Customer Service Assistant - Dunstable Library

Team: LAL - Dunstable Library

Job Family: Providing - CBG4
Salary: £26,427 per annum pro rata (£13.70 per week)
Hours: 4 hours per week

Location: Dunstable Library, The Dunstable Centre, Court Drive, Dunstable, Beds, LU5 4JD

Contract Type: Fixed - Permanent 
Closing Date: 1st November 2026

Interview Date: W/C 9th November 2026

About the role

Dunstable Library is more than a place where you can find books; it is a valuable resource for the community. Our libraries are warm spaces. We tackle loneliness and isolation. We provide IT resources to our customers. We also run a host of different activities for adults and children, for example, Rhymetimes, Coffee Mornings, Coding Clubs, etc. But most of all, we are a welcoming and safe place for everyone.

Based within The Dunstable Centre, you will work alongside Leisure colleagues to provide a warm welcome and a pleasant environment for all Centre users.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Customer Service Assistant who can provide a first-class service. You will deliver a high level of customer service and interact effectively with a wide range of people on a daily basis. The day-to-day duties of our Customer Service Assistants include: assisting customers to use our self-service terminals and other technology within the library, finding books and information for our customers, actively taking part and leading activities for both children and adults, and dealing with library stock by moving and handling large numbers of books and other materials. You will also be passionate about the library service and actively promote and encourage the use of the Library.

Our Customer Service teams deliver a vibrant, high-quality, relevant and sustainable library service by contributing to Library Strategy priorities, you can read more about this by following this link, engaging with new and existing customers and helping to increase library usage, and supporting the continuing modernisation and transformation of this important service.

To work in our Libraries, you will need:

• Excellent customer service skills and experience of working with the public in front-line customer service
• Good IT skills (GNVQ level 2 or equivalent). You will assist our customers to use self-service terminals as well as using computers, tablets, printing services and promoting Library Apps
• An interest in books, reading and information. Experience of working in a Library isn’t essential but is desirable as is a good knowledge of current book trends.
• Great communication skills, and an ability to communicate clearly and confidently
• Fluency in the English language (this role is covered by the The Code of Practice (English Language Requirements for Public Sector Workers) Regulations 2016)
• A passion to create a friendly and welcoming environment for our customers. You will be participating in Library events such as Rhyme time and Story time which can be very busy and noisy, as well as assisting with school visits, assemblies and out of hours events.
• The ability to travel to and work flexibly at any of our South Area Libraries if required for which a driving license and access to a car is desirable.

Please note that working in our libraries can be physically demanding and will include shelving books, pushing trolleys, carrying boxes, moving shelving and furniture for events. We are happy to discuss this further and would encourage candidates invited to interview to explore with us any reasonable adjustments that may be required. Please be aware that the roles within our Library service will always have an element of using the appropriate equipment, such as book trolleys and sack barrows, and techniques for moving and handling large quantities of library stock and furniture.

Although you will be based at one library, you must be able to work flexibly at other libraries if required. This position is for 4 hours only. There are positions available on Saturday or Sunday, these hours will be either 9am – 1pm, 12 – 4pm or 10 – 2pm.

Join us, and you’ll be part of a hard-working team giving local people a Library Service that’s the very best it can be – applicants must be 16 years and over.

Our Offer

We have a number of rewards and benefits available to our staff, to view these please visit our Rewards and Benefits page

Our aspiration is to be a truly flexible employer.  We welcome discussion on location, hours and working pattern as part of the application process.

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You will be expected to demonstrate how you meet the key accountabilities and competencies in this Recruitment Pack.

Our Competency Framework and Qualification Guidance are to be read in conjunction with our Recruitment Pack.

For an informal discussion about this position, please contact: Carly Levingstone at Carly.Levingstone@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 6504

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Safeguarding 

Central Bedfordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers and contractors to share this commitment. This post is subject to the disclosure of criminal records.  

To maintain a fair and consistent approach for applicants, it is Central Bedfordshire Council's policy to only consider applications made via our online application system and we therefore thank you for not submitting your application offline.

Your application to us is a reflection of who you are professionally and should give us an accurate and authentic picture of your skills, experiences and if applicable qualifications. Before you submit your application, we will ask you to confirm if you have used AI.

Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for our roles. Successful applicants that may require a visa will need to consider the options for obtaining and/or maintaining the legal right to live and work in the UK. Please confirm you have right to work in the UK.

Free information, advice and guidance into work or learning

Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Academy (BESA) provides free, impartial, information advice and guidance to those aged 16+ looking to get into work, learning or exploring a change of career.