Assistant Librarian (Acquisitions, Subscriptions and Metadata)

The opportunity

Are you interested in shaping and advancing library services at one of the world's leading universities?

 

We have an exciting opportunity for a committed and motivated individual to join our friendly team based at London College of Communication, as part of University of the Arts London (UAL), on a full time, permanent basis.

 

As an Assistant Librarian, you will play a crucial role in enhancing our library services across all college campuses. Your responsibilities include supporting the development and implementation of high-quality, customer-focused services in acquisitions, cataloguing, classification, and metadata management.

 

You will contribute to developing effective policies and procedures, ensure service level agreements are fulfilled, and help set and maintain standards and metrics. Additionally, you will assist in the provision of training for library assistants and college staff, adapting to the evolving needs of a partially shelf-ready environment.

Your profile

For this key role we seek a candidate with a degree-level qualification and relevant professional experience. A recognised library qualification or equivalent experience in educational or information roles is highly desirable (e.g., CILIP accreditation, experience in non-academic libraries or archives, NVQs, or apprenticeships, library or teaching postgraduate certifications).

 

You should have a solid understanding of cataloguing standards such as AACR2, RDA, MARC 21, LC authorities, and DDC. An awareness of best practices in acquisitions and cataloguing within higher education is essential, along with experience using specialist text editing software. You will be expected to actively participate in team efforts, providing support and coverage as needed, and effectively plan and prioritise your workload to meet deadlines and objectives.

 

If you're passionate about fostering access to knowledge and enhancing learning environments through your expertise in library services, we want to hear from you. Apply now and take the first step towards a rewarding career at UAL.

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) generates and inspires the creativity the world needs for a better future. Since 1842, our colleges have been defining creative education. With curiosity, imagination and intent we make work which creates lasting change for people and our planet. London is core to who we are, a place where we meet and share ideas with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Our creative network influences learning, culture, industry and society on a global scale. Our academics and practitioners deliver creative education and inspire new ways of thinking through research and innovation. We work with students at every level from pre-degree and short courses to postgraduate and online learning, enabling them to build the careers they want. Together, we are a community of makers, thinkers, pioneers and storytellers redesigning the future.

As a University, we are ranked second in the world for Art and Design. We are formed of 6 Colleges with unique histories and identities: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts. UAL also has 4 Institutes, 5 Research Centres, 1 Pre-Degree School and 2 subsidiary companies delivering specialist activities.

We are a global University, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. We aim to be a university where people can be themselves and feel supported to reach their full potential. That’s why we are proud to hold a Bronze Award from the Race Equality Charter (REC), are members of the Business Disability Forum and Employers for Carers, and maintain our status as a Disability Confident Scheme and Living Wage employer.

Application process

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Thus, you will need to create an account and submit an application through our application portal. As part of this, you will need to provide a supporting statement/answer some competency questions to demonstrate your suitability. Our recruitment process involves: Application, Shortlisting, Interview and Assessment, Offer, Onboarding.

We understand the benefits of using AI in work. But, if you are thinking of using it to submit an application, we ask you to think about what value it adds. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

If we receive a high volume of applications, the closing day date might close early. We aim to communicate any changes to the closing date with at least 24 hours’ notice. If you have any general questions or have accessibility needs, please refer to our Contact us page.

Please read through our FAQs before applying and Recruitment Process before applying.

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Candidates are advised to submit applications early.