Level 3 Library and Archive Services Assistant Apprenticeship - Portsmouth Central Library

Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth (PO1 2DX)

Closes in 22 days (Sunday 30 November 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 7 November 2025

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Summary

Portsmouth Central Library is offering an opportunity to join our team as a Library and Archive Services Assistant Apprentice. This dynamic, customer-facing role lets you gain hands-on experience while working towards a Level 3 qualification with the public library team and the Modern and Historical Records officers at the Portsmouth History Centre.

Wage

£23,473 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Library, information and archive services assistant (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday (37 per week - including some Saturday working). Exact shifts will be confirmed at the interview.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 5 January 2026

Duration

1 year 8 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Key Responsibilities

  • Helping customers access library and archive resources
  • Delivering excellent customer service at library counters and enquiry desks
  • Taking a leading role in library activities for people of all ages, including Rhymetime and storytelling sessions
  • Assisting customers with self-service kiosks and IT enquiries
  • Processing new memberships and handling payments
  • Maintaining a clean, welcoming library environment
  • Organising and repairing library stock
  • Supporting the Modern Records Service

Who We’re Looking For

We’re seeking someone who is:

  • Friendly, approachable, and confident in public-facing roles
  • Organized and methodical with strong attention to detail
  • Comfortable using IT and learning new systems
  • A team player who will support colleagues and adapt to change
  • Resilient and solution-focused, even in challenging situations
  • Able to communicate clearly and effectively in spoken English
  • Creative and proactive in promoting library and archive services
  • Someone able to work occasional evenings for events

Where you'll work

The Norrish Central Library
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2DX

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

LET ME PLAY LIMITED

Training course

Library, information and archive services assistant (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Interpret and implement policy, e.g. communicating clearly the basic copyright restrictions and reasons for not sharing personal data
  • Undertake regulation and compliance checking, e.g. in order to ensure data protection is not breached
  • Solve user problems in a range of situations using their knowledge and interpretation
  • Use information management processes to store, manage and retrieve records and data to support collaboration, exploitation and the organisation’s Information Management (IM) practices
  • Describe and arrange material/resources, by observing and applying identified cataloguing standards in order to create online catalogues and other finding aids to meet users’ needs
  • Employ information retrieval techniques to identify and use relevant media and systems, e.g. searching online databases, catalogues or physical stores, and EDRMS (electronic document record management systems)
  • Perform preservation (analogue/physical and digital) practices to keep collections physically safe using institutional/sector guidelines, and supporting work that provides digital access by creating alternatives that meet a range of user requirements
  • Use enquiry techniques to clarify and meet users’ information requirements and manage expectations, e.g. by signposting to alternative resources and providing solutions
  • Develop knowledge sharing with users, cultivating an environment where knowledge is freely shared and sought within a ‘safe’ environment, including online solutions
  • Use relevant approaches to learning support to contribute to the development of learning activities for different audiences to enhance knowledge and literacy, e.g. reader development
  • Select and use appropriate tools and technologies to support users in researching and disseminating information, e.g. databases, search engines, digital libraries, repositories and social media
  • Develop information and digital skills to support users to identify, find, access and evaluate information, to share knowledge and to promote self-help
  • Demonstrate information sharing by contributing to learning activities for specific audiences, e.g. inductions and events, catering to a variety of levels of knowledge and understanding
  • Use promotion techniques for resources so that users and potential users are aware of their value, impact and benefit, e.g. by curating collections and displays in effective ways, undertaking outreach activities to guide users to achieve independence in their use of information
  • Implement the organisation’s collection management policy, e.g. through identifying stock that should be acquired and that which is no longer used or needed, and relegating or removing these appropriately
  • Develop the service by assessing the learning environment and anticipating user needs, e.g. re-organising study/virtual spaces, suggesting improvements to catalogues or web pages
  • Use teamwork and collaboration to achieve goals, e.g. with stakeholders and partners beyond the organisation
  • Use information provision to enable users to access materials, e.g. through lending books/artefacts, emailing documents, accessing original archives, signposting links to information
  • Exercise communication skills - oral, written, presentation, interpersonal, listening, assertiveness (online and face to face)
  • Interpret and implement policy, e.g. communicating clearly the basic copyright restrictions and reasons for not sharing personal data
  • Undertake regulation and compliance checking, e.g. in order to ensure data protection is not breached
  • Solve user problems in a range of situations using their knowledge and interpretation
  • Use information management processes to store, manage and retrieve records and data to support collaboration, exploitation and the organisation’s Information Management (IM) practices
  • Describe and arrange material/resources, by observing and applying identified cataloguing standards in order to create online catalogues and other finding aids to meet users’ needs
  • Employ information retrieval techniques to identify and use relevant media and systems, e.g. searching online databases, catalogues or physical stores, and EDRMS (electronic document record management systems)
  • Perform preservation (analogue/physical and digital) practices to keep collections physically safe using institutional/sector guidelines, and supporting work that provides digital access by creating alternatives that meet a range of user requirements
  • Use enquiry techniques to clarify and meet users’ information requirements and manage expectations, e.g. by signposting to alternative resources and providing solutions
  • Develop knowledge sharing with users, cultivating an environment where knowledge is freely shared and sought within a ‘safe’ environment, including online solutions
  • Use relevant approaches to learning support to contribute to the development of learning activities for different audiences to enhance knowledge and literacy, e.g. reader development
  • Select and use appropriate tools and technologies to support users in researching and disseminating information, e.g. databases, search engines, digital libraries, repositories and social media
  • Develop information and digital skills to support users to identify, find, access and evaluate information, to share knowledge and to promote self-help
  • Demonstrate information sharing by contributing to learning activities for specific audiences, e.g. inductions and events, catering to a variety of levels of knowledge and understanding
  • Use promotion techniques for resources so that users and potential users are aware of their value, impact and benefit, e.g. by curating collections and displays in effective ways, undertaking outreach activities to guide users to achieve independence in their use of information
  • Implement the organisation’s collection management policy, e.g. through identifying stock that should be acquired and that which is no longer used or needed, and relegating or removing these appropriately
  • Develop the service by assessing the learning environment and anticipating user needs, e.g. re-organising study/virtual spaces, suggesting improvements to catalogues or web pages
  • Use teamwork and collaboration to achieve goals, e.g. with stakeholders and partners beyond the organisation
  • Use information provision to enable users to access materials, e.g. through lending books/artefacts, emailing documents, accessing original archives, signposting links to information
  • Exercise communication skills - oral, written, presentation, interpersonal, listening, assertiveness (online and face to face)

Training schedule

  • Qualification: Level 3 Library and Archive Services Assistant Apprenticeship 
  • Duration: 20 months (Fixed-term)
  • Delivery: All learning will be delivered online alongside the face-to-face role at the library

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience

About this employer

Portsmouth Libraries serve everyone who lives, works, or studies in the city—and beyond. With nine branches and a mobile library, we offer a wide range of services. Our Archive Services, delivered from the Portsmouth History Centre, aim to collect, preserve and share the rich heritage of the city. We also provide the Modern Records Service, managing the paper and digital records of Portsmouth City Council.

https://librariesandarchives.portsmouth.gov.uk/public-library-service/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Possible full-time employment upon completion of the apprenticeship.  

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LET ME PLAY LIMITED

Danielle

Danielle.Stokell@lmpeducation.org

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000350301.

Apply now

Closes in 22 days (Sunday 30 November 2025 at 11:59pm)

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