The Law Library has hundreds of study carrels available for individual student use located throughout both floors of the library. Study carrels are intended for individual study and research, hence the partitions separating each carrel's study space from the next.
A portion of the Law Library's study carrels are available for reservation each semester. Those study carrels that are not available for reservation may be used by any student at any time.
Generally speaking, neither the library staff nor housekeeping staff will remove any items a student leaves in their reserved study carrel, but please note that we do not recommend leaving valuable items, such as electronics or textbooks, in your study carrel unattended. While we generally will not remove any items until the end of the semester, we cannot guarantee that other individuals will leave your items alone.
Some study carrels may be reserved for the semester. Here is how to reserve a study carrel:
Please remove your items at the end of the semester. Anything left will be deemed abandoned.
Only students may reserve study carrels, and each student may reserve only one study carrel.
The reservation period begins on the first day of the semester and concludes on the last day of that semester's final exam period. Reservations do not carry over into the next semester.
Numbered study carrel cards are specific to that specific study carrel. Do not move the card to another carrel.
If your study carrel is on the Third Floor of the Law Library, please keep your noise down as this is our Quiet Floor.
All items located in the study carrel must be removed by the last day of the reservation period or it will be deemed abandoned. An email will be sent to the student body at the beginning of the final exam period reminding everyone who has reserved a study carrel to remove their belongings by the end of the period.
Students using study carrels must adhere to the Law Library's Food Policy.
Students are not to use nearby outlets to plug in coffee pots, electric kettles, hot plates, toasters, toaster ovens, refrigeration units, heaters of any kind, or any other small electrical devices that generate heat in the library. Laptops, phone chargers, and small fans are permitted. Permission to plug in a small lamp requires prior permission from the Law Library staff.
During the semester, it is the responsibility of the student who has reserved the study carrel to maintain its cleanliness. Unless something is becoming a health hazard, we are not going to clean reserved study carrels during the semester. Cleaning supplies have been placed in regular intervals throughout the study carrels for this purpose, and the study carrels are given a deep clean in between semesters by housekeeping.
While food is allowed in study carrels, do not keep open food at your study carrel or anything else that might attract pests.
Clean up spills immediately. If the spill is on the carpet, please notify a Law Library staff member as soon as possible.
Violation of any of the Law Library's policies may result in the rescission of your study carrel reservation and/or the loss of study carrel privileges.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When can I reserve a study carrel? Study carrels can be reserved beginning at the start of each term, although the Law Library may offer early reservations as a promotion.
Can I move my card to any unoccupied study carrel? No. The study carrels that are available for reservation have been chosen with several competing interests in mind. Accordingly, it is imperative that the cards remain placed in the assigned study carrels. Cards that are discovered to have been moved, along with any items in that study carrel, will be moved back to their assigned positions. Repeated violators may have their study carrel reservations rescinded.
Now that I've used it, I don't like this study carrel. Can I switch to another location? If reservable study carrels are still available, you may cancel your current reservation by returning the orange card to the Circulation Desk along with the new location's green card and repeating the reservation process for the new study carrel. However, if there are no reservable study carrels available, you can always use a non-reservable study carrel at any time. Just don't leave any items behind.
I really like this study carrel. Can I keep it for next semester? Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee you'll be able to reserve the same study carrel for the next semester. In an attempt to be as fair to everyone as possible, the reservation only lasts one semester and the reservation process is "first come, first served". Accordingly, the only way to reserve the same study carrel is to make your new reservation as soon as possible at the beginning of the next semester and hope no one else has claimed it before you can.
My study carrel has or is close to an outlet. Can I bring in my small coffee pot or other small appliance? Absolutely not! Other than laptops, phone chargers, and small fans, no other electrical devices, especially heaters of any kind, should be plugged into the outlets. This is not a library policy, but a building maintenance and safety policy. Small appliances can wreak havoc on the building's electrical system and are increased risks for starting fires or electrical outages.
Well, what about a lamp? Generally speaking, still no. Most study carrel should have a light under the upper shelf portion. If the light is not working, please let the Circulation Desk or a Reference Librarian know, and we will ask maintenance to fix the issue; please provide your study carrel's number when making this request. However, if the light is not bright enough for your needs, please let a Reference Librarian know and we will work with you to find an appropriate accommodation.
Are food and beverages allowed in a study carrel? Within reason, yes, you may eat and drink at your study carrel, and you are even allowed to store items in your study carrel, with the following limitations:
I accidentally spilled something in my carrel. What can I do? Clean up spills immediately. Cleaning supplies have been placed in regular intervals throughout the study carrels for this purpose. If the spill is on the carpet, please notify a Law Library staff member as soon as possible. Unless something is becoming a health hazard, it is the responsibility of the student who has reserved the study carrel to maintain its cleanliness during the semester. The study carrels are given a deep clean and sanitized in between semesters by our housekeeping staff.
I have other questions. Who do I ask? Send any questions not answered by this page to reference@law.capital.edu.
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Capital University Law Library, 303 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, 614-236-6464
Information found on these pages does not constitute legal advice. Use of these guides does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Capital University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and attorneys looking for reference assistance with legal materials may contact the reference department at reference@law.capital.edu. or call 614-236-6466 during normal reference hours.
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