This July 4th, Benedictine College will unveil the new library, the culmination of several years of planning, vision and hard work. The new library will be a focal point and centerpiece of the campus due to its beauty and symbolic importance.
President of the college, Stephen Minnis, often speaks about how building a library is counter-cultural, considering an increasingly digital age in which libraries are closing. However, he believes that the library is a much-needed symbol of academic excellence and patriotism for the college.
Benedictine prides itself on its patriotism and commitment to America’s founding ideals, and this library will be a physical display of that commitment. The building itself is modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. One of Benedictine’s mottos is “Transforming Culture in America,” and this new library will help the college better achieve those goals by inspiring students’ patriotism.
Within the library, there will be a replica of the assembly room from Independence Hall, which is the exact room where the Declaration of Independence was signed. In addition, the library is increasing study spaces, classrooms, and offices and will also include a new coffee shop. All of these functional purposes will be wrapped in beauty and fine art to inspire students to higher ideals.
In addition to fine art, the library will showcase the college’s commitment to our mother, Mary. The library will have two statues of Mary, each with its own title: Mary Help of Christians and Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, both titles uniquely chosen to intercede for the library and all who use it.
In a culture that is increasingly anti-American, Benedictine’s new library serves as a beacon of hope, showing the world that there are still those who will fight for the American democratic dream.
