Lancashire Volunteer Partnership

Enabling

Engaging with the Public

Overview:

This opportunity will be supporting the library service.

We are seeking volunteers who are: 

• Friendly, approachable and happy to engage with people of all ages
• Punctual, dependable and reliable
• Happy to work as part of a team
• Confident in working with the public and committed to equality and diversity
• Committed to excellent, patient and thoughtful, customer care
• Vigilant, with attention to detail
• Enjoy helping people

Volunteers will be required to provide two character references and successfully complete occupational health checks prior to starting their role. An enhanced DBS check may be required at a later date.

TASKS:

Customer Care:

• To welcome customers to the building, support them in the use of library services and encourage them to become regular users.
• Assisting customers with the use of the self-service kiosks and Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC).
• To help find library stock for visitors, reservations and library staff.
• Supporting the use of public access PCs, including online services e.g. Ancestry, Theory Test Pro, eBooks and online reservations.
• Providing general information about library services.

Library Care:

• Maintaining displays and ensuring that the library portrays a bright and attractive environment for customers.
• General tidying, shelving and sorting stock.
• Topping up the photocopier, kiosks and printers with paper.
• Book maintenance e.g. jacketing / tabbing / page repairs etc.

Teamwork:

• Communicating with library staff.
• Promoting library services, e.g. reading schemes, events and activities and online resources.
• Supporting and preparing for library activities and events e.g. children’s groups, storytime, coffee mornings and talks.
• Providing ideas and suggestions to improve library services.
• Attending relevant training and meetings.

Workplace Policies and Procedures:

• Following the agreed procedures to report faults/repairs/health and safety issues e.g. building, furniture, equipment, accidents, near misses, ICT
• Supporting record keeping, e.g. periodic visitor counts
• Following the agreed procedures including reporting verbally to the supervisor or manager.
• Log volunteering hours via an on-line computer system

REQUIRED QUALITIES:

• Literate with good spoken and written English language skills
• Numerate
• Comfortable with using IT
• Physical ability to move library resources and trolleys, and be on your feet for long periods of time
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Organisational skills
• The ability to carry out tasks with minimal supervision
• Ability to contribute effectively as part of a team
• Experience of dealing directly with the public
• Excellent understanding of the principles and delivery of customer care
• Adaptable to changes in ways of working

TRAINING:

Training will be provided where necessary and may be in the form of peer support, distance learning or trainer led.

Age:       16+

SCHEDULE:

Monday               10am to 7pm

Tuesday               Closed

Wednesday         1pm to 5pm

Thursday              1pm to 5pm

Friday                   10am to 5pm

Saturday              10am to 2pm

LOCATION:

Darwen Library, Knott Street, Darwen. BB3 3BU