Pilot: Individual Seat Reservations

Do you have a favorite spot to read or study in? Maybe it's by the window, quiet, near the water fountain, as you walk, or even in a busier space? Whatever your preference or need, the Gottesman Libraries is pleased to announce a new pilot project that provides dedicated spaces for current members of Teachers College, Columbia University. 

Beginning Monday, May 20th, individual seat reservations will be enabled for high usage areas on the First Floor of Russell Hall. Similar to reserving small and mid size group rooms, current members may reserve an individual seat for study and research using the Library's Room Reservations system. An individual seat may be reserved in 30 minute time blocks up to eight hours, for a maximum of three active reservations at a time.

To ensure courtesy of reservations, whether an individual seat or group room, patrons will confirm their reservation by scanning a QR code upon arrival or clicking on the relevant link in the e-mail confirmation. The QR code will be posted to the seat or room in accordance with the mapped color codings. 

Note: There is a 15 minute grace period in which to check in; after this time the reservation will be released for others to book.

Interactive mapping of the First Floor will allow patrons to see available space at 50 color coded desks, carrels, and treadmill stations that have corresponding QR codes to facilitate booking.

If an individual should vacate their seat or reservation before the it ends, it is recommended that you cancel the unused portion by logging in to the original e-mail confirmation and clicking the cancel option to free up space for another user.

From May 13 - May 19, the Room Reservations System will be offline as we upgrade it. Reservations made prior to this time remain in place. On May 20th the system will be back online. 

Expanded individual seat reservations will be assessed over the Summer and Fall to complement approximately 400 open, non-reservable individual seats on Floors 1-3, as well as in the Tower Stacks. This number excludes seating in reservable group rooms which hold approximately 150 seats. 

The project team comprises: Tim Conley, Web Services and Systems Librarian; Amber Protzmann, Manager of Operations (Library); Sandra Pomeleo-Fowler, Library Associate / Art and Design; Soeun Bae, Library Associate / Art and Design; Jennifer Govan, Library Director and Senior Librarian; Raza Ahmed, Business Analyst, TCIT Project Management Office; and Jon Macmillan, Director, TCIT Project Management Office.

Read more about Room Reservation Guidelines, including reservable group rooms.

Questions about individual seats or library room reservations may be submitted via online support or Ask a Librarian.