Graduate Library Trainee 2025

The University of Edinburgh are offering a traineeship aimed at people from an ethnic minority background who are interested in pursuing a career in the information and library profession and has a strong desire to learn. This 12-month fixed term traineeship is an excellent opportunity for aspiring library professionals to join a friendly and welcoming Library team and aims to provide an individual with the experience required to undertake a postgraduate qualification in library or information studies.

The UK library profession currently identifies as 92% white and we’ve created this opportunity to help underrepresented individuals get a head start in their library career. It’s an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic team and to get first-hand experience of delivering a wide range of high-quality services in a large and diverse academic library. This post is advertised under Section 158 of the Equality Act 2010.

The traineeship is full-time (35 hours per week) but we will consider requests for part-time working . The working pattern will allow some hybrid working, with the individual required to work in person on-campus in Edinburgh for particular assignments. While it is a broad-ranging traineeship that will give the individual knowledge and experience of various aspects of service provision, there will be a focus on library services for medicine.

What we can offer you

• A competitive salary at Grade UE04: £25,733 - £28,381 per annum, pro-rata if part-time .
• A chance to gain authentic experience of academic library work, and make a clear contribution to delivery of library services.
• Generous annual leave allowance of 40 days per year (inclusive of festive closure days).
• Highly competitive defined-benefit pension scheme with a substantial employer contribution.
• A range of flexible working options to help prioritise work/life balance.
• A day of paid leave annually for your chosen volunteering activity.
• Access to excellent online learning and a Staff Scholarship fund.
• Varied staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives , support for staff wellbeing and more

What the job involves

• Providing support for information skills development activities, such as assisting with inductions and teaching sessions, reviewing materials, and analysing feedback for quality improvement.
• Assisting with communications projects, including working with the Social Media team.
• Assisting with user enquiries received at in-person service points or via our online enquiry management systems.
• Contributing to the development of services in collaboration with colleagues, to improve our users’ experience of the Library.

A bit about you

• Have not already participated in a graduate library traineeship programme.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to sustain effective working relationships with diverse colleagues, partners and clients.
• Proven ability to be able to work independently as well as in a team.
• Good IT skills including familiarity with Microsoft Office and web technologies.
• An accurate and methodical approach to work.
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to be flexible and to deal with problems as they arise.
• Proven ability to be proactive and show initiative.
• From an ethnic minority background.