The Wider Reading and Displays Team is managed by Customer Services within the Libraries, Museums and Galleries department.
Student Wider Reading Volunteer
08 Dec 2025 - 08 May 2026
Applications closed on 05 Nov.
An exciting opportunity to work with the Library to create or enhance a collection of e-books & audiobooks based on an approved subject of your choice, and promote it to students and staff across the University.
This voluntary role will help us to develop a student-led perspective to our Wellbeing & Leisure collections, as well as widening the inclusivity of our collections.
You will also have the chance to gain experience in areas such as book selection, book ordering, budget management and promotional work.
Aim
- Our collections and displays are created to help our users access reading material outside of their academic studies and we aim to encourage wider reading and provide support through our collections.
- We aim to improve the inclusivity of our collections by highlighting topics our students care about and providing titles from under-represented groups.
What does it involve?
- The Student Wider Reading Volunteer will curate a collection based on an agreed subject area. This could be a new subject area or expand upon an existing collection. See examples of our current collection here
- You will select and order titles via our online eBook & audiobook platform - Libby.
- You will be given a budget to manage.
- You will work with our Marketing department to promote the collection.
What are we looking for?
- You should be interested in reading, have an awareness of contemporary literature.
- You will need basic IT skills
- You will be self-motivated and committed to completing tasks.
- You will need to propose a collection theme to develop and have an interest in your chosen subject.
Once you have registered your interest we will ask you to send us a brief outline (500 words max) detailing your proposed collection. There will be an informal interview and we will be selecting our volunteers based on the suitability of the collection.
Benefits to self
Communication skills
Administrative & IT skills
Working with a budget
Working with a library system
Marketing and promotional experience
Benefits to others
Helping to add a new student focussed perspective to our wider reading collections to make them more relevant to our users.
Improving inclusivity in our collections.
Increasing student engagement with the Library.
Location
Library and online
Training available
How to use the Library eBook ordering platform
Book Selection
Creating promotional materials using university branding guidelines
- Areas of interestArts and Culture, Creative and Design, Disability, Domestic Violence, Drugs and Addictions, Education, Ethics, Environment and Conservation, Faith and Religion, Health and Social Care, Homelessness, Human and Civil Rights, LGBT+, Media and Marketing, Music, Women