Working patterns in public libraries

[Hello1290]

Can anyone explain how library working patterns are calculated.

From what I have seen there is a two week pattern so for example week 1 - Mon,Tues week 2 - Tue/Thur/Fri .

I'm curious as to why it works like this. Would it not be easier to have an employee work the same days and times each week. I'm not sure if this makes sense but if you work in a council run public library you may understand my question! I'm thinking of applying for a role which states work patterns to be discussed at interview.

[quote tigerbear]**@EvilEdna1* and @mugglenutmeg* hope you don’t mind me asking (and sorry to OP for jumping on your thread), but I’ve just this evening found 5 library books in my DD’s room that should have been taken back in 2015, when she was only 5 😬😬!
If I took them back now, would they fine me massively? Other question, I’ve got over 50 kids story books in perfect condition (Dr Seuss, Paddington, Famous Five etc) - do libraries accept second hand books? Thanks in advance![/quote]
In my area the fine is capped on children's books to £3 per book or if the book is lost, the price of the book. They might have written it off though. We do take donations but sometimes we sell them rather than catalogue them.

Yes, it will be to accommodate people not wanting to work every Saturday. When someone only works every other Saturday, that means every other week they work a weekday instead, which means the person who usually works that weekday on the 'other' week needs to be scheduled somewhere else to accommodate and so it goes on!

I am a Saturdays-only library assistant working in a library where we always have three people on shift, so the five people I work with rotate in some complicated pattern I can't understand!

I really enjoy my job, but I have to be honest and say part of the reason I like it so much is that I only do it for 6 hours a week....I think if I did it full time I would find it somewhat boring/repetitive (however, with full-time work I can see there would be opportunities to expand the role, e.g. be responsible for volunteer training and placement, or building health and safety, or book donations across the district (yes, our service takes in donations)).

On the plus side the job is entirely stress-free and you don't think about it once you've locked up; having come from a corporate world of clients and deadlines, the library service is absolute heaven! It's a very pleasant working environment, its fun to chat to the customers and volunteers, the staff are all lovely and interesting (and over-qualified!) and its wonderful to have access to so many books (top tip: use your mobile to photograph the cover of any books that appeal whenever you come across them [which is usually when they are on the way to another branch!]). It's also nice to feel you "make a difference" e.g. helping someone on the computers, finding books on eating disorders for a teenager, or simply helping an elderly person use the lift. It's a rewarding role.

There is room for progression in my council - from library assistant (me) to library officer (my boss - back office; looking after a team of assistants and the libraries more generally) and on upwards, although for me the officer job does not appeal (not least because they are the ones who have to do the timetabling! :)).

@EvilEdna1 thank you. I hope it’s only that amount! 🙏

I work in a council library - love my job.
Even though we work with a 2 week rota, my 2 working days are the same so it’s still possible to have set days.
I don’t work weekends but do have 1 late night every week.
When we had our restructure last year, staff requested a 2 week rota as management had wanted to get rid. Fortunately they listened so Saturdays are spread amongst staff.

tigerbear no worries

Rustichella - thank you for the insight it's very interesting to hear. I too am from the corporate world also and like the idea of a library role. I love books but I understand it's so much more as well! The helping aspect appeals to me a lot.

Thanks Merlot - it's so useful to hear from people who enjoys this role !

I’m from a social work background, very stressful, and am finding my job in the library stress free and calm. Customers are lovely, books are amazing and our library is in a very pleasant building with lots of space / natural light. (And it’s 7 min walk from home so no commute)
Hoping to keep this job for a very long time!

Ahh no commute - wonderful..

Are you worried about income/pension at all?
(Sorry to jump on this thread - just have had this burbling away in my mind for a while as far less stressful than teaching and much of the positive factors. I am worried I ought to be chasing a higher paid job but this does seem perfect!)

Hi WoodenReindeer personally no I'm not too concerned about pension as I am oldish but I think local government pensions schemes are pretty good ones - career average.
Same with the salary - although quite lowish a library income would be fine for me at this point in my life. Would it be an option to try it out and see how things go ?

Thankyou. Good luck with the job. I know ours advertise for cover librarians in summer so a way away yet but it is the way in to permanent work.

The pay is similar to sainsburys/lidl but far more interesting from my perspective. There seems to be a big leap from that to better paid work/requalifying. Mumsnet has a lot of threads about high earners/entry level jobs that pay well so I flit sometimes in my head! I think I would love this though and stress wise qould be great!

Hello1290 It's a wonderful role to do when you are getting 'oldish' as the library service is somewhere you can fit in at any age so you won't ever feel the pressure that your face 'doesn't fit' - we have library assistants in their mid-to-late 70s in my district. I actually see the job as future-proofing my career, as I'll be able to continue working much longer than in my previous corporate job.

Rustichella - you have made me think about staff in my local libraries in which there are a range of ages and gender staff wise so very inclusive which is a massive positive.

It is easy to get time off and book annual leave, for example, even at short notice. With the irregular working patterns how do they get cover when staff are on leave. Do they usually have some bank staff to cover. I realize it will be different depending on area but trying to get an idea.

That is the one downside - for my district, they only allow 2 people to be on leave at any one time, so if there are two names in the holiday planner, there is no way you'll be allowed off. They also don't allow us to find cover ourselves, e.g. I would be happy to cover midweek for a colleague, but the system is not set up for colleagues to do that.

Cover is by shuffling around the people (most work across a few libraries), or asking people like me to do extra shifts, or by using relief/bank staff - however because relief staff are on zero hours, they don't have to accept any assignments so there are occasions when we have to work with fewer staff, or even close the library.

Be interested to hear how other libraries manage holidays, as I think it could be improved where I work by allowing us to find cover/swap shifts ourselves!

That does seem silly about not being able to swap/cover yourself!

When I last applied for a library position (came 2nd but there were lots applying - lots of well qualified people wanted the post). It's quite competitive even though it is low paid. One of the lovely local assistant librarians had a part time contract and a cover contract which seemed ideal - could do extta hours as and when.

I do like the idea of future proofing career wise. I almost wonder if I should do soemthing else first... or just go with it!

I've worked in libraries as a full- and part-time employee. As the latter, it was a more regular set of hours, with alternate weekend working.
As s f/t worker, shifts were arranged so that each week everyone covered late evenings, and everyone covered weekends, so it was more of a 2 week pattern.

@tigerbear

All libraries / authorities are different, but we would ask you bring the books back (stock is more important to us than fines)

Our authority has recently scrapped all fines on children books. And wiped all existing fives that were on accounts.

Books can be returned to any library in your authority they will be sent back to their home library.

Some people just drop overdue books through the drop box of return in the self ark ice machines, if they can't face speaking to staff.

Also we welcome donations, if the titles donated aren't required in that branch we would transfer them to another branch.

@Hello1290

Tag me in a post if you'd like some posters for an interview, I've recently interviewed candidates for library assistant role.

(I'm on the MN app and rubbish at DM's though!)

*pointers

mugglenutmeg - Yes please - I would love some pointers as I have been fortunate enough to secure an interview next week.

Well done! My interview was mainly competency based, asking me for examples of:
Working as part of team
Dealing with difficult customers
Giving good customer service.

I was also asked more standard interview questions about why I wanted the job, what I understood about the role, what IT experience I had, what my strengths and weaknesses were.

Regarding the 'why I wanted the job' question, I was applying from a corporate background and I was entirely honest and said my motivation for applying was that I felt the library assistant role would be one I would find enjoyable and personally rewarding.

Thank you Legodout did you get the job ?

@Hello1290

I have sent you a DM

Yes, I got the job - part-time assistant, 2 days per week in a market town library - really enjoy the role (except the pay!). One thing I would say is don't underestimate the IT skills needed for the role (to work on the library management, registration appointments, computer bookings, cash payment etc systems - all separate, none integrated with each other!). Nothing you won't be able to handle, but it's worth bigging up in interview if you're used to working across proprietary systems and are confident you will be able to pick them up quickly.