This workshop will walk participants through the full lifecycle of a successful community placemaking project, from grant award to ribbon cutting. Jaime Pitt, Director of the Marion Public Library, and Kelsey Winters, Project Lead, will share their firsthand experiences obtaining a Community Placemaking Grant and partnering with Project for Public Spaces (PPS) to reimagine the library’s outdoor courtyard. Presenters will discuss the project process from design to implementation, and how meaningful community engagement and collaboration shaped this public space from start to finish. The session will conclude with lessons learned and insights on celebrating the completed project with the community, offering practical guidance and takeaways for libraires and organizations undertaking similar placemaking initiatives.
Date Recorded: 5/13/2026
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Jaime Pitt, Director and Kelsey Winters, Head of Museum Services & Special Projects / Marion Public Library & History Center
Resources:
- From Grant to Gathering Place pdf of slides
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.
