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Carrel Policy - Williams Library

The Law Library's policy of providing individually-assigned carrels is designed to help researchers save time by allowing them the privilege of holding library materials in one location for an extended period of time. The policy reduces the frustration of repeatedly retrieving and shelving the same materials. The policy does not allow carrels to be used as storage areas for non-library materials or as personal office space. Carrels that are available for assignment are located on the fourth and fifth floors. All carrels are equipped with data jacks for Law Center network access.

Eligibility

Students who are writing papers for upper-level writing seminars, graduate papers, or journal notes, and students who are authorized faculty research assistants are eligible for a carrel assignment. Carrels will be assigned for an entire semester and may be extended for those students who are writing papers or journal notes. Faculty research assistants may request an extension if more time is necessary to complete the assigned research.

Any student who already has received a carrel assignment for the purpose of writing a paper will be eligible for an additional carrel assignment only if space is available. The library reserves the right to end these additional assignments with a 5 day notice if other eligible students request carrel space, have not had a prior carrel assignment, and there are no vacant assignable carrels.

As carrels are often in high demand we ask that students end their reservation as soon as they no longer have a need for a carrel. Also, please be sure that your email address is correct, as almost all communication regarding carrels is done through email.

Etiquette

Students may store library materials only on the top shelf of the carrel. Under no circumstances should material be left on the floor or piled higher than the top of the carrel. Books not charged to the carrel and extraneous material will be removed by library staff. The material will be taken to the Public Safety booth in McDonough Hall. The library cannot accept responsibility for items lost or stolen from a carrel.

Under no circumstances may personal effects be left in the carrel. In addition to the security risks, all carrels should be left in a condition that does not prohibit others from using the space for study when the assignee is not present.

Remember

The library reserves the right to remove any book charged to a carrel if it is needed for immediate library use. Other patrons will be informed of the carrel location of any book needed, and will be asked to return the book to the carrel when finished.

Charged materials are the patron's responsibility. Library Circulation Desk staff should be notified if materials are removed from a carrel without authorization.

Abuse of these policies and procedures may result in the revocation of carrel privileges.

Procedure

  1. Bring eligible materials to the Circulation Desk
  2. The books will be charged to the Carrel, which is a different type of charge than one to an individual. Carrel books will not be desensitized and will trigger the security alarm at the exit. Materials charged to a carrel that a user wishes to take out of the building must be brought to the Circulation Desk before they can pass through the security system.
  3. Complete a blue carrel streamer for each book, and keep the streamer in the book while it is stored in the carrel.
  4. Return all books with the blue streamers to the Circulation Desk when finished.

Eligible Materials

Treatises and bound journals may be charged to carrels. The following may not be charged to carrels:

  • Primary materials (codes, statutes, reporters, treaties, etc.)
  • Reading Room materials
  • Reserve materials
  • Materials labeled "Library Use Only" (with the exception of bound journals)
  • Audio and video materials
  • Microform

Books charged to individuals may not be kept in carrels or simultaneously charged to a carrel. Faculty research assistants may not store books charged to a professor in an assigned carrel.

Note: Wolff Library policies differ. View the Wolff policies here.