Work experience
We offer one-week work experience placements in the Library, over two separate weeks in the summer of each year.
2025 / 2026 allocations
We are able offer the following work placement opportunities in 2026:
June 29 – July 3 2026: Collection Care
Collection Care are responsible for ensuring the well-being of, and access to, all physical Library holdings across all sites and stores. This includes: condition checking, collection surveys, conservation treatments, modern lending collection repairs, emergency planning, integrated pest management, environmental monitoring, Special Collections handling training and conservation research.
June 29 – July 3 2026: Main Library Experience Team
The Library Experience team are often the first point of contact for anyone wanting to use the Main Library. It’s their role to connect people with the collections, service and support that they require. Enquiries can come to the team in person, online, over the phone or on social media.
June 29 – July 3 2026: Collection Strategies
Collection Strategies connects University staff, students and researchers with the physical and digital collections they require to support their work. They ensure that high-quality Library resources are provided promptly, sustainably and cost-effectively. They make our resources usable, easy to access and discover. They constantly seek new ways to acquire and evaluate the right resources for the whole academic community, supporting our status as a National Research Library.
June 29 – July 3 2026: Special Collections Services
The Special Collections Services team provides high standards of services to staff and visitors, including an exceptional visitor experience and exemplary care for the fabric of the Rylands . They maintain excellent customer service and support for researchers using Special Collections materials on all sites and ensuring the smooth operation of activities within the John Rylands Research Institute and Library.
June 29 – July 3 2026: Teaching, Learning + Students / Projects + Business Analysis
The Teaching Learning and Students Division aims to support the success of students through every stage of their learning experience by providing accessible, proactive and innovative services and learning resources, enhanced by positive staff-student interactions.
The Projects + Business Analysis team ensures the portfolio of strategic and operational activities align with Library and University priorities through the delivery of large cross-library activity and business intelligence reporting from a variety of systems and data sources.
July 6 - 10, 2026: Main Library Experience Team
The Library Experience team are often the first point of contact for anyone wanting to use the Main Library. It’s their role to connect people with the collections, service and support that they require. Enquiries can come to the team in person, online, over the phone or on social media.
July 6 - 10, 2026: Special Collections Services
The Special Collections Services team provides high standards of services to staff and visitors, including an exceptional visitor experience and exemplary care for the fabric of the Rylands . They maintain excellent customer service and support for researchers using Special Collections materials on all sites and ensuring the smooth operation of activities within the John Rylands Research Institute and Library.
How to apply
To apply, please email uml.hr@manchester.ac.uk, stating which of the placements you would like to be considered for, no later than Friday February 13, 2026. We will be able to confirm placements by Friday February 20, 2026.
Enabling fairer access
Please note, at Manchester we seek excellence, inclusivity and impact in everything that we do.
Widening participation in higher education – in particular, enabling fairer access to a Manchester education for talented students from all backgrounds – is central to our values as a world-class University and we will prioritise work experience requests from groups that are currently underrepresented in higher education.