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Position

Bookseller

Part time position (7 hours/week with the opportunity to pick up extra hours covering holidays/events): Saturday 3pm-10pm

Pay: £11/hour

Typewronger Books is Edinburgh’s smallest bookshop selling new books, indie publications and zines. We specialise in small press titles but offer a whole range across contemporary publishing including indie-exclusive and signed copies. Typewronger also offers typewriter repair services and risograph printing and zine-making workshops though our new studio space. We run a free events program. Typewronger runs in parallel with McNaughtan’s Bookshop next door, which is Scotland’s oldest antiquarian bookshop, specialising in rare books but with a plentiful offering in good quality second hand.

We are looking for an outgoing enthusiastic bibliophile to take on the busy Saturday afternoon & evening shift in Typewronger, as well as working occasional holiday cover for both shops.

Essential Qualities

1. A Dynamic, Outgoing Personality

The right candidate will be able to chat at ease with any customer of any background. Typewronger is a talking shop and has a thriving community of readers, writers, artists and musicians. It’s also essential to be able to get bookshop work done such as shelving and shelf-dressing, processing orders and the like at the same time -multitasking is hugely important.

2. Interest in Books

Candidates should be readers, not only of classics but contemporary work, and demonstrate a knowledge and desire to learn more about publishers, authors, and all sides of the book business. An interest in art & printmaking would also be useful. Your own areas of geekery are a plus!

3. Attention to Detail

Bookshops carry a wider range of unique stock items than any other business of comparable size, & keeping this all organised can be a lot! Noticing books that are out of place in terms of genre or alphabet, tracking down titles that have gone missing, taking care of the shop’s various plants, dusting, looking after the presentation of the front of the shop – providing the best environment to browse takes a lot of work!

4. Proficiency with computers

As with any modern business, use of Word, Excel, and various specialized programmes (in this case stock management systems, publisher’s programmes &c.)

5. Reliability & Responsibility

You will be closing the premises every Saturday and could well be opening and closing other days. Owing to the unique relationship we have with McNaughtans Bookshop you would be responsible for the security of a premises housing both businesses and would be entrusted with keys. Much of the time you will be working alone, so being able to manage yourself getting through specific tasks set in emails as well as keeping on top of the day-to-day business is a must.

Desirable Qualities

Experience in bookshop/library environment

Customer service experience (in person)

Language skills (classical and/or modern)

Flexibility

Preference will be given to candidates who could potentially cover staff holidays / other gaps in the schedule not only in Typewronger, but also in McNaughtan’s.

Potential Duties

Cleaning and tidying the shop, alphabetizing, managing displays

Opening & closing shop, speaking with customers, making recommendations, hand-selling books, till duty and cash handling

Wrapping and packing customer orders