This role has been fulfilled

Collections and Access Librarian

Contract: 2 years • Salary: £31,250 per year pro rata (£12,500 per year for 2 days per week)

Hours: 14 hours per week

Closing date: 11 October 2021 • Interview date: 22 October 2021

Do you love finding new ways to share inspiring and challenging literature with diverse communities, empowering new generations of readers, researchers and visitors to fulfil the potential of historic collections and archives?

The Portico Library is seeking to expand and broaden its small, passionate team to help it welcome and engage new visitors and users. As Collections & Access Librarian, you will create opportunities for more people than ever to discover and share the Library’s spectacular collection of over 25,000 mostly 19th-century books, developing cataloguing processes and policies that ensure the books, illustrations and archive materials are made safe and accessible for readers, researchers, members and visitors to use and enjoy. Working closely with colleagues across the Library’s varied activities, you will become an integral member of the team, supporting communities to interpret and contextualise the important themes and stories both included in and omitted from the Library’s collection. By devising and implementing innovative ways to build on the collection’s strengths and address its absences, you will contribute to an ambitious development process to reimagine the Library as a 21st-century centre of literature and learning, open and accessible to all.

This role presents an opportunity to work hands-on with a unique historic book collection and fascinating archive of local and international 19th-century history, and to use the most up-to-date digital approaches to extend their impact and relevance. Your work will make the Library more sustainable and secure, and will facilitate creative collaborations with a broad range of partners.

Having shared and shaped over 200 years of its city’s history, the Portico Library is now at a pivotal moment in its own story. Registered as a charity just 3 years ago, it is rapidly evolving into an important and accessible resource for researchers and communities, locally, regionally and internationally. If you would like to be part of this transformation, download the application documents above where you can learn more about the role and how to apply.

Application Process

Please submit a CV (including the name, phone number, email and address of two referees), Equal Opportunities form and a Supporting Statement no longer than two-sides of A4 outlining why you are interested in this role and your suitability for the post, highlighting your relevant knowledge, skills and experience. Please use examples where you can. The deadline for submissions is 11 October 2021, at 5:00pm. Please submit all documents (CV/Equal Opportunities and Supporting Statement) by email to support@khes.co.uk or post to Unit 2, Mossfield House, Chesham Fold Rd, Bury, BL9 6JZ.

Further enquiries about the role may be directed to the Librarian, Dr Thom Keep, on 0161 236 6785, email: librarian@theportico.org.uk

To find out more about our collection, archive and catalogue please visit our website here: www.theportico.org.uk/the-collection. For examples of how we use the collection with the city’s communities, membership and partners, please read our Quarterly and take a look at our public programme here: www.theportico.org.uk/whats-on.