State Librarian of Kansas Visits New Benedictine Facility
Ray Walling, State of Kansas Librarian
There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the opening of the new Independence Hall-inspired library at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. The news caught the attention of the State of Kansas Librarian, Ray Walling, who came from the state capital in Topeka to tour the Moritz Library in D’Aniello Hall on August 20, 2026. Walling met with the library staff (seen above) and toured the new 58,000 square foot facility.
“Libraries on a university campus have always been considered the heart of the academic experience,” said Walling. “And although it is just a stop on a tour for prospective students, this is now a central point of the school that these students are going to see, which is wonderful, but it also reminds them of the importance of intellectual development and learning as well as the development of thoughts over history.”
The State Librarian manages the State Library of Kansas to support the information needs of state government and provide access to information for all Kansas residents. Walling is the 18th Kansas State Librarian and has served since June of 2022. He has visited several new libraries around the state, but the Moritz Library is the first new private academic library he has seen.
The new library tripled the amount of study space of the old building, a necessary step with the growing student population at Benedictine College. The facility also includes a large coffee shop on the first floor and museum-quality reproductions of the Liberty Bell and the Assembly Room in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.
“This year, the 250th anniversary of our country, and this facility opening, provides a unique opportunity to reflect on America’s history and I think it’s a great opportunity to tie in civic awareness and civic pride on campus,” Walling said.
The college hosted a sneak peek at the Assembly Room and Liberty Bell on July 4, drawing several thousand visitors for tours, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, speeches by reenactors in period costume, and colonial-era crafts and games for the kids. Benedictine is already scheduling school tours to visit the Atchison campus and see the historic rooms in the library, including an exhibition of Early American documents.
“It’s a beautiful space that I think will serve the college well into the future with great study spaces that are available throughout the building,” he said. “There are just so many opportunities for students to use the space in groups or individually and have the wonderful resources that a library can provide around them.”
Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas. The school is honored to have received a top 10 ranking by U.S. News & World Report, to be ranked in the nation’s 10 most-recommended colleges by The Wall Street Journal and named one of the top Catholic colleges in the nation by the Newman Guide. It prides itself on outstanding academics, extraordinary faith life, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging. Benedictine College is dedicated to Transforming Culture in America through its mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.
