Robarts Library carrel services

Eligibility | New applicants |  Renewal applications | Borrowing card |  Priority groups| Carrel Office |  Other libraries |  FAQs

Eligibility

• Graduate students, faculty members, and visiting scholars in the humanities and social sciences  – SGS Divisions 1 (Humanities) & and II (Social Sciences)
• Priority groups details are described on this page
• Exception: Toronto School of Theology students must apply through their registrar

 

Applying for a carrel

New applicants

• In the best interest of the University's research community, apply for a carrel only if you have serious need of one and plan to use it frequently, since demand exceeds supply
• Application window: Submit your application between May 1 – August 31 for the academic year beginning in September
• Selection process: New applicants are grouped into priority categories and then ordered by a computer-generated lottery to form a wait list
• Timing: Vacancies are filled as they become available throughout the fall and winter terms, with most vacancies occurring in the fall
• Outstanding applications: Applicants unassigned to a carrel by April 30th are cleared of the wait list, and if interested, must apply for the subsequent academic year
• Carrel-sharing: Those who wish to share a carrel must apply separately, each indicating the other's name in the field provided in the application form 
• See the Apply section to submit your application
• Lockers: To apply for a locker instead of a carrel,  contact carrel.applications@utoronto.ca directly

Renewal applications

• In the best interest of the University's research community, renew your carrel only if you have serious need of one and plan to use it frequently, since demand exceeds  supply
• Application window: Submit your application between May 1 – August 31 for the academic year beginning in September
• You will be notified of your application's status early in the fall term
• See the Apply section to submit your renewal application, and be sure to fill out the carrel field with the number of your current carrel

Carrel borrowing card privileges

• When you are assigned a carrel in Robarts, you will be issued a carrel borrowing card.
• Use it to check out books to your carrel for in-library use only
• These books must remain in your carrel at all times
• They are automatically renewed indefinitely, and remain sensitized to the Library's exit gates
• This card does not allow making requests (holds) on items – use your TCard to make requests

When other library users request books signed out to your carrel borrowing card

• Library staff will retrieve them from your carrel and leave a notification in their place
• To avoid this situation: You may borrow the items on your TCard, but the onus is on you to return them if they are recalled by other library users
• When an item on your TCard is recalled, you will receive an email notification, and have 14 days to to return it, or face $ 2.00/day fines

To see what is checked out on your carrel card

• Sign in to our search system – LibrarySearch – using the barcode and password supplied by the Carrel Office – to review your checked out list

 

Priority groups for carrel assignments

The purpose of lockable carrels is to provide doctoral candidates in Divisions I – Humanities; and Division II – Social Sciences – especially those preparing their dissertations – with private, quiet working space. Other groups considered for carrel assignment are: faculty members on research/sabbatical leave, or working on special projects; post-doctoral fellows affiliated with the University; and, visiting scholars. 

Carrels are assigned according to the following priorities, which are established in conjunction with the School of Graduate Studies:

1. Doctoral students – Divisions I & II:
   Those in their 3rd year of candidacy and beyond.  Applicants in Priority A1 will be permitted to hold a carrel for a total of three years, not necessarily consecutive. Carrels will be assigned for a full year, or portion thereof, according to the term(s) requested by the applicant.
   Faculty members – Divisions I & II:
   Those on leave or without office space on the St. George Campus.
   Post-doctoral fellows – Divisions I & II:
   Those affiliated with the University.
    
2. Faculty members, including emeriti – Divisions I & II: 
   Those requiring library space for special projects.
   Visiting scholars:
   Those accredited by SGS Divisions I and II
   Doctoral students – Divisions I & II:
   Those in their second year of candidacy
    
3. Other doctoral students – Divisions I & II
    
4. Full-time master's students – Divisions I & II
    
5. Toronto School of Theology (TST) doctoral students
   Fifteen carrels are available for TST PhD students. These carrels are assigned according to a TST recommendation. TST students must apply through their registrar instead of using the form below.

 

Carrel Office hours & location

Robarts Library – 130 St. George Street, Room 1008
Telephone: 416-978-2305
Email: carrel.applications@utoronto.ca

In-person service

 

Apply for carrel  |  Renew a carrel

Use the icon below to either apply for a carrel or renew your carrel.

Apply for a carrel

 

Carrels in other libraries

Please DO NOT use the above icon to apply for carrels in other libraries.

Visit the web pages below to learn how to apply for carrels in these other libraries.

• Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library – See Carrel Information page
• Gerstein Science Information Centre – See Carrel Information page
• Kelly Library, St. Michael's College Library – See Graduate carrel policies

 

More information

See our carrel FAQs

–Last updated February 6, 2022