London Borough of Hounslow
Community Library Assistant
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About Us At Hounslow
We’d love you to join us at the London Borough of Hounslow! Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be.
We are an outstanding council, serving an outstanding borough. With brilliant, visionary leadership, a dynamic Cabinet and a can-do culture, we’ve built strong partnerships which have transformed how we serve one of London’s most diverse boroughs. Hounslow is the world in one place and full of potential. We are stepping up for our residents like never before.
About Our Commitment To Diversity And Inclusion
We live by five core values: Lead with Heart, Do New, Pass on the Power, Harness the Mix and Be a Rock. All our work has equality, diversity and inclusion at its very heart, best articulated in “Harness the Mix”. It's about breaking down barriers between our parts and people and unlocking the problem-solving power of our amazing mix of minds.
We serve a diverse community, we have a diverse workforce and we are committed to being an inclusive employer.
We work hard to create representation across our workforce and leadership community, we have thriving employee network groups and our learning and development programmes help us lead, model and breathe ways of working that eliminate inequality, inequity, injustice and bias.
As part of this and under our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer, we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate our candidates. There’s space for you to tell us what you need within our application form.
Our Benefits
About The Role
Do you enjoy helping people, creating welcoming community spaces and inspiring a lifelong love of reading? If so, we'd love to hear from you.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our friendly Localities and Community Hubs team as a Community & Library Assistant on a 27-hour fixed-term contract for 12 months.
The post is primarily based within the Chiswick Hub, but flexibility is essential as you may be required to work across any of the 11 Community Hubs and Libraries in the London Borough of Hounslow.
This varied and rewarding role is perfect for someone who enjoys working with people and making a positive difference in their community. You will be part of a supportive team, delivering excellent customer service and helping residents access library, digital and community services. No two days are the same, and you will use a broad range of skills including customer service, communication, organisation, ICT support, cash handling, and the delivery of activities for both children and adults.
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The Role Includes Regular Evening And Weekend Working:
Week 1
- Monday: 10:00am to 8:00pm
- Wednesday: 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Friday: 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Saturday: 9:30am to 5:30pm
Week 2
- Monday: 10:00am to 8:00pm
- Wednesday: 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Friday: 9:30am to 5:30pm
In Addition, You Will Be Required To Work:
- One Sunday every 10 weeks (11:00am to 4:00pm) at Hounslow Library on a rota basis
About The Team You’ll Be Working In
You will be based within the Chiswick Hub, which includes the vibrant community libraries of Brentford, Chiswick, Heston and Osterley. As part of a wider borough-wide service, there may be occasions when you are asked to provide support at our other Community Hubs and Libraries.
Our Community Hubs and Libraries sit at the heart of local communities. They are welcoming spaces where:
- Readers discover new books and authors
- Students study, revise and learn
- Families enjoy activities and events together
- Residents build social connections and reduce isolation
- Customers access advice, guidance and council services
- People develop confidence through digital support and learning opportunities
These are dynamic and busy environments where excellent customer service, creativity and adaptability are essential. Your day might involve helping customers find their next great read, supporting residents to access online services, creating attractive book displays, assisting with events and activities, or helping to maintain and promote our collections.
You will also play an active role in delivering engagement activities such as Rhymetime, Storytime, craft sessions and community events, helping to create positive and enriching experiences for residents of all ages.
Hounslow Community Hubs and Libraries welcome approximately 345,000 visits each year and provide access to more than 230,000 items, alongside specialist collections. Through our membership of The Libraries Consortium, customers can access a shared collection of more than three million items.
About You
We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, approachable and passionate about delivering great customer experiences.
You Will Bring:
- A customer-focused, friendly and cooperative approach
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Confidence using IT systems, including Microsoft Office, internet-based services and library management systems
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
- The ability to remain calm, accurate and efficient in a busy environment
- Initiative and confidence when working independently
- Creativity and enthusiasm for delivering engaging activities and events, particularly for children and families
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If the following sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you:
- You enjoy delivering excellent customer service and acting as a first point of contact for customers in person, by telephone and online
- You are confident supporting customers to use library resources, equipment and public-access technology
- You enjoy organising and helping to deliver activities and events, including promoting sessions and managing bookings
- You take pride in creating welcoming, safe and well-presented community spaces
- You are passionate about helping people develop their digital skills and access online services
Qualifications:
- English & Maths GCSE A–C (or equivalent), or the ability to demonstrate equivalent experience
Essential For The Role:
- Enhanced DBS
For further information about the role and key responsibilities, please refer to the Role Profile.
The Interview
If shortlisted, you will be invited to attend an interview consisting of:
- Five competency-based interview questions
- A children's reading activity using a baby book or picture book
- A strict alphabetical ordering test
At the start of the interview, candidates will be given 10 minutes to select a book from those provided and review the interview questions before the interview begins.
Don’t meet every single requirement? We know that the perfect candidate doesn't exist. If you feel you can make a positive contribution to our team and meet most of the criteria, we'd encourage you to apply. You may be just the person we're looking for, either for this role or future opportunities within our service.
When Interviews Will Be Held And Who To Contact
Most key details can be found in the Role Profile. However, if you have any questions about the role, please contact:
Email:
Interview period: Week commencing 26 October 2026.
(please seek your line manager approval before applying for this role as secondment.)
Email:
Interview period: Week commencing 26 October 2026.
(please seek your line manager approval before applying for this role as secondment.)
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