Case Library Senior Thesis Carrel Policy

Senior thesis carrels are assigned study desks for students wishing to have their own space to pursue research, to study, and to store related materials. Senior thesis carrels are located on Level 2 of Case Library. Each thesis carrel is equipped with a desk, shelf, lockable storage cabinet, electrical outlet, and a network port. Seniors writing honors theses or theses that will be considered for honors in the future by their department or program have priority in carrel assignment. Carrel assignments are for one semester. Success in securing a carrel in the fall semester does not guarantee the student a carrel in the spring semester.

Applications are accepted at the Borrowing Services Desk in Case Library beginning Monday morning at 8AM on the first day of each semester and continuing for seven days.

Thesis carrel assignment is by lottery. Any student writing a thesis may complete and submit Thesis Carrel Application to register for the lottery. On the second Monday of the semester a lottery drawing is held and carrels are assigned to senior honor thesis students.  If the number of carrels exceeds the number of applications from students writing an honors thesis or a potential honors thesis, the remaining carrels are assigned to seniors writing non-honors theses. 

Keys are checked out to the successful applicant’s library account at the Borrowing Services Desk in Case Library. Keys are issued only to seniors showing a valid Colgate ID (Gate Card). 

Keys returned after the due date will also be assessed late fees of $0.30 per day prior to the billing/replacement plus a processing fee. Keys not returned four weeks after the due date will be charged a key replacement fee of $50.00.

All library materials must be checked out to the carrel occupant’s library account if stored at a carrel overnight or longer. Books not checked out are subject to removal from the carrel by library staff without notice. Library-use-only materials, such as current periodicals, reserves, and reference books, may not be stored and are subject to removal without notice. Books checked out to a carrel occupant are subject to recall and the student must return recalled items promptly upon receipt of the recall notice. Carrel holders are responsible for applicable fines and replacement costs for all materials not returned to the borrowing services desk by their due dates.

Carrel occupants are responsible for returning all books and clearing away any papers and personal belongings at the end of each semester. Personal belongings remaining on carrels after the end of the semester will be removed by library staff. Contents will be kept at the Borrowing Services Lost and Found for 60 days, after which they will be sent to Campus Safety.

Library policies apply to thesis carrels as they do to other spaces in the Libraries. Among these is the Food and Drink Policy, under which consumption of food is permitted only in the Café and the Flex Room on Level 5. Non-alcoholic beverages in covered containers are permitted elsewhere, including in the senior thesis carrel areas.

Accessibility Information

Carrels are at a fixed height, with 27.5 inches of knee clearance between the floor and the underside of the table and 26 inches from the front to the back. All carrels are 33 inches wide.