Archives Library Assistant

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Job Reference HCC/1724/1728

Apply for this job Number of Positions: 1 Contract Type: Permanent Salary: £26,427 opportunity to progress to £29,071 per annum - pro-rata for part-time Working Hours: 18.5 Location: County Hall Closing Date: 08/11/2026 Job Category: Heritage Services Region / Division: Hertford

Job Introduction

Job Title: Archive Library Assistant 
Starting Salary:  £26,016 opportunity to progress to £27,274 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 18.5 - please see working pattern below.

Location:  Hertford, Fixed base -majority of working hours will be onsite. Occasional travel.
Contract Type: Permanent 
Directorate: Resources 

About the team

As an accredited service, Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies preserves and promotes resources for the study of Hertfordshire past and present.

Our vision is to deliver high‑quality heritage services that inspire discovery and lifelong learning, offering opportunities for people of all ages to explore, understand and enjoy the histories that shape Hertfordshire. We aim to reflect the county’s diverse people, communities and places, strengthening a shared sense of place and supporting creative health and wellbeing and provide access to authentic, trusted information and original records.

As we move forward with plans for our refreshed ‘Shared Heritage Strategy’ including preparing for a move to a purpose-built archive, we will exploit technology to improve services; progress digital online resources and work in partnership to increase opportunities for access and learning.

About the role

You will be required to work some Saturdays and Tuesday evenings. We are open the first Saturday and Tuesday evening a month.

Working Pattern

Week 1

Tuesday 9am-5pm

Wednesday 9am-5pm

Thursday 9am-5pm

Week 2

Wednesday 9am-5pm

Thursday 9am-5pm

Public Service

• Your role will be primarily providing high-quality customer service, including responding to enquiries both in person and remotely, ensuring customer care standards are met. 
• Your role also supports customer service through completion of administrative tasks such as recording of user statistics, and projects such as digitisation of collection documents.
• You will be expected to retrieve books and documents from storage areas which will involve manual handling (including driving a lease van to retrieve those held off-site). 
• You will assist with collecting and processing of archive and local studies materials and use catalogues and indexes. 
• You will contribute to promotional events, including group visits; this may include occasional out of hours activity. 
• You will provide support for volunteers. 
• You will use ICT to provide services to customers and carry out collections work including for example, assisting with digitisation work to photograph, scan, process and preserve archive material. 
• Flexibility, remaining calm under pressure and prioritising your workload are important for this role. 
• Involved in community facing activities relating to the move project e.g. gathering data on customer usage, contacting depositors, support for focus groups. There will be occasional out of office hours events. 

About you 

Essential:

• Friendly and confident person happy to work in a public facing role in a busy search room, with minimal supervision
• Able to communicate effectively in person, by telephone and in writing to answer enquiries; with the ability to converse fluently with external stakeholders/citizens and provide information in accurate spoken English
• Confident and competent using a range of computer software such as Microsoft Office, the internet and other computer-based information resources. You will be able to support and advise members of the public in their use of IT
• Organised and methodical, with an ability to pay attention to detail. Able to sort in alphabetical and numerical order
• Able to lift and carry awkward and heavy items, specialist equipment will be provided e.g. trolleys
• Able to promote the service at events both onsite and around the county
• Flexible and able to use initiative and work effectivel