Adam Beaty will detail his experiences as an MSLIS student independently leading two archival projects focused on LGBTQ materials: a digital collection named "Queer Nightlife in Champaign-Urbana, IL: 1973-2000", and a digital exhibit named "LGBTQ Spaces in Champaign County". He will discuss the project's trajectory from archival research, connecting with community members, assessing materials, reformatting loaned items, writing inclusive metadata, and creating publicly accessible collections with limited resources. By discussing his experience, challenges, lessons learned, and implications for the field, Adam aims to highlight the importance of community-centered practices, ethical decision-making, and preservation strategies when working with archival materials from marginalized communities. Pat Cain, Archives Manager at the Champaign County Historical Archives, will provide insight about supporting student projects in community archives.