Are you a practical person who’s great with people? Passionate about reducing waste and pragmatic about how we do that? Do you want to play a key part in helping Bedminster consume less whilst doing more?
If so, we’ve got an awesome part-time job for you!
Share Bristol is looking for a Library Manager to look after our Bedminster Library of Things, opening soon. You will be responsible for making sure the Library runs day to day, with the support of a volunteer team, that our members are happy, and that our Things are repaired and maintained.
We’re offering a minimum of 8 hours work a week to start, at £11 per hour, and free membership of Share Bristol. When you work is open to negotiation – you will need to be available to staff the Library once or twice a week but this will be on a rota with Trustees and volunteers.
We welcome applications from candidates who are under-represented in the environmental and charity sector.
To apply, please review the job description and person specification attached, and send a CV and covering letter to hello@sharebristol.org.uk by 8pm on Wednesday 15th November.
Earlier this year we all got very excited, as we were offered an empty shop in Bedminster for our second Library of Things. We then had the opportunity to double any donations for the project through the Aviva Crowdfunder, so we grabbed this with both hands and are hugely grateful to the dozens of people who helped us raise thousands of pounds in the spring.
It initially looked like we might be able to get in and get set up pretty quickly, but there have been long delays from the other side, which have been completely out of our hands. So, we still don’t have an opening date. This is disappointing for us, and we know it is disappointing for the people in south Bristol who really want a Library of Things so they can borrow instead of buying.
Whilst we may not have the keys to the Bedminster site yet, we have been working hard behind the scenes to get ready for when we do, including:
Raising thousands of pounds through the Aviva Crowdfunder and applying for grants to fit out the Library
Recruiting and inducting two new Bedminster-based Directors onto the Board
Attending BS3 events and building networks to build awareness of Share Bristol
Applying to transition from a Community Interest Company to a full Charity to help us generate more support and keep our costs down when we open the second Library
Updating our website so that it will be clearer for people to find where we are and when we are open when we have two sites
Working on our branding, database set up, policies and procedures ready for when we are not just a single site organisation
Advertising for and creating a waiting list of willing and eager Bedminster volunteers
Putting out press releases to generate interest in the Bedminster Library ready for when it opens
Getting ready to recruit a part-time Library Manager for Bedminster
Setting up hundreds of people from south Bristol with an account on our database, so they are ready to press the button to join and start borrowing when the Library opens
Securing dozens of donated Things ready to be lent out from the Bedminster Library, then cleaning, checking, PAT testing and listing them on our database
Our work continues on all of these things, and we still need more volunteers in the Bedminster area, so if you can help please get in touch.
And if you are one of those south Bristol people who donated to our Crowdfunder, or have signed up to volunteer, or donated a Thing, or set up an account ready, please bear with us. We will get there, so thank you so, so much for all your support and your patience.
In 2023 we are planning to bring Share Bristol to South Bristol, opening a second library in Bedminster. But this costs money that we can’t afford from our existing membership subscriptions. Luckily, in March 2023 we secured a ‘match fund’ from Aviva Community Fund, meaning that for every pound donated, Aviva also donated a pound.
Over the course of six weeks, 63 supporters donated just over £3,500, as did Aviva, meaning that we now have £7,000 towards the new library! We’re so grateful for everyone who helped us get to that huge number. And the publicity we gained from the campaign meant April was our busiest month ever for new memberships and borrowing. Win – win!
But there’s more good news – Aviva are allowing us to continue using the Crowdfunder and will continue to double donations until their funding pot runs out!
Annual membership of Share Bristol usually costs £50 per year, and then everything is free to borrow. However, we are offering gift certificates for a year’s membership for every £50 donated. So if you want to join the Library, you can donate £50 through the Crowdfunder page, receive a gift certificate to start your membership whenever you choose and Share Bristol will receive £100 in total! This will make a real difference to our funds, help our Kingswood library be on a firmer footing and help us open our BS3 branch.
But one of the principles behind Share Bristol is that borrowing should be affordable for everyone, so Concession memberships for people receiving benefits are £20 for a year, and every £20 donation will also attract a £20 gift voucher – enough for a year of membership for someone on a low income, or a down payment for a Standard Membership.
Our story about Share Bristol bringing a Library of Things to South Bristol certainly generated a lot of interest last month – if you shared our posts on social media or told your friends, thank you. Now we’re offering you a unique way to join our club, and either become a Member for the first time or renew your Membership.
We have secured a ‘match fund’ from Aviva Community Fund, meaning that for every pound you donate, Aviva will also donate a pound. But this isn’t just a donation that will help make sure that Bristol gets a library south of the river, there’s also a clear benefit for you.
Annual membership of Share Bristol usually costs £50 per year, and then everything is free to borrow. However, we are offering gift certificates for a year’s membership for every £50 donated. So if you want to join the Library, you can donate £50 through the crowdfunder page, receive a gift certificate to start your membership whenever you choose and Share Bristol will receive £100 in total! This will make a real difference to our funds, help our Kingswood library be on a firmer footing and help us open our BS3 branch.
But one of the principles behind Share Bristol is that borrowing should be affordable for everyone, so Concession memberships for people receiving benefits are £20 for a year, and every £20 donation will also attract a £20 gift voucher – enough for a year of membership for someone on a low income, or a down payment for a Standard Membership.
We’re often approached by people who want a Library of Things in their corner of Bristol. There’s a few things that need to stack up – a Share Bristol location needs cheap or free premises, good numbers of people walking past, transport links and parking nearby, a bit of money to fund the set up of the premises, a strong local community who are happy to change their habits and borrow instead of buy, and local volunteers to run the lending sessions.
But we also need enthusiasm, time and skills from one or two people who can coordinate everything and make it happen, with help from our existing team of course.
We’re currently in talks regarding premises in East Street, Bedminster, near Southville. This looks like a really good option, with the stars aligning. However we need that person with good knowledge of the area and some time and enthusiasm to make it happen! They would be invited to join our Director team and play a role in shaping how Share Bristol develops in the future too.
Could you be that person, or maybe you know someone that fits the bill?
Our current Director team are keen and happy to help, but we are busy running the organisation and the existing library of things (as well as our day jobs!), and lack ‘boots on the ground’ knowledge of Bedminster.
We need someone who can:
oversee the set up of the premises – furniture, racking, decorating and so on
coordinate the local donation of things, so we have lots to share when we open
work with local organisations to make sure that everyone knows who we are, and that we are working in partnership and collaborating wherever possible
generate publicity and excitement in the Bedminster area
research and agree on the best opening times
lead the recruitment of volunteers to staff the library, including trusted keyholders
lead the drive to attract members to join the library
volunteer to lead lending sessions when the library opens, whilst we continue to grow the volunteer team and potentially get the funding to employ someone part-time
The existing team can help with:
securing the premises and associated services e.g. utilities
making funding applications
social media, website presence etc
health and safety requirements
budgets and financial management
sourcing things to borrow, and storing things until the library is ready
setting up the new library on our existing lending software
transferable paperwork e.g. volunteer forms, interview questions, policies and procedures
all the governance around running an organisation e.g. Companies House returns
being extra pairs of hands when needed
If you’re local to the Bedminster or Southville area and can lend a hand, then please get in touch. Even if you don’t think you can take over the coordination role or don’t want to be a Director, please get in touch and let us know what you could offer an East Street library of things, and we will be in touch in due course.
Pop in and see us in Kingswood when we are open for a chat, or email us at hello@sharebristol.org.uk to tell us a bit about you and we will get back to you.
Or you can jump right in and apply to be a Director! As well as someone to take the lead in Bedminster, we are also looking to increase our capacity and expertise in the Director team by recruiting someone with strong marketing and engagement expertise, plus a finance lead. Pass it on! A new opportunity, for you and us? | Share Bristol – A Library of Things
