Principal Librarian - Mitchell Library (Part Time)

Job Description

We believe everyone deserves a great Glasgow Life and that starts with the people who work here.

Glasgow Life is a charity like no other. Our vision is to improve the lives of everyone in our city. To help us achieve that, we are looking for a Principal Librarian, Special Collections to join our Mitchell Library Special Collections Team which sits within Glasgow Life Museums and Collections Department.

Our teams focus on making a real difference through culture and sport in Glasgow. If you’re excited by the idea of being part of that, this could be the job for you.

What you need to know

Hours: 17.5 per week. Work pattern to be agreed.

Contract type: Permanent

Pay details: The listed salary is for a full-time role. If you’re applying for a part-time or bank job, we will calculate your pay on a pro-rata basis. The entry level hourly rate is £24.80 per hour.

Location: Mitchell Library, North Street, Glasgow, G3 7DN with excellent public transport links/free parking/paid parking nearby.

Membership of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme will be essential on taking up appointment. Please note successful candidates for the above position will be required to pay for their PVG Membership/or Scheme Checks.

What you’ll do

As a Principal Librarian, Special Collections, you’ll be a part of an established team, reporting to the Collections Manager, Glasgow Museums and Mitchell Library Special Collections.

You’ll play an essential role in developing and supporting collections-related activity in line with Glasgow Life’s Strategic Objectives, plans and policies including asset governance obligations. The post holder will also work closely with colleagues in Glasgow Libraries to contribute to the strategic management, planning, development and delivery of library and information services in the Mitchell Library, community libraries, school libraries and digital services.

Your work will make a visible and lasting difference. This could be:

• Supporting our communities
• Helping people get active
• Creating cultural experiences
• Or working behind the scenes to make it all happen

Who you are

We’re looking for someone with the right skills who brings energy to the role. If the following sounds like you, apply today!

We’re looking for:

• an undergraduate / postgraduate qualification in accredited course relating information and library services, and/or hold Chartered Membership status of Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
• experience of managing people effectively to meet agreed service performance goals through clear approaches to planning and delivery
• experience of collections management and development and awareness of collections care
• ability to work with a wide range of colleagues across teams, partners and customers
• experience of delivering and encouraging engagement through collections-related activity

Download the Person Specification in the Job Attachments section on MyJobScotland. Use this to shape your application and show how your experience aligns with the job.

When selecting candidates for interviews, managers will look for candidates who meet all the ‘essential’ criteria listed in the Person Specification. If there are many candidates, they may also consider desirable skills. So, include those if they apply to you.

If you still have questions about the role, please email clare.weir@glasgowlife.org.uk to arrange an informal chat.

 

 

What we offer

At Glasgow Life, our work changes lives. As a charity, we bring communities together and support wellbeing through sport, culture, heritage, and learning.

Learn more about Glasgow Life in our 10 Facts video in the Further Information section on MyJobScotland.

We support you to live a great life. Inside and outside of work. Some of our benefits include:

Holiday

When you join, you’ll get 30 days’ holiday. Plus 6.5 public holidays if you’re full-time. This increases to 35 days after 5 years of service.

Fancy a bit more time off? You can buy extra holiday too!

Pension

Join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) – a Defined Benefit scheme that provides you with a secure pension for later life.

Support

Sometimes we all need support and a listening ear. Our free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme can support your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

Discounts

As a colleague, you can enjoy discounts on the things you love, from Glasgow Club memberships to our museum shops and our online store.

Flexibility and development

We are proud of our flexible and inclusive work policies, which help you balance work and life. We also offer support for learning, development and career progression.

Please note that Glasgow Life is an Arm’s Length External Organisation to Glasgow City Council. We are currently completing a Job Evaluation exercise and introducing a new pay and grading structure. This may impact current salaries quoted in job adverts. To learn more, visit - https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/jobevaluation.

What’s next

To get started, complete our short application form. In this, you’ll fill out:

• Work history
• Qualifications/training
• Key questions like “Why are you a good fit for this role?”

Use the Person Specification in the Job Attachments section to guide your answers.

Important Dates:

The closing date for this job is 11.59pm on 14^th June 2026 Interviews are provisionally scheduled for week commencing 22nd June 2026.

Who We Are

Our Museums service, managed by Glasgow Life on behalf of the community, cares for thousands of years of history. We take care of the city’s museum and library special collections, its archives, and operate award-winning museums, keeping them safe for future generations. We run talks, tours, workshops, and events, so people can explore and enjoy the collections. By connecting people with the city’s stories, our museums continue to enrich the lives of local people and visitors. Read more here - https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums

 

Diversity and Fair Work at Glasgow Life

We’re working to build a team that reflects the rich diversity of Glasgow’s communities — where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to be their full, authentic selves at work.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident and Carer Positive employer, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Learn more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/the-small-print/an-inclusive-employer

We’re also committed to Fair Work First principles, including effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect for all our staff. Learn more about our approach to Fair Work First here: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/about-us/fair-work-first

We’re working hard to address underrepresentation in our workforce. We especially welcome applications from people with disabilities and from ethnic minority communities.

Ready to apply?

Once you apply, add noreply@myjobscotland.gov.uk to your safe sender list so you don’t miss important emails.

We’re excited to hear from you. Let’s shape a great Glasgow life — together.

We want everyone to be able to apply. If you need the Application Pack in another format, like Braille, large print, or another language, please call us on 0141 287 1054.

If we need to post it to you, we’ll send it by second-class mail within three working days. Please allow enough time to complete and return your application before the closing date. If you think you might need more time because of accessibility needs, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

There are also a number of Accessibility Tools compatible with the myjobscotland website which may assist you with your application. More information on these can be found at https://myjobscotland.gov.uk/accessibility-statement.

Further Information

 

 

For further information about working for us please refer to our website https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/work-with-us