Science fiction libraries and museums
Encyclopedia
With the growth of science fiction studies
as an academic discipline as well as a popular media genre, a number of libraries, museums, archives, and special collections have been established to collect and organize works of scholarly and historical value in the field.
. It was founded in Toronto
in 1970 by Judith Merril
. This public library
collection contains over 63,000 items, including books, magazines, audiovisual works, original manuscripts, and other items of interest to both casual users and academic researchers.
Paul Allen
and Jody Patton founded the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in 2004, located at the base of Space Needle
in Seattle. Prominent authors such as Greg Bear
serve as advisers to the museum.
An important museum of the genre is Maison d’Ailleurs
("House of Elsewhere") in Yverdon-les-Bains
, Switzerland
, housing a large collection of literature relating to science fiction, utopia
s, and extraordinary journeys. It was founded by the French encyclopedist Pierre Versins
in 1976 and now owns over 40,000 books, as well as many other items related to science fiction and its imagery.
Popular culture collections with strong SF
Science fiction studies
This article is about the field of science fiction studies. For the journal of the same title, please see Science Fiction Studies.Science fiction studies is the common name for the academic discipline that studies and researches the history, culture, and works of science fiction and, more broadly,...
as an academic discipline as well as a popular media genre, a number of libraries, museums, archives, and special collections have been established to collect and organize works of scholarly and historical value in the field.
Key collections
The Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Speculation is a leading collection of science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
. It was founded in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1970 by Judith Merril
Judith Merril
Judith Josephine Grossman , who took the pen-name Judith Merril about 1945, was an American and then Canadian science fiction writer, editor and political activist....
. This public library
Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library is a public library system based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest public library system in Canada and in 2008, had averaged a higher...
collection contains over 63,000 items, including books, magazines, audiovisual works, original manuscripts, and other items of interest to both casual users and academic researchers.
Paul Allen
Paul Allen
Paul Gardner Allen is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates...
and Jody Patton founded the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in 2004, located at the base of Space Needle
Space Needle
The Space Needle is a tower in Seattle, Washington and is a major landmark of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and a symbol of Seattle. Located at the Seattle Center, it was built for the 1962 World's Fair, during which time nearly 20,000 people a day used the elevators, with over...
in Seattle. Prominent authors such as Greg Bear
Greg Bear
Gregory Dale Bear is an American science fiction and mainstream author. His work has covered themes of galactic conflict , artificial universes , consciousness and cultural practices , and accelerated evolution...
serve as advisers to the museum.
An important museum of the genre is Maison d’Ailleurs
Maison d'Ailleurs
The Maison d'Ailleurs , is a museum of science fiction, utopia and extraordinary journeys in Yverdon-les-Bains...
("House of Elsewhere") in Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, housing a large collection of literature relating to science fiction, utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
s, and extraordinary journeys. It was founded by the French encyclopedist Pierre Versins
Pierre Versins
Pierre Versins was a French Science Fiction collector and scholar. He was also the founder of the Maison d'Ailleurs, museum of science fiction, utopia and extraordinary journey in Yverdon-les-Bains, ....
in 1976 and now owns over 40,000 books, as well as many other items related to science fiction and its imagery.
Research collections
- J. Lloyd Eaton Collection of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Utopian Literature (University of California, RiversideUniversity of California, RiversideThe University of California, Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public research university and one of the ten general campuses of the University of California system. UCR is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United...
) (Collection description) - The Science Fiction Foundation Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Sydney Jones Library, University of LiverpoolUniversity of LiverpoolThe University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
- M. Horvat Collection of Science Fiction Fanzines, University of Iowa Libraries, Special Collections Dept.
- The Judith Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy, Toronto Public Library (founded 1970)
- Michigan State University Libraries, Science Fiction Collection; includes collection of Tiptree Award, Clarion archives, and Science Fiction Writers of America depository
- MIT Science Fiction Society ("the world's largest open-shelf collection of science fiction"); local index
- Caltech S.P.E.C.T.R.E. lending library of over 12,000 volumes of speculative fiction at the California Institute of Technology
- Paskow Science Fiction Collection, Temple University Libraries, including a significant collection of fanzines
- University of Maryland Baltimore County, ca. 10,000 book volumes and serials, and the Coslet Collection of 15,000 SF fanzines
- Maison d’AilleursMaison d'AilleursThe Maison d'Ailleurs , is a museum of science fiction, utopia and extraordinary journeys in Yverdon-les-Bains...
("House of Elsewhere"), Yverdon-les-BainsYverdon-les-BainsYverdon-les-Bains is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(founded 1976 and holding more than 40,000 books and other items) - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Collection Northern Illinois University. Science Fiction Writers of America depository, pulps, and collects the papers of current SF authors.
- University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
's Special Collections, including the "Roland Bounds Science Fiction Collection" (30,000 volumes) - Georgia Tech's "Bud Foote Science Fiction Collection" (established 1999; 8,000+ volumes)
- Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
's "Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Collection" (More than 20,000 titles and "over ninety percent of the American science fiction pulp magazines published prior to 1980") - San Diego State UniversitySan Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
's "Elizabeth Chater Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy" - Seoul Science Fiction & Fantasy Library
Popular culture collections with strong SF
- Bowling Green State University Popular Culture Collection
- Dime Novel and Story Paper Collection, Stanford University Library ("Dime Novels and Penny Dreadfuls")
Museums
- Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, founded in 2004. - Maison d’AilleursMaison d'AilleursThe Maison d'Ailleurs , is a museum of science fiction, utopia and extraordinary journeys in Yverdon-les-Bains...
("House of Elsewhere"), Yverdon-les-BainsYverdon-les-BainsYverdon-les-Bains is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(founded 1976 and holding more than 40,000 books and other items)
Important databases and portals
- SF Hub, the University of Liverpool Library's "Science Fiction Foundation" collection
- Center for the Study of Science Fiction, University of KansasUniversity of KansasThe University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
- ISFDB, the Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase
- Locus Index to Science Fiction (1984-1999)