Level 3 Library, Information and Archive Services Assistant Apprentice - Portsmouth School Library

Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth (PO6 3JL)

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

Posted on 7 November 2025

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Summary

To support the provision of a high-quality School Library Service, we are looking for someone to be part of our team based in Paulsgrove. We are looking for an energetic and dynamic person who will support the Advisory Librarian and Library Assistants.

Wage

£24,310 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

You will be expected to:

  • Promote a love of reading with both school staff and pupils across the city.
  • Work as part of the team to support schools and host visiting authors at events.
  • Select books to issue to schools as per requests and as part of our advisory support service.
  • Work closely with schools to develop and maintain their library space
  • Assist with stock purchase, deliveries and adding new stock to our system
  • Have an enhanced DBS certificate as some unsupervised working may take place in schools
  • Welcome visitors to the SLS Centre and help them during their book exchange visits
  • Issue and return books using the computerised library management system
  • Maintain a tidy and organised workspace which includes shelving books, tidying and routine stock maintenance
  • Package consignments for delivery, including lifting and moving boxes
  • Update social media to promote the service we offer and share details of events we host.

We're looking for a friendly, resilient person who communicates well, stays organized, and can build good relationships with others. Being creative and proactive is important to help promote all the services we offer. It’s important that you stay motivated and enthusiastic, even as things change quickly, and that you focus on finding solutions.

Where you'll work

Sundridge Close
Portsmouth
PO6 3JL

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 VAC1000350367.

Apply now

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

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