Carrel is the word of the day, and it takes me back more than forty years to the period in my life when I was working on my bachelor’s degree. Like may students, studying in the dorm, or in my room when I lived off-campus, was not possible. Too much noise, too many distractions, or just too many other things to do, forced me to look for a quiet nook to study.
At that time you could walk into the stacks of the college library, and around the outside walls of the stack they had places where graduate students could go to study called carrels. Each carrel had a desk and a chair, a light and shelves to hold books that were currently being used. If the grad student was not using the carrel, you could slip into the chair and immerse yourself into your studies. Occasionally someone might walk past you, but for the most part it was a very quiet world that encouraged you to learn.
I remember the dry, slightly musty scent, and the low light level of the walkways. The carrels in use created warm pools of light surrounded by shadows, which provided a sense of isolation that helped keep you on task. You could occasionally hear a voice drift up the stairwell from a lower floor, or hear someone’s footsteps on the metal steps. The stairwells were open, but wrapped with a wire grid to prevent people from falling over the side. Probably a good thing given the stacks of books we carried from time to time.
I loved the library, and I enjoyed studying in the carrels. I have a great nephew at school now who has learned to hide himself away when he needs to study. I hope that he comes to love the carrels as much as I did.