Library Assistant

About Fingal County Council

Fingal is a highly attractive place to live, work, visit and do business. It comprises a geographical area of 450 sq.km stretching from Balbriggan in the north, to Blanchardstown in the west and to Howth in the east. The area is defined by the diversity of its landscape and settlement patterns with rural, urban and suburban locations all rolled into one county. There are 88km of coastline, three large protected estuaries and salt marsh habitats and 13 major beaches. Fingal County Council is one of the county’s major local employers and currently employs approximately 1,600 staff. The Council is mandated to deliver a diverse range of functions and services which can be broadly described under the headings of the provision of physical and social infrastructure, housing, economic and tourism development, community development, recreation and amenity services and the management of the planning and environmental regulatory framework. The role of the County Council as provided for in law is to represent, lead and serve the communities of Fingal.

1.    Duties

The duties will be such as may be assigned by the Local Authority or its appropriate officer from time to time.

Persons employed will be required to work in any location within the Fingal administrative area. 

The duties include but are not limited to:

• Supporting Librarians in the delivery of the library service

• Supporting and delivering national programmes and services for all members of the community

• Providing frontline library service to the public with an emphasis on inclusivity and excellent customer service

• Helping library users retrieve information and access library and other services
• Assisting in the organisation and delivery of activities and events – book clubs, storytelling etc

• Effectively maintaining and promoting stock in the library through shelving and display

• Dealing proactively and professionally with customers across a range of platforms – electronic, phone and in person

• Using and promoting the use of new technologies

• Assisting in library outreach to communities and schools

• Providing advice and guidance on reading material for adults and children

• Carrying out administrative duties relevant to the library service

• Any other duties that may be assigned from time to time.

2.    Qualifications and requirements of the post

CHARACTER

Each candidate must be of good character.

The ideal candidate shall have:

 • have an understanding of the Council’s purpose and knowledge of public service organisation in Ireland;

• have an ability to work effectively within a team to achieve a common goal, ensuring standards are adhered to and maintained;

• have good interpersonal and communications skills;

• Strong customer service ethos;

 • understand the changing environment and be capable of adapting to change in order to deliver quality services to our citizens;

 • demonstrate good administrative experience;

 • have an ability to work on own initiative, in an independent environment and without constant supervision;

 • have an awareness of Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations, the implications for the organisation and the employee, and their application in the workplace

HEALTH

Each candidate must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. 

EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, ETC.

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

(i)               Have a good general level of education

The Selection Process:

Fingal County Council reserves the right to shortlist applications, if required. This is not to suggest that any candidate may be unsuitable or incapable of undertaking the duties of the post advertised, but rather that there may be candidates who have demonstrated that they are better qualified and/or have more relevant experience.

The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview shall be determined by the local authority from time to time, having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled.

Step 1: Initial Screening

In the first instance, all applications received by the latest date/time for receipt of completed applications are screened for eligibility in accordance with the qualifications for the post as set out in this booklet and declared by the Minister for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001.

Step 2: Shortlisting

Each candidate’s application may be assessed against pre-determined criteria based on the requirements of the position as outlined in this booklet. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to provide a detailed and accurate account of their qualifications and/or experience in their application form and to outline the relevance of their experience in the examples provided.

Step 3: Interview

Candidates who are successful in the shortlisting process will be invited to attend for interview(s). Fingal County Council will endeavor to give sufficient notice of the interview to shortlisted candidates. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of the candidate to make themselves available on the date/time selected. Candidates who do not attend for interview will be deemed to have withdrawn their application from the competition. Expenses incurred by candidates in attending for interview, will be at the candidates own expense.

An independent interview board will be established by the Senior Executive Officer, People Services, or other designated officer, to assess the candidates shortlisted for interview. The interview board will generally comprise of a Chairperson and two other members, who will have expert knowledge in the relevant field. The objective of the interview board is to identify candidates who best meet the objective criteria and competencies required for the position and to place them in order of merit.

Candidates who are successful in the interview will be qualified in order of merit for appointment to the post of Staff Officer and placed on a panel. It should be noted that placement on a panel may not necessarily lead to a job offer. The selection process is not concluded until such time as references have been sought and clearance checks, i.e. Garda vetting, occupational health, verification of education qualifications, etc, have been carried out to the satisfaction of the Council.

3.    Particulars of Employment

The employment is wholetime, permanent and pensionable.

(i) Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay Class A rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (i.e. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependant or qualified children).

(ii) Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class D rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 5% of their pensionable remuneration.

(iii) All persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority will be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouse’s and Children’s Contributory Pension) Scheme to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the Scheme.

(iv) New members joining the Public Sector after the 1st January 2013 will be required to join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. A rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 3% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (i.e. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependant or qualified children). This includes a contribution to a Spouse’s and Children’s Scheme.

PROBATION

Where persons who are not already employees of a Local Authority are employed, the following provisions shall apply: 

(a)             there shall be a period after such employment take effect during which such persons shall hold such employment on probation,

(b)             such period shall be one year, but the Chief Executive may at his or her discretion extend such period,

(c)             such persons shall cease to hold employment at the end of the period of probation unless during such period the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such persons is satisfactory.

SALARY

€31,619 – €33,368 – €33,802 – €34,674 – €35,952 – €37,231 – €38,510 – €39,439 – €40,492 – €41,711 – €42,578 – €43,789 – €45,006 – €47,297 (LSI1) – €48,924 (LSI2)

Persons who are not serving local authority employees will be based on the minimum of the scale.

Holders of the post shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than their inclusive salary) payable to or received by them by virtue of their post or in respect of any services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform.

HEALTH

For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are employed, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the Local Authority.

RETIREMENT AGE

The retirement age is 70 years.

APPOINTMENT

The local authority shall require a person to whom employment is offered to take up such employment within a period of not more than 6 weeks and if he or she fails to take up the employment within such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not employ the person.