New Classically Designed College Library Will Honor America

Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, has released a fly-through video and announced that it will break ground soon on a new classically designed library as part of the college’s plan to form

leaders who will Transform Culture in America through their commitment to intellectual, personal, and spiritual greatness.

For the college, the new library will house the college’s entire book collection, triple the student study space, new classrooms, academic programs, and a coffee shop.

For the public, the library includes a museum-quality replica of the Independence Hall Assembly Room where the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed.

Classically designed, the 58,000 square-foot library matches the architecture on campus with input from Benedictine College’s classical architecture department, and creates a new campus quad and green space.

A new, improved library. The library will have stacks for the college’s entire book collection, with room to grow. It will also feature triple the study space, with more individual and group study space, seminar and conference rooms. It will house the rare book room, reading room, and classrooms. The library will house the Center for Constitutional Liberty in addition to library staff. In addition, the library will include a coffee shop for students.

The impact of Independence Hall. To honor the principles of American liberty and the Catholic intellectual tradition, under the distinctive bell tower the library will feature a replica of the Assembly Room to tell the story of America’s founding in a hands-on, dynamic way to visiting regional students. It will also feature living history exhibits; museum-quality presentations of the story of freedom with trained docents and historical interpreters. In addition, the library will have a reception hall with a catering kitchen.

The library project is part of the Benedictine College plan to Transform Culture in America through the college mission of community, faith and scholarship. The plan calls for Formation in the mission through the Raven Standard, Characteristics of a Raven, the Catholic intellectual tradition, and diversity according to the model of the global Catholic Church; Profession to advance the mission in every walk of life through career preparation, the Raven Walk, and internships; Extension, to bring the mission to key audiences nationwide; and Excellence in the mission campuswide as we continue to build one of the great Catholic colleges in America.