Prison Library Assistant

Staffordshire County Council,

Do you have a passion for reading, literacy, information and customer service? Are you looking for a unique and inspiring role?

The Prison/custodial environment can be both challenging and rewarding. We see our library roles as a vocation, you’ll be part of a community of partners, providing a much‑needed service to our library users. The library is crucial in supporting the wellbeing of those in prison and it helps to promote positive behaviours in those library users. So, the work you’ll do will have a real impact on people’s lives and the community.

HMP Oakwood is a category C adult male prison, The Library is a branch of Staffordshire County Council Library Service, and the onsite Library team work closely with Library staff in the other Prison Libraries in the County, as well as with onsite Prison and Partner staff and Management. This role reports to and works with both SCC, SCC PLS and Prison Management.

The Library is a well‑used and valued resource within the Prison and is currently open daily Monday to Saturday. The Prison Library team of 4 Library assistants led by the Library Supervisors, offer both outreach/wing based and main library service provision, supporting all prisoners with access to books, information activities & resources.

This 15 hour pro rata post usually operates on Monday and Tuesday mornings, and Thursday afternoons. Shift patterns can be subject to change, including if the Prison regime changes in the future.

Candidates should consider the location and travel/distance and the demands of the role and environment before applying.

We aim to play a part in reducing reoffending and enabling prisoners in improving their prospects and situation whilst in custody and for a future on release in the community, linking with public libraries and leading into resettlement.

You will:

• Provide and develop an essential service, encouraging and promoting creativity, literacy and reading for pleasure and learning.
• Actively engage with customers, to support them in using their library space, service and resources, for their personal and professional development and benefit both short and long term.
• Work in the main library and across the prison to offer Library resources and activities.

You will:

• Positive, proactive, and passionate about reading, with strong face‑to‑face customer service experience.
• Calm, confident, and resilient, with integrity and a strong work ethic.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively across Library, Prison, and SCC teams.
• Strategic and imaginative thinker who adapts well to change.
• Eager to support and engage with customers and colleagues, striving to make a difference.

Formal and informal personal and professional development and learning are a need and expectation, so this position would suit someone who is always keen to develop, diversify and learn for their own benefit and for the benefit of their role, team, service and customers.

The role does require some cover of colleagues at other times outside the set core‑shifts of this post, and so would suit someone with the availability and flexibility to accommodate this. It would therefore be beneficial if you are happy and able to travel and hold a current valid UK drivers license.

We intend to interview week commencing 2 March 2026 at the prison.

If you have specific questions about the role, not covered in the advert or job description, you may contact Alan Smith alan

This position is subject to a criminal records check from the Disclosure and Barring Service which will require you to disclose details of all unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form. Vetting and checks including employment reference checks, will be undertaken by the Prison / HMPPS and Staffordshire County Council.

We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

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