When it comes to studying for exams or polishing off final assignments, McGill’s diverse students need different spaces to meet their own preferred atmospheres and habits. Study Space Spotlight highlights some of the unique study areas the Library branches have to offer, whether it be for solo work or in groups, silent study or in quiet conversation. 

The Octagon Room

To step over the threshold into the Islamic Studies Library’s Octagon Room is to transport yourself into a magical world unlike any other at McGill. Originally built for the Presbyterian College of Montreal, the Gothic-style Morrice Hall now serves as the home for the Islamic Studies Library and its signature study space. Situated at the rear of the main floor, the Octagon Room is one of the hidden gems of the campus, a silent sanctuary for quiet study or relaxation between classes.

Named for its iconic wall configuration, the room’s two floors rest underneath a stunning sloping ceiling featuring exposed wooden supports. An ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling dozens of feet above supplements the natural light flooding in from the series of windows ringing the exterior walls. Both floors feature a series of beautiful wooden bookshelves housing tomes related to Islamic Studies, encircling the room’s central study area: an exquisite large, round wood veneer table capable of sitting a dozen students at once, allowing them to quietly study together amid the relaxing beauty of the Octagon Room. Individual study desks and cubicles are also situated next to the windows, bathing individual students in a glow of refreshing light.

For those who need a quiet and more low-key setting to thrive, the Octagon Room radiates an aura of peaceful calm and elegance to help you maximize your study time.

Studying type: Solo

Sound: Very quiet

Virtual Tour:

Islamic Studies Library, Morrice Hall

3485 McTavish Street

Opening Hours:

• Monday-Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday: Closed