Assistant Librarian (Maternity cover - 12 month fixed term contract - Term time plus 5 weeks working in school holidays)

The School:

Merchant Taylors’ School is a large Independent Boys’ School, situated in 286 acres of parkland in Northwood, Middlesex.  The School was founded in 1561, is owned by the Merchant Taylors’ Educational Trust and moved to its present site in 1933. There are four distinct boys’ day schools on campus. The Nursery, the Pre-Prep & the Prep cater for 340 boys, while the Senior School has some 930 pupils. The School employs over 140 teachers and 160 Support staff across Merchant Taylors’ School.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Organisation

As a member of the Support Staff the incumbent will be accountable to the Bursar for the proper performance of duties.  The incumbent’s day-to-day activities will be supervised by the Senior Librarian.

Duties Include

• Assisting the Senior Librarian in ensuring that Library and school-wide policies are enforced in matters pertaining to the Library. 

• Membership of the School Senior Common Room.

• Attendance at appropriate staff INSET days, Open Mornings and official school events as required.

Managerial Responsibilities

• Deputise in the absence of the Senior Librarian.

• Assist in the day-to-day running of the Library and maintain an atmosphere conducive to study.

• Contribute and assist with the formulation of Library policy.

• Supervise the work of the Library Assistant as necessary.

• Membership of the Library Consultation Committee.

Collection Management and Development

• Assist the Senior Librarian in the selection of book, multimedia, periodicals and other items.

• Manage and develop the periodical collection and other specific areas of Library stock as agreed with Senior Librarian.

• Assist with the processing of new stock, with specific responsibility for keywording. 

• Assist as required in duties such as data inputting, labelling, shelving etc.

Reader Services

• Joint responsibility for the induction schedules for new and existing pupils.

• Undertake counter duties as required, including the issue, return, and reservation of Library stock.

• Assist pupils and staff with general enquiries.

• Assist and demonstrate to pupils the use of the library catalogue and other online resources.

Reader Development

• Work with the English department to foster an enthusiasm for reading along with developing literacy skills, specifically Years 7-9.

• Develop a reading community and ethos within the School.

• Attend ad hoc reader events, launches, meetings etc.

• Lead the Year 7/8 reading club.

• Run a programme of literary events including author/poet visits, celebrating National Poetry Day, World Book Day.

• Assist in promoting the major book awards to the school community.

Promotion and Marketing

• Create and manage promotional displays for the Library.

• Assist in creating and updating Library promotional material for classrooms and for the library management system (Accessit)

Teaching Responsibilities

• Assist in the delivery of Library skills lessons and the promotion of reading in regular classes and one-off teaching sessions in the Library as required.

Multimedia

• Assist in the development and updating of the library management system (Accessit) which incorporates our online resources and eBooks library.

• Supervise pupils in Multimedia room in the Library and ensure that IT policy is enforced.

• Assist pupils with their IT enquiries pertaining to MS Office, PC and tablet use, printer etc.