Concepts, methods and techniques for providing coaching in subject specialisms to individuals or groups (e.g. GROW model). | Increasing Knowledge |
| 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 |
| Deputising | Standing in for supervisor or manager on a temporary basis during periods of absence. | Broadening Activities |
| 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 |
| Gaining Knowledge of the Technical Environment | Gaining knowledge of IT activities in the employing organisation. | 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 |
| Mentoring | Acting as a mentor, advising those for whom there is no direct responsibility, on matters to do with their job role, career and professional development. | 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 Leadership | Undertaking learning and practice of the skills required to lead teams, including motivation, direction, coaching, delegation, appraisal, counselling and developing others. | 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 | Working OR10 | Risk management 1.Demonstrate an ability to follow departmental risk management policies and procedures to assess GKIM-related risks. |
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IT05 | Information security Developing a good understanding of information security principles. |
IT05 | Working IT05 | Information security 1.Follow best practice on information security, such as storing documents on the right system within the organisation and regularly checking settings. |
|
CE13 | Informal learning Facilitating informal learning (for example, through knowledge cafes). |
CE13 | Working CE13 | Informal learning 1.Identify the need for informal learning. 2.Develop some of the learning material for users. |
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework Skills
| Skill | Level |
|---|---|
|
Business process improvement Business process improvement involves analysing and modifying existing and new processes to make them more efficient. |
Awareness Business process improvement You can:
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Problem management Problem management involves anticipating and identifying problems in systems, processes or services, and ensuring appropriate solutions are implemented. |
Working Problem management You can:
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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. |
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1.5 Collection evaluation and information quality |
1.5 Collection evaluation and information quality | Level 2 - Assist I can undertake routine assessment and evaluation of collections. I can assist with the gathering of feedback and undertaking evaluation surveys to inform collection development. |
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1.6 Collection promotion |
1.6 Collection promotion | Level 3 - Apply I can apply a detailed understanding of different groups of staff and learners to the design of marketing and promotion of collections. I can deliver targeted promotion of resources. Librarian |
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2.1 Data management |
2.1 Data management | Level 2 - Assist I can accurately enter and store data in digital systems. I can identify and retrieve data to answer enquiries. I can assist others to manage their research data. |
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2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy |
2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy | Level 2 - Assist I can use effective prompts to retrieve information using AI and critically evaluate the results to inform my own work. I can assist healthcare staff and learners on how to use AI effectively and highlight latest developments and potential risks from AI to the organisation. I can curate organisational information, knowledge assets and data sets for effective use by AI systems. |
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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. |
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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. |
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4.1 Information governance |
4.1 Information governance | Level 2 - Assist I can follow information governance processes to ensure compliance with organisational policies and legal requirements for the handling of data and information within the knowledge and library service. I can ensure knowledge and library systems are fully compliant with information governance requirements. This might include contributing to Data Protection Impact Assessments or having responsibiliteis as an Information Asset Administrator for the knwoledge and library service. |
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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. |
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5.1 Information management |
5.1 Information management | Level 2 - Assist I can develop and apply processes to collect and store organisational information, knowledge assets, digital and print resources. I can use various systems to ensure information assets can be easily found and used in practice. |
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5.4 Metadata |
5.4 Metadata | Level 2 - Assist I can help apply agreed metadata terms to organisational information and digital knowledge resources to make them easier for healthcare and public health staff and learners to find and use. |
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5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies |
5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies | Level 2 - Assist I can help classify digital and print resources and organisational knowledge using agreed schemes and terms, bringing related subjects together so that information is easier to find and use. |
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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. |
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5.10 Cataloguing and resource description |
5.10 Cataloguing and resource description | Level 3 - Apply I can assist with cataloguing knowledge resources by applying rules and formats and resource description standards to add and amend basic records to maintain and improve the organisation and retrieval of knowledge resources. 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 advanced functions on catalogues to locate knowledge resources. |
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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. |
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6.4 Knowledge transfer and organisational learning |
6.4 Knowledge transfer and organisational learning | Level 2 - Assist I can promote tools and techniques for teams to use to learn before, during and after all that they do so others in the organisation or healthcare system can apply that learning to inform and improve their own work. I can assist with facilitating knowledge mobilisation activities to capture lessons learned, maintain directories of expertise or assist with capturing and sharing knowledge before people move on to different roles, avoiding knowledge loss |
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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. |
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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. |
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7.2 Digital literacy |
7.2 Digital literacy | Level 3 - Apply I can deliver basic training for staff and learners to effectively apply digital skills to access digital knowledge resources. |
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7.4 Health literacy |
7.4 Health literacy | Level 3 - Apply I can enable the use of health literacy and readability tools and develop skills to address low levels of health literacy. I can initiate and contribute to work intended to improve health literacy of staff and learners. I can use a range of tools and techniques to improve health literacy training and practice. |
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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 |
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9.1 Research process |
9.1 Research process | Level 2 - Assist I can contribute to research by providing administrative support which might include contacting research subjects, distributing surveys, arranging focus groups and managing research responses. I can provide basic help to healthcare staff and learners to find literature and data to underpin their research. |
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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. |
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9.9 Research support |
9.9 Research support | Level 2 - Assist I can refer research enquiries to the appropriate member of my team or network following internal procedures and guidance. I can assist healthcare staff and learners to access and use research discovery tools and library resources. I can assist with the management of a research repository. I can assist learners with managing references and citations advising on reference management tools |
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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. |
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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. |
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10.5 Service innovation, development and design |
10.5 Service innovation, development and design | Level 1 - Follow I can collect knowledge and library service activity data as required to monitor progress and service trends. I can be aware of current evidence, good practice, innovation and evidence from knowledge and library research to identify service improvements. |
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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. |
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11.1 Leadership skills |
11.1 Leadership skills | Level 2 - Assist I can demonstrate an understanding of a range of leadership skills, self-awareness and emotional intelligence when delivering knowledge and library services. I can lead the delivery of knowledge and library services in my remit of responsibility. |
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11.2 Advocacy |
11.2 Advocacy | Level 2 - Assist I can influence healthcare and public health staff and learners to raise the profile of the knowledge and library service and demonstrate the benefit and impact of the service with peers |
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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. |
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12.1 Strategic planning |
12.1 Strategic planning | Level 2 - Assist I can recognise how my role contributes to the organisational aims and priorities of my knowledge and library service, and organisational priorities. I can explain how performing my role contributes to the implementation of the knowledge and library service strategic plan. |
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12.2 Business planning |
12.2 Business planning | Level 2 - Assist I can assist my team by establishing processes to collect data about services, resources and space to inform strategic business planning. |
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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. |
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12.7 People management |
12.7 People management | Level 2 - Assist I can supervise the work of my immediate team providing motivation and setting goals to deliver high-quality proactive knowledge and library services for my organisation. I can provide training and development for my colleagues, sharing my knowledge and working together to improve services. (SLA, Librarian) |
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12.8 Financial management |
12.8 Financial management | Level 3 - Apply I can understand and apply knowledge and skills to perform a range of finance management techniques, budget planning, financial forecasting and business case development. I can oversee funding for delivery of knowledge and library services within my remit. I can understand and apply organisational financial operating procedures. |
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12.12 Change management |
12.2 Business planning | Level 2 - Assist I can assist my team by establishing processes to collect data about services, resources and space to inform strategic business planning. |
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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. |
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13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies |
13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies | Level 3 - Apply I can use advanced features of knowledge, information and library systems to streamline the delivery of knowledge and library services. I can advise healthcare and public health staff and learners about which knowledge, information or library system is best suited to perform a particular task. I can apply data-entry and system standards for a variety of knowledge, information and library systems to aid interoperability. I can adapt pre-programmed reports to retrieve information to improve service performance |
The Professional Body Responsible for this job family is CILIP. This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus.