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Carleton MacOdrum Library: Hours, Silent Floors and Study Room Booking
MacOdrum Library is Carleton's library building and its main study space. For fall 2026 it opens at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and stays open until 2 a.m. during the December exam period. Floors 3 and 5 are silent. You can book a study room up to a week ahead for up to 3 hours a day, and you must check in within 15 minutes or you lose it.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. View sources
MacOdrum Library hours for 2026-27
These are the published building hours. Chat and text help and in-person research help keep shorter hours, shown below the table.
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| September 8 to November 29, 2026 | Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; weekends 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| November 30 to December 22, 2026 (exams) | Every day 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. |
| December 23 and 24, 2026 | December 23 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; December 24 7:30 a.m. to noon |
| Holiday break to January 3, 2027 | Closed |
| January 4 to March 31, 2027 | Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; weekends 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
- The library is closed on October 12 (Thanksgiving), February 15 (Family Day) and March 26 (Good Friday).
- Chat or text help runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and noon to 6 p.m. on weekends, from September 8 to December 4.
- In-person research help runs weekdays from noon to 4 p.m.
Which floor to study on
Pick your floor by how much noise you can handle. Carleton's floor rules are strict: no talking or whispering on the silent floors.
| Floor | Noise level | What else is there |
|---|---|---|
| Foyer | Normal conversation | The best place to talk at full volume |
| Floor 1 | Not listed by the library | Tunnel entrance, computers at the back, and a seating area in the tunnel where you can eat meals |
| Floor 2 | Quiet: you can speak quietly | Main entrance, Library Services Desk, Page Break cafe (Bridgehead), computers, the Joy MacLaren Centre in room 239 and the Family Room in ML 234H |
| Floor 3 | Silent | Computers at the back and silent study rooms |
| Floor 4 | Conversational study rooms | Centre for Student Academic Support (CSAS) and three all-gender accessible washrooms |
| Floor 5 | Silent | Silent study rooms, a few computers near rooms 508 and 509, and graduate-only study rooms 509, 510 and 537 |
- Printers, photocopiers and scanners are on every floor.
- Computers are first come, first served.
- For a noise problem or other immediate concern, text library staff at 343-996-9167.
Booking a study room
Study rooms are split into silent-floor rooms on floors 3 and 5 and conversational rooms on floors 2 and 4. None of them are soundproof, so choose a conversational floor for group work. Rooms have tables, chairs and whiteboards, but you bring the markers.
- Book on Carleton's LibCal system with your MyCarletonOne (MC1) login, up to 1 week ahead, in 30-minute blocks.
- You can hold a room for up to 3 hours a day. Bookings end at 10 p.m. or at closing, whichever is earlier.
- Keep the confirmation email. It has the code you need to check in.
- Check in no more than 5 minutes before your start time, by the email link or the QR code on the door frame. Your device has to share its location to confirm you're in the building.
- If you haven't checked in within 15 minutes of your start time, the booking cancels and someone else can take the room.
- Check out when you leave, even if you finish early.
- Rooms 467 and 469 are set up for VR.
Borrowing, course reserves and food rules
Carleton students can borrow up to 500 items for 120 days each, with unlimited renewals, and can request items from other libraries. Search in Omni, request a print book for pickup at the Library Services Desk, or use Scan on Demand when you only need one chapter.
Course reserves are through Ares or Brightspace, with a small print reserve at the Library Services Desk. Return books to the bins on Library Road, at the tunnel entrance or at the level 2 main entrance.
Light snacks and covered drinks are fine at desks, tables and in study rooms. Full meals aren't allowed inside, but you can eat in the tunnel seating area just outside the floor 1 entrance.
Accessibility and support spaces in the building
The New Sun Joy MacLaren Adaptive Technology Centre (JMC) in room 239 has 10 individual and 2 group study rooms with height-adjustable desks, dual monitors, light therapy lamps, white noise machines and screen-reading software. You need a referral from the Paul Menton Centre (PMC). Individual rooms are for one person and group rooms for up to four, bookable up to a week ahead. The JMC isn't an exam centre.
The Family Room in ML 234H is for students, staff and faculty studying while caring for children. It has adult workspaces, children's books and toys, and a private nursing area.
CSAS, Carleton's learning and writing support office, is on the fourth floor and open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The building also houses the ISSO for international students, the IT Help Desk and a Wellness Desk.
Keep exploring
Sources and updates
This independent guide summarizes the official information linked below. Availability, access rules and application cycles can change; check the relevant university page before making a decision.
- MacOdrum Library: hours
- MacOdrum Library: visit the building
- MacOdrum Library: study space
- MacOdrum Library: book a study room
- MacOdrum Library: borrowing
- MacOdrum Library: borrowing privileges
- MacOdrum Library: New Sun Joy MacLaren Adaptive Technology Centre
- MacOdrum Library: the Family Room is now open
- Centre for Student Academic Support (CSAS)
- MacOdrum Library: in the building