"Library Assistant"

University of Canterbury Library | Ngā Puna Mātauraka o Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

• Professional development opportunities
• Generous superannuation provisions (up to 6.75% employer contribution)
• Salary - $60,699 - $74,090
• Continuing (permanent) position

Hours:

• Monday 4:30 PM – 11:15 PM (6.25 hours)
• Tuesday 9:00 PM – 11.15 PM (2.25 hours)
• Wednesday 5:00PM – 11:15 PM (5.75 hours)
• Thursday 4:30 PM – 11:15 PM (6.25 hours)
• Friday 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (4 Hours)

24.5 hours per week, per year

Note that this role is Academic Year only and has no hours outside these times.

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do

Are you enthusiastic, energetic, and have experience providing excellent customer service? Are you reliable and conscientious? Do you love helping people, feel motivated to contribute to what libraries can provide to their communities and are interested in a career in libraries?

This role could provide you with great experience working directly with students and staff providing lending and information services at our information desk and via online media, assisting users with equipment, maintaining our collections and physical environment, and helping make our learning spaces welcoming places, all within a large tertiary library system.

Wheako me ngā Pūkenga | Experience and Skills

• A minimum of two years’ work experience in a Library or customer service environment.
• Time management and organisational skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, ensuring communications are clear, accurate and concise.
• Knowledge of methods of organising and finding information in libraries.
• Knowledge of administrative procedures and systems such as managing files and records.
• Research skills including computer and internet searching skills.
• Excellent computer literacy skills, with proven ability to learn and grow knowledge for relevant software and technology.
• Able to work collaboratively and independently, and demonstrate a high level of initiative.
• Sound understanding of health and safety in the workplace.
• Active commitment to upholding the values, tikanga (protocols and processes), kawa (rules) of cultural practice and traditions as guided by mana whenua, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and valuing te reo Māori.
• Competency in Te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga is an advantage

Mōu | Who You Are

You will have significant work experience in a library or a similar front-facing customer service environment. You will have experience with organising and finding information in libraries, awareness of the technologies used, and of administrative procedures and systems such as managing files and records.

Knowledge of Te Reo Māori and Te Ao Māori or experience working with Māori or Pacific communities would be an advantage as would a current First-Aid Certificate.

Due to the nature of the role, it’s important that you are a people person who enjoys working in a team.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With

You will work alongside a diverse and passionate library team who provide a range of services, resources and expertise that supports undergraduate and postgraduate learning, research and teaching. We do this through the provision of information resources; reference and information services; digital literacy programmes; e-learning support and academic liaison; research support including repositories; student and academic support from our Subject Specialist Librarians, Kaitakawaenga Māori and Pacific Liaison Librarians and our heritage collections and specialist staff.

For more information about our team, please visit us at UC Library

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC

At UC, being part of our team means more than just a job. We are committed to supporting our kaimahi | staff’s career and wellbeing with benefits designed to help our kaimahi grow and feel connected, supported and valued.

UC’s Benefits approach is shaped by Ngā Uara | Our Values Whanaungatanga, Tiakitanga, and Manaakitanga. They are designed to be relevant, support and inspire our people, they include:

• UC Parental Leave (up to 9 weeks paid) + 26 weeks Government paid parental leave and onsite childcare facility
• generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%)
• flexible working arrangements
• professional development and study opportunities
• supportive working environment
• a wide range of retail discounts across shopping, entertainment and travel
• on-campus staff discounts including UC RecCentre
• living in revitalised Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand
• a unique working environment in a beautiful campus with access to UC facilities such as UC RecCentre and Staff Club at discounted rates plus onsite cafés and eateries, and more.

For more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc

For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/

How You Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted via our careers website and should include a cover letter and resume.

Please note, we do not accept applications by email, however we are happy to answer your queries in relation to the application process, please forward these to WorkatUC@canterbury.ac.nz

You must have Aotearoa New Zealand or Australian citizenship/permanent residency or hold a valid NZ work visa to be considered for this role.

The closing date for this position is: February 15th 2026 (midnight, NZ time)
*Please note applications will be reviewed after the close date.*

Job Details

• Reference #: 30849
• Posted on: 30 Jan 2026
• Closes on: 15 Feb 2026 23:55
• Location(s): Christchurch
• Expertise: Administration, Library
• Job level(s): Entry/Graduate
• Work type(s): Continuing (Permanent) part-time