Senior Library Assistant

The Role: Leitrim County Council is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates with relevant experience for the position of Senior Library Assistant. The initial vacancy arises in Ballinamore Branch Library. Any panel formed however may be used to fill vacancies arising across the Library Network in the County within the lifetime of the panel. The Senior Library Assistant is a frontline and key support position within the structure of the Library Service. A Senior Library Assistant makes a valuable contribution to the provision of the Library Service centrally, and at local branch level, by providing support to library management and supervising staff, and is a vital link in the team which promotes the library as a focal point for cultural activities, community engagement and lifelong learning. As the person in charge of managing the day-to-day running of the library, the Senior Library Assistant will also be called upon to manage and deliver a range of library programmes and initiatives both in the library and online. The successful candidate will work as part of a multidisciplinary team within the Library Service assisting with the implementation of work programmes to achieve goals, targets and standards set out in the Library Development Plan and Team Plans and which support actions identified in the National Public Library Strategy 2023-2027 ‘The Library is the Place’. The successful candidate will be expected to use initiative and work to a high standard. He/she will work under the direction and management of the library senior management team, comprising Executive Librarian, Senior Executive Librarian and County Librarian. Leitrim Library Service manages and supports a network of 8 branch libraries, 2 of which offer a ‘My Open Library’ Service. The libraries are strategically located across the county together with a Local Studies Library which is based in Ballinamore Library. 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 users. Leitrim Library Service also engages with Roscommon and Sligo Library Services in relation to the joint delivery of agreed services/programmes through formal collaboration and resource sharing. The Library Service is based in the Housing, Corporate Services, Community and Cultural Services Directorate of Leitrim County Council. The Council is seeking dynamic, creative and motivated individuals to fill the role of Senior Library Assistant. The successful candidate will assist in fulfilling the library vision of being open, accessible, a focal point for communities and delivering quality customer service. As the Library Service is a county-wide service, staff may be required to provide cover at, and may be reassigned to, any service point within County Leitrim as required by the County Librarian.

The Qualifications: 1. Character Each candidate shall be of good character. 2. Health Each candidate shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. 3. Citizenship Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be: (a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or (b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or (c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or (d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or (e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015 or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa; or (f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa. 4. 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. (ii) Have had at least 2 years’ satisfactory experience of library work.

Note: Candidates must hold a current valid and unendorsed Driving Licence in respect of category B vehicles and must advise if this is not the case - a copy of your Driving Licence must be submitted with your application.

The Ideal Candidate shall have: ▪ An understanding of the changing library environment and be capable of adapting to change. ▪ An understanding of the role of a Senior Library Assistant. ▪ An ability to work effectively within a team to achieve a common goal, ensuring standards are adhered to and maintained whilst also being capable of working on their own initiative, in an independent environment and without supervision. ▪ An ability to manage time and workload and to plan work and allocation of staff and other resources effectively. ▪ Good interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to develop and maintain positive, productive and beneficial working relationships. ▪ The ability to provide excellent customer services. ▪ The motivation to achieve maximum performance by supporting the current Performance Management and Development System (PMDS). ▪ Knowledge and experience of operating ICT systems and online resources in a library environment. The Duties: The duties of the office are to give to the local authority and (a) Such other local authorities or bodies for which the Chief Executive, for the purposes of the Local Government Acts, is Chief Executive, and (b) To any other local authority or body with which an agreement has been made by the local authority or by any of the authorities or bodies mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph under the general direction and control of the Chief Executive or of such other officers as the Chief Executive may from time to time determine, such appropriate services of an administrative, supervisory and advisory nature as are required for the exercise and performance of any of its powers, duties and functions as may be delegated to him or her by the Chief Executive from time to time and shall include the duty of deputizing for other officers of the local authority. The main duties and responsibilities of the Senior Library Assistant will be consistent with the provision of a modern 21st Century public library service that is responsive to the changing requirements of users of all ages and abilities.

The duties will include but are not limited to the following: ▪ Supporting senior library staff in the delivery of library services to the public. ▪ Provision of ICT support, including the library management system and RFID equipment. ▪ Collection Management and Development – acquisition and cataloguing of library resources. ▪ Management of financial resources within a budgetary control framework. ▪ Carrying out administrative duties, to include the compilation and reporting of library statistics. ▪ Management and delivery of new work practices and initiatives. ▪ Staff supervision. ▪ Supporting and delivering national programmes and services for all members of the community in reading and literacy, learning and information and community and culture. ▪ Contributing to library programming, including promotion and marketing. ▪ Supporting and promoting ‘My Open Library’ and self-service technologies. ▪ Provision of relief cover in branch libraries as required. ▪ Liaising with a range of community and education groups. ▪ Contributing to publicity and promotional activities including online social media platforms. ▪ Managing and delivering library programming and events to include workshops, class visits, story times, reader development initiatives, lectures and presentations. ▪ Ensuring standards and policies are adhered to in terms of Health and Safety, Child Protection and Data Protection. ▪ Participating and contributing to the duties as required as part of the organisational response to Climate Action to promote and ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action. ▪ Carrying out such other duties as may be assigned from time to time. The Principal Terms and Conditions: 1. Particulars of the Position The position is full-time, permanent and pensionable and the initial vacancy arises in Ballinamore Branch Library. Any panel formed however may be used to fill vacancies arising across the Library Network in the County, within the lifetime of the panel. Should temporary vacancies arise for Senior Library Assistant across the Library network in the County, Leitrim County Council may also, should the need arise, consider the filling of such temporary vacancies from any panel formed. While the successful candidate will be assigned to the relevant Branch Library, as the Library Service is a county-wide service, it should be clearly understood that staff may be required to provide cover at, and may be reassigned to, any Library Service point within County Leitrim as required by the County Librarian and/or Chief Executive. 2. Salary The salary scale for the post of Senior Library Assistant (Grade IV Analogous), applicable from 1st March 2025, is within the range: €35,260, €37,366, €40,355, €42,318, €44,035, €45,696, €47,938, €49,560, €51,210, €52,768 (LSI 1), €54,367 (LSI 2) Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with relevant Departmental Circulars. Offers of appointment to persons who are not serving local authority employees will be based on the minimum of this scale. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Policy. The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the office 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 office or in respect of services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform. 3. Residence The holder of the post shall reside in the district in which his or her duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof and will be required to serve in the Local Authority’s Offices, or wherever assigned by the Local Authority. Leitrim County Council reserves the right to, at any time, re-assign an employee to any Leitrim County Council Branch Library now or in the future. Leitrim County Council reserves the right to, at any time, assign an employee to any premises in use by the Council now or in the future. 4. Probation All contracts will be subject to a probationary period, during which the performance of the successful applicant will be regularly evaluated. Where a person is permanently appointed to Leitrim County Council the following provisions shall apply: (a) There shall be a period after appointment takes effect, during which such a person shall hold the position on probation; (b) Such period shall be one year but the Chief Executive may, at his/her discretion, extend such period; (c) Such a person shall cease to hold the position at the end of the period of probation, unless during this period the Chief Executive has certified that the service is satisfactory; (d) There will be ongoing assessments during the probationary period. Employment may be terminated by either party during probation or at the end of the probationary period on one week’s notice. 5. Annual Leave The annual leave entitlement for this post will be 30 days per annum. The annual leave year coincides with the calendar year. 6. Health For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health it will be necessary for each successful candidate, before he/she is appointed to a permanent post, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority. 7. Working Hours

The normal hours of work will be 35 hours per week. The successful candidate will be required to work their contracted hours across a 6-day period from Monday to Saturday and this will include weekend and late evening working hours. The employer reserves the right to alter the working hours as required to facilitate the Library Service. The successful candidate may be required to work additional hours on a time off in lieu basis on various occasions. All hours of work will be subject to and recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 and the Organisation of Working Time Act (Regulations) 2001.

8. Superannuation All new entrants to pensionable public service employment on or after 1 January 2013 will be members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. All members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme will be required to contribute 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration plus 3% of pensionable remuneration. Pension and retirement lump sums for member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme will be based on career-average pay; pensions will be co-ordinated with the State Pension Contribution Scheme. Persons who are pensionable under the Local Government (Superannuation) (Consolidation) Scheme 1998, and are liable to pay the Class A rate of PRSI contribution, will be required in respect of superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of 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). You will also be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouses and Childrens’ Contributory Pension) Scheme to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the Scheme. Persons who become pensionable officers of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class D rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of his/her superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 5% of pensionable remuneration. You may also be required to pay Spouses and Children/Widows and Orphans contributions at the rate of 1.5% of pensionable remuneration. 9. Retirement Age The Single Public Service Pension Scheme (“Single Scheme”) as provided by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 commenced with effect from 1st January 2013. The act introduced new retirement provisions for new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st January 2013, as well as to former public servants returning to the public service after a break of more than 26 weeks. Retirement age will be in line with the age of eligibility for the State Pension Contributory (SPC). Compulsory Retirement Age will be 70. There is no mandatory retirement age for “new entrants” to the public service as defined in the Public Service

Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. Anyone who is “not a new entrant” to the public service, as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, had been subject to a compulsory retirement age of 65 years – the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 provides for an increase in the compulsory retirement age of most pre-2004 public servants from age 65 to age 70. 10. Pension Abatement If an appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and that appointee is entitled to, or in receipt of, a pension from the Civil or Public Service, or where a Civil/Public Service pension comes into payment during the appointee’s re-employment, that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012. Please note: In applying for this position, you are acknowledging that you understand that the abatement provisions, where relevant, will apply. It is not envisaged that the employing Department/Office/Body will support an application for an abatement waiver in respect of appointments to this position. 11. Driving Licence Holders of the post may from time to time be required to travel in the course of their duties and for this purpose they shall possess a current unendorsed full driving licence (Category B) and, shall drive a motor car in the course of their duties and for this purpose provide and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the local authority. The post holder’s Insurance policy must cover such use and must indemnify Leitrim County Council. Travel and subsistence expenses will be paid in accordance with nationally agreed rates applicable in the sector. 12. Garda Vetting The successful candidate will be subject to the Garda Vetting Procedures in line with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children & Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 to 2016 as appropriate in advance of appointment and on a periodic basis thereafter for the duration of their employment. 13. Data Protection Please note that the information received is used solely for the purpose of considering your application. Such information held is subject to the rights and obligations set out in the Data Protection Acts, 1988, 2003 & 2018 and EU Regulation 2016/679.