Benner Library 50th Celebration

Join us in celebrating 50 years of Benner Library! Take a fun, self-guided walking tour and discover all the library has to offer. In just about 25 minutes at a steady pace, you’ll explore highlights throughout the building. Stairs are part of the route, but the elevator is always available. At each stop, follow the walking instructions and scan the QR codes (or use the provided links) to unlock special video content along the way!

Faith Formed in Clay: Exhibiting the Foundations of Primitive Methodism.

Faith Formed in Clay exhibits the rise of Primitive Methodism in nineteenth-century Britain as reflected through its representation on pottery. It was an outgrowth of the holiness movement shaped by the everyday lives of potters and labourers in Britain’s industrial Midlands. An evolution within the Methodist theology advanced by John Wesley (1703-1791) in the eighteenth century, Primitive Methodism emerged from camp meetings, unauthorized lay preaching, and the conviction that faith should be accessible to all, regardless of class or background. The two pioneering leaders in the movement were Hugh Bourne (1772-1852) and William Clowes (1780-1851), both of whom had a close connection to the pottery industry, and their images were memorialized on objects of pottery manufacture alongside the early chapels and formative camp meeting sites.
Bringing together objects commemorating and reflecting the rise of Primitive Methodism, Faith Formed in Clay emphasizes the close connection of the movement to the pottery industry and potters themselves. Presenting as they do the portraits of Bourne and Clowes alongside the Mow Cop folly, the objects of this exhibit further reveal the ways in which a deliberate iconography of Primitive Methodism emerged across the Victorian period and was solidified by the centenary of the Mow Cop camp meeting in 1907. The objects here displayed show how Primitive Methodism was not only a force for spiritual revival but also a social force that reshaped working-class life and identity. Like clay shaped by many hands, the faith they built was both resilient and enduring, grounded in the struggles of ordinary people yet reaching towards lasting change to labour organisation in Victorian Britain.

Homecoming Events for 2025

Book Vase Sale
$25 cash per ceramic vase - Purchase at the Circulation Desk (First Floor) - while supplies last

Escape room
Trapped in Time: Escape Benner 1975
Your group was on a tour of Benner when, suddenly, you were transported back to 1975 for the grand opening of Benner Library. The time travel equilibrium needs to be restored so you can go back to the future before 30 minutes elapse and you get stuck in the past forever.

Ask the Achivist a question, get a candy bar (limit one per day per guess). While supplies last and the Archivist is present.

Puzzle Competition
Put your teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test in our Puzzle Competition! Each team will work on the same 500-piece puzzle and have 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete it. Teams may include up to six people and must pre-register in advance. All team members must be present at the start time — no late starts allowed.

Prizes will be awarded to the top performers — either the team that finishes first or the team with the fewest pieces left when time runs out. Think fast, work together, and see if your team can claim the top spot! Check back for link to register.

Come Play Music Bingo!
Join us as we celebrate five decades of Benner Library with Music Bingo featuring hits from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, and 2010s. Test your music knowledge for a chance to win a small prize! Music Bingo will run every hour on the half-hour (10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30). The decade of music played will be chosen based on participant preference.

Details:

• Space is limited; participants may be asked to work in small groups and share bingo cards.
• All are welcome—students, friends, faculty/staff, and families!
• Bingo daubers will be provided.

How It Works:
Listen to a short clip of a song and mark the correct title on your bingo card. Get bingo and win!

Join us for a special Library Employee Reunion during Homecoming as we celebrate Benner Library’s 50-year milestone of scholarship and service! All past and present library staff are invited to reconnect, reminisce, and share memories from across the decades. Enjoy light refreshments, catch up with old colleagues, and meet current staff as we honor the friendships, service, and lasting contributions that have supported and enriched our campus community.

As part of our 50th Celebration, you're invited to a special Library Open House! Alumni, students, families, past & present staff, and friends are all welcome to tour the library, connect with staff, and see how our spaces and services have evolved over the years. Enjoy guided tours, light refreshments including cake , in an inviting atmosphere as we celebrate five decades of scholarship and service in this location.

We will hold a brief celebration to kick off the Benner Library's 50th Celebration. Library Director Pam Greenlee will offer a short statement commemorating this milestone, and light refreshments will be served.

Faith Formed in Clay: Exhibiting the Foundations of Primitive Methodism.
Bryson Doering, History '26

Faith Formed in Clay exhibits the rise of Primitive Methodism in nineteenth-century Britain as reflected through its representation on pottery. It was an outgrowth of the holiness movement shaped by the everyday lives of potters and labourers in Britain’s industrial Midlands. An evolution within the Methodist theology advanced by John Wesley (1703-1791) in the eighteenth century, Primitive Methodism emerged from camp meetings, unauthorized lay preaching, and the conviction that faith should be accessible to all, regardless of class or background. The two pioneering leaders in the movement were Hugh Bourne (1772-1852) and William Clowes (1780-1851), both of whom had a close connection to the pottery industry, and their images were memorialized on objects of pottery manufacture alongside the early chapels and formative camp meeting sites.
Bringing together objects commemorating and reflecting the rise of Primitive Methodism, Faith Formed in Clay emphasizes the close connection of the movement to the pottery industry and potters themselves. Presenting as they do the portraits of Bourne and Clowes alongside the Mow Cop folly, the objects of this exhibit further reveal the ways in which a deliberate iconography of Primitive Methodism emerged across the Victorian period and was solidified by the centenary of the Mow Cop camp meeting in 1907. The objects here displayed show how Primitive Methodism was not only a force for spiritual revival but also a social force that reshaped working-class life and identity. Like clay shaped by many hands, the faith they built was both resilient and enduring, grounded in the struggles of ordinary people yet reaching towards lasting change to labour organisation in Victorian Britain.

Escape room
Trapped in Time: Escape Benner 1975
Your group was on a tour of Benner when, suddenly, you were transported back to 1975 for the grand opening of Benner Library. The time travel equilibrium needs to be restored so you can go back to the future before 30 minutes elapse and you get stuck in the past forever.

Browse great reads at our Homecoming & Family Weekend Book Sale! Discover a wide selection of gently used books at bargain prices—perfect for students, alumni, families, and friends. Proceeds from the sale support Benner Library’s services and ongoing commitment to scholarship and service within our campus community.

Silent Auction, featuring unique items and experiences. All funds raised will benefit library and archives initiatives. See our FAQ website for more information.

Hours for Homecoming 2025 Events

Come Play Music Bingo!
Join us as we celebrate five decades of Benner Library with Music Bingo featuring hits from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, and 2010s. Test your music knowledge for a chance to win a small prize!

Details:

• Space is limited; participants may be asked to work in small groups and share bingo cards.
• All are welcome—students, friends, faculty/staff, and families!
• Lite snack will be served.
• Bingo daubers will be provided.

How It Works:
Listen to a short clip of a song and mark the correct title on your bingo card. Get bingo and win!

At midmorning break of the faculty meeting, we will hold a brief celebration to kick off the Benner Library's 50th celebration. Light refreshments will be served.

The Story of Olivet’s Libraries: A Legacy of Scholarship and Service
Tracing Our History Since Relocating to Bourbonnais
This exhibit highlights the evolution of Olivet Nazarene University’s libraries since the university’s relocation to Bourbonnais. It features the library buildings, past library directors, and the 1975 library staff—the year the current Benner Library was dedicated. Special recognition is given to Hugh C. Benner, for whom the building is named, and to the lasting legacy of scholarship and service that defines Benner Library’s mission while supporting the broader mission of Olivet.