The University of Iowa Libraries is pleased to announce that Aiden M. Bettine will join the Department of Special Collections and University Archives as Community and Student Life Archivist effective January 4, 2021, a newly-created position in the Libraries’ Residency Librarian Program*. Bettine established the Transgender Oral History Project of Iowa in 2018 and is a Ph.D. candidate in the UI Department of History. He completed his M.A. in Library and Information Science at the University of Iowa in May 2020. He is also establishing a new lending library and community archives in Iowa City, the LGBTQ Iowa Archives & Library, which will open in January.

“I am excited for the opportunity to preserve underrepresented histories on our campus and in our community,” says Bettine. “As the Community and Student Life Archivist, I plan to prioritize archiving the materials of students of color and queer students on our campus including personal collections, oral histories, and working closely with student organizations. One of my primary goals is to actively collect materials from each cultural house on campus, knowing how critical these spaces are for supporting students and creating a community space at the university for both LGBTQ students and students of color.”

In his spare time, Bettine is an avid supporter of the United States Postal Service, making sure to send out mail at least once a week. He enjoys riding his bicycle and camping as well. Currently, Bettine is on a mission to visit all 83 of Iowa’s state parks and recreation areas.

*The UI Libraries offers early-career librarians or librarians new to research libraries, the opportunity for their first professional-level experience in academic librarianship via its Residency Librarian Program. The three-year appointment is designed to provide an immersion into academic librarianship, an opportunity to focus on areas of interest, and funding to support professional engagement at the national level.