Description
We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.
This role has a starting salary of £20,131.20 per annum based on a 21.6 hour working week (pro rata to £33,552 full time equivalent).
We are excited to be hiring a new Local Studies Librarian to join our fantastic Heritage team at Surrey History Centre in Woking. You will play a key role in preserving and promoting Surrey's rich heritage by acquiring, managing, and showcasing our Local Studies collection—a unique and comprehensive archive of books, pamphlets, periodicals, printed maps, paintings, and photographs that document the history of Surrey and its people.
Our Offer to You
1. 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service (prorated for part time staff)
2. Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
3. A generous local government salary related pension
4. Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
5. Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
6. An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
7. Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
8. Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
9. A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.
About the Role
As the Local Studies Librarian you will work alongside our archivists, conservator and heritage assistants in preserving Surrey's documentary past for present and future generations to explore and enjoy. You will be responsible for identifying new Local Studies material to enhance the collections and for cataloguing it to a professional standard so that people can easily discover the information they seek. You will also be responsible for stock management and security of the local studies collection.
Through regular duty in our public searchroom, including occasional Saturday duties, you will guide visitors in using the collections, while ensuring their security and safe-handling. As the only librarian on the History Centre's staff, you will advise staff and visitors on current copyright legislation and will act as the point of contact with the wider library service. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to the promotion of the collections through talks and social media.
Your Application
In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with
10. A professional qualification in library and information studies or comparable experience
11. Experience in working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
12. A belief in the importance of local history to the promotion of community spirit and wellbeing
To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions:
13. Please describe your experience of working in a library environment particularly in a local studies setting.
14. Please describe your experience of cataloguing rare or unusual material in line with professional standards to ensure its ready discoverability by users.
15. What do you imagine to be the challenges of working as the sole qualified librarian within a multi-disciplinary team and how would you overcome these?
16. What is your experience of applying copyright legislation to the use of specialist collections?
Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our to get an insight into working at Surrey.
The job advert closes at 23:59 on 08/02/2026 with interviews planned to follow.
Contact Us
We look forward to receiving your application,