Indianapolis Public Library’s Michigan Road Branch to receive national 2026 AccessAbility Award
Indianapolis, Indiana – September 30, 2026 – Helen Keller Services, a nonprofit organization that supports people who are blind, have low vision or experience combined hearing and vision loss (DeafBlind), has announced that The Indianapolis Public Library’s Michigan Road Branch will be one of five recipients of the 2026 AccessAbility Award. The national award recognizes organizations demonstrating exceptional commitment to advancing accessibility.
The Michigan Road Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library is being recognized for creating an inclusive culture that welcomes people with disabilities as employees, patrons and community members, and for showing what accessible employment looks like in practice.
The branch’s relationship with the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults began when a DeafBlind Employment Specialist contacted the branch while supporting a community member seeking employment.
The official press release from Helen Keller Services noted that the branch’s workplace culture is why the branch stands alongside four technology and design companies this year, honored not for what it builds but for how it employs and serves the community. For example, the branch has customized accessibility features built into everyday workplace technology, arranges ASL interpretation not only for trainings and team meetings but also for social gatherings, structures schedules around varied tasks, and fosters a workplace where colleagues learn basic ASL to communicate directly with one another. Interpreters support a wide variety of events, and staff are equipped to support the accessibility features on the devices people use every day.
“The Michigan Road Branch is honored to be recognized by Helen Keller Services for our commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive workplace,” said Bethany Allison, manager, Michigan Road Branch. “We believe accessibility should be at the heart of everything we do, not only for the community members we serve, but also for the employees who make our work possible. We are thankful to have our efforts recognized as we continue creating spaces where everyone is able to thrive.”
“Accessibility is not a feature you add at the end. It is a decision about who belongs, and the organizations we honor this year have made that decision at every level,” said Dr. Susan Ruzenski, CEO of Helen Keller Services. “Our awards exist to show what happens when that commitment is real: better products, stronger workplaces, and communities where people who are blind, DeafBlind, or have low vision participate fully. This year’s recipients are proof of what is possible.”
The recipients will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on Friday, October 9, 2026, at the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults in Sands Point, New York.