The Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library was given the opportunity to become a Certified Autism Center through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) in 2023 when the branch first opened. Branch Manager, Shelby Peak, and Children’s Librarian, Sarah Tadsen, both disability advocates in their community, will share Fort Ben’s story of pursuing accreditation and the impact this process has had on the branch staff, the local community, and the entire IndyPL system.
Shelby Peak is the Branch Manager of the Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library, the library’s newest branch location which opened to the public in August of 2023. She has been in multiple youth services roles for IndyPL over the last ten years across the system. While working with youth, she noted the challenges with developing sustainable programs and services for patrons with disabilities and sensory sensitivities and realized how it is overlooked in the design and management of programs and services for patrons, staff, and volunteers. Her experience and relationships with the local disability community contributed to her input for the new library during construction. She is a current board member for the Lawrence Advisory Council on Disabilities and helps host their annual Disability Resource Fair at the library.
Sarah Tadsen is a children’s librarian at the Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library. Starting as a shelving page in 2015, she has been in multiple roles at IndyPL during her nearly ten years with the system. Since she discovered the inequities faced by library users with disabilities and the lack of accessible services, she has been an outspoken advocate for accessibility. She is the Communications Chair for the Lawrence Advisory Council on Disabilities and a member of the disability community.
Date Recorded: 7/9/2025
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Shelby Peak / Branch Manager and Sarah Tadsen / Children’s Librarian both of Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public library
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