Library Assistant

Clare County Council/ Comhairle Contae an Chláir is the authority responsible for Local Government in County Clare. The corporate headquarters are located at Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis and there are four Municipal Districts (Ennis, Shannon, Killaloe, and West Clare) which are supported through area offices in Ennis, Scarriff, Shannon, Ennistymon and Kilrush. There are 28 elected members, approximately 990 staff and an annual operating budget of €204 million in 2026.

Clare County Council provides a diverse range of services across a large geographic area. Key services areas include Planning, Placemaking & Economic Development, Rural & Community Development, Housing Services, Housing Activation & Delivery, Capital Infrastructure Delivery, Land Activation, Derelict Sites and Property, Transportation, Mobility and Health & Safety, Climate Action, Environment & Water Services, Fire Service, Building Control & Major Emergency Management, Tourism, Festivals & Events, Libraries, Arts & Cultural Services, Enterprise and Investment, along with and sports & amenities. These operations are supported by internal services which include ICT & Digital Services, Corporate Services & Governance, Finance, People, Culture and Organisational Development functions.

There is a diverse demographic across urban and rural communities with tourism bringing seasonal changes in population and activity in the county. The Shannon estuary, Shannon Airport, industrial zones, and geographic location between larger urban areas, coupled with the unique landscape and heritage add to the diversity of activity in the County. Local democracy is strengthened through the Municipal Districts and changes in legislation and regulation have placed greater emphasis on the role of the Local Authority in driving economic activity, ensuring accountability, accessibility and innovation while placing the customer and the community to the fore of service delivery.

Clare County Council is currently inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the above competition. Clare County Council will, following the interview process, form a panel for the post of Library Assistant from which future relevant vacancies may be filled subject to sanction approval from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Positions will be offered in order of merit as per the panel. This panel will exist for 12 months and may be extended for a further period of 6-12 months at the discretion of the Chief Executive.

Clare Library Service is headquartered in Ennis and manages and supports a network including the Local Studies Centre and fifteen public libraries strategically located across the county. The library service is constantly innovating and diversifying in a dynamic and changing environment, taking advantage of technological advancement in particular to deliver a wide and varied range of front-line services to customers. The Library Service has a cultural remit within the Tourism, Cultural Services, Sport & Recreation & Festivals Directorate which also includes the management of the County Museum, the County Archives, and the Arts Service. Library staff have a collaborative and supporting role in the day-to-day management of these other cultural services.

The Library Assistant is a key support position within the Library service and Library Assistants make a valuable contribution to the provision of the library service centrally and at local branch level by delivering frontline services and by providing support to library management. The duties of the Library Assistant shall be consistent with the provision of a modern public library service that is responsive to the changing requirements of customers of all ages and abilities. The role involves supporting managers and colleagues and working as part of a team in providing front line support, meeting work goals and objectives and delivering quality services to internal and external customers.

Holders of the post may be assigned to a particular Branch Library and may subsequently be moved to another branch or to Library HQ within the Library network.

The Library Assistant role requires customer service skills, a high level of IT proficiency, excellent administrative, interpersonal, communication and other particular skills and expertise depending on assignment.

The ideal candidate for the position shall have:

• Good Customer service
• Work effectively as part of a team
• Have an ability to plan and prioritize workloads
• Be capable of dealing effectively with conflicting demands
• Be capable of working under pressure to tight deadlines
• Ability to adapt to change
• Capable of problem solving
• Operation of ICT systems and standard office software packages
• Ability to communicate effectively across different levels within an organisation
• Maintain confidentiality

Desirable

An interest and ability to work with members of the public, in particular children and teenagers in a library setting.

1. Character 

(a) Each candidate must be of good character. 

2. Health

(a) Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

 3. Education, Training, Experience, etc.

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:

• Each candidate must have a good general level of education.

 *Non-Irish Qualifications must be accompanied by a determination from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to establish their comparability against the Irish National Framework of Qualifications, overseas qualifications must also be accompanied by a translation document.

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Department Circular. Where the appointee has been serving elsewhere in the public service in an analogous grade and pay-scale and will be moving without break to another part of the public sector at an analogous grade, the appointment may be made at the appointee’s current point of scale. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Starting pay for new entrants to the sector will be at the minimum of the scale.

The current salary scale applicable to the post (June 2026): €31,935, €33,702, €34,140, €35,021, €36,312, €37,603, €38,895, €39,833, €40,897, €42,128, €43,004, €44,227, €45,456, €47,770, €49,413 (LSI1)