Policies

Guidelines for Gould Library building use can be found in the campus handbook.

Throughout the library, courtesy and consideration should govern all conversation so as to avoid disturbing others. Below you will find acceptable volumes for each floor.

• Mezzanine – Group study
• 4th Floor – Group study
• 3rd Floor – Quiet conversation
• 2nd Floor – Quiet
• 1st Floor – Quiet (silent after 5pm)

• Beverages: Beverages are allowed.  Please use covered containers.
• Food: Food is allowed on second, third, fourth and fifth floors.
  • Exceptions – Food and drink are prohibited in certain areas:
    • Food is not permitted in the computer lab or while using Carleton computers.
    • Food is not permitted on the first floor.

Dispose of waste properly & leave the library in good condition: Pack it in, pack it out. Leave no trace and be considerate of other library visitors.

You can find loan periods and borrowing policies under the Borrowing section of the website.

Computer labs for Carleton students are located on 3rd and 4th levels of the library. Computers (and other library equipment such as scanners, copiers, and microfilm readers) are primarily for use by Carleton students. The public is welcome to use equipment for a short period of time. See Computers, Printers & Technology for more information technology available in the library.

When equipment demands are great within the Carleton community, library staff may request that members of the general public not use equipment. Computers located at the Research/IT Desk, in staff offices, or in staff work areas are intended for library staff use only.

Small lockers are available for the storage of personal books, checked out library material, and papers. The library reserves the right to open and inspect any locker at any time, without prior notification.

If any misuse of the locker (e.g., storage of library material that is not properly checked out, storage of food or drink, storage of any toxic or potentially dangerous substance) is found, then the library will remove the material and notify the locker holder of this action.

Carleton and St. Olaf Libraries aim to ensure an inclusive, accessible, and equitable environment for our patrons, including our library discovery tools. These tools and the information they contain are the work of many people across generations, and these records reflect a mix of past and current description standards and practices. We recognize that outdated, offensive, and harmful language may be found in our descriptive records. We are committed to addressing these issues in our discovery platforms when possible. 

Harmful or offensive language may appear for a variety of reasons such as: 

• Some derogatory terms used to describe oppressed people have been reclaimed and used by authors and creators from those communities. 

• Subject Headings, which enable standardized searching and access across our library catalog, are controlled by the Library of Congress and may retain certain problematic terms. 

• Information is transcribed directly from the materials themselves which may contain the creators’ biases and prejudices. 

• Some records are maintained by commercial vendors and other agencies external to the Libraries and cannot be changed. 

Our library staff is engaged in an ongoing effort to revise the catalog records over which we have editorial control. If you encounter any language that you consider to be harmful or offensive, please use this form to report it. 

Click here to report harmful language: Harmful Language Report Form

Special thanks to the Gustavus Adolphus Library and Penn Libraries, whose harmful-language and antiracist statements helped inform our own.

Rooms 168, 225, 336, 340 and 341 in Gould Library require online reservation.  Rooms can be reserved for up to three hours per session and reservations are capped at 6 hours per student per week. 

Patrons occupying these rooms without reservation will be asked to find another location to study.

If you have reserved a space and find it occupied, please gently remind the occupant of your reservation and ask them to leave.  If you require assistance visit the Gould Library circulation desk on the 4th floor.

If you have questions or feedback, please use the online feedback form.