University of Hong Kong Law Library
Postgraduate Research Carrel Regulations
MPhil, SJD and PhD Students

 

There are 35 research carrels with lockers in the Research Zone on the 1/F of the Law Library.

 

Eligibility for use of a research carrel

Students eligible to apply for a research carrel must be those who are currently enrolled University of Hong Kong full time research postgraduate law students on MPhil, SJD, or PhD programmes and do not have a workstation under the Research Student Study Centre (RSSC) assigned by the Faculty of Law.

 

Application

1. Application forms for research carrels are available from the Law Library website at https://lib.hku.hk/lawpgsr/index.php. Applications must be completed in full.
2. Applications are invited and may be submitted between 1st and 15th of August, January and June for occupation period during September to January, February to June and July to August respectively. Students will be notified of the outcome of their application as soon as practicable after the closing date of each round of application.
3. Successful applicants will have seven working days after notification is sent to accept offer. If the applicant has not responded to the offer within seven working days, the research carrel will be made available to other students.

Allocation priority

4. The following principles are taken into consideration in the allocation process. They are not listed in order of importance. Other relevant factors or extraordinary circumstances may be considered where necessary.
   1. Students who have not previously been allocated a research carrel have priority over students who have.
   2. Students who are in the write-up phase (final year of the minimum period of study) have priority over those who are not.
   3. Doctoral students have priority over Masters students.
   4. Second-year and third-year students have priority over first-year students.
   5. Students beyond their minimum period of study will have a lower priority.
   6. Students applying for the first time have priority over students currently occupying a research carrel and applying for a renewal.

Occupancy

5. Allocations are for a maximum period of five months, unless a shorter period is being requested.
6. Occupancy may be renewed on application, subject to availability, and in accordance with the allocation priority principles.

Conditions of occupancy

7. Research carrels and lockers are not transferable and may not be shared.
8. All library materials kept in the research carrel must be checked out. Periodicals, Reference books and other non-circulating materials should not be kept in the research carrel overnight. Library staff will make routine checks of lockers and research carrels and will remove all unauthorized materials.
9. To make better use of the research carrels, those who are not making regular use of the research carrel are expected to vacate the desk for other library users. If a carrel occupant is continuously absent for 3 working days or more, and has not vacated the desk, the carrel occupant will either be required to discontinue use of the research carrel immediately or the research carrel occupancy will not be extended upon expiry.
10. Carrel occupants must keep the research carrels clean and tidy at all time. Do not store items under the desk. Food and beverages left or stored in the research carrels will be removed and discarded.
11. No electrical appliances (except for notebook computers or tablets) are allowed in the research carrels.
12. No objects should be hung or adhered to the research carrel. Any damage must be reported to the library staff as soon as possible.
13. The Library accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to personal possessions left in the research carrel.
14. Eating, smoking, use of mobile phones, or making of noise likely to disturb other users are in breach of library regulations. 
15. Carrel occupants who infringe these rules may be required to discontinue use of a research carrel.  

Vacating

16. All occupants are required to vacate research carrels and lockers on the predetermined date, or when studies are completed or when enrolment ceases, whichever is earlier.
17. The Library reserves the right to remove unclaimed possessions left in the research carrels beyong expiry of occupancy.