SciFi Motherlode Donated to Canadian University

Freshly Exhumed writes: "SciFan aficionados might soon be lining up to study at the University of Calgary due to an amazing donation: A massive collection of science fiction and pulp magazines spanning the last century has been donated to the University of Calgary which officials say will be a boon for literary and pop culture research. William Gibson had spent many of his 92 years sealing his prized collection in plastic, leaving behind a true motherlode of science fiction writings."

Comments

doubtful

[Phantros]

Probably not, since most things published after 1922 aren't in the public domain, and very little science fiction is that old.

Re:doubtful

[Flamerule]

The article:

University staff were stunned by the size of the donation: upwards of 35,000 volumes dating back to the 19th century [...] It ranges from 19th century Jules Verne [...]

Kyzia said some of it should get to ibiblio, and since some of it is from the 19th century, that's eminently reasonable. That "very little science fiction" includes authors like Jules Verne, whose stuff is already available online, courtesy of Project Gutenberg. And while we're visiting the 19th century, though the article doesn't mention him, also freely available are the works of H.G. Wells.

donations

[Barbarian]

They have a page on donations here, nothing specific about the library but I'm sure you could specify that a donation is for the library.

Re: Since He Was 95...

[Omniscient Ferret]

The William Gibson who wrote Neuromancer was born in 1948. Which cheers me up, as I thought Gibson had been working on a book.

Um, unless of course this is a collection & obituary sent back in time...

Not *the* William Gibson?!?!

[djshiawase]

When I first saw this, was I the only one who panicked and thought, "No, not him!" I'm referring, of course, to cyberpunk founder William Gibson. But a quick look at the article tells me it isn't him - anyway I know he's been around a while now, but certainly not 92 years of age!

I've been looking forward to the first book of his 'noughties trilogy'. As well as the slow progression (but certainly inevitable!) of Neuromancer and the Zen Differential, based on Count Zero, to the silver screen.

A big sigh of relief, and what a big boon to our understanding of the past's view of the future, it's now when hindsight truly makes the hopes and fears of past people known.

Re:Not *the* William Gibson?!?!

[ProtoCat]

Actually, even according to William Gibson, the credit of the first cyberpunk story belongs to John Shirley, who wrote both the vastly superior 'City Come A'Walkin' and the short story 'Tricentennial'. Even Sterling has done forwards for Shirley's books. Shirley also has the credits for doing the screenplay to the Crow.

Then again, I suppose most people are used to Gibson, someone who wrote 'Neuromancer' out of his fear of computers, as the 'father' of Cyberpunk.

For more information on John Shirley

Who will save the Ackermansion?

[Comrade Pikachu]

It may be off topic, but Forrest J. Ackerman's marvellous collection of books, artwork, and movie memorabilia is currently being auctioned to bits on Ebay.

Apparently Forrey needs some cash to retire. Sure would be nice if a benefactor could step in and preserve the collection intact. Visit the Ackermansion here.

Larger than MIT's collection?

[patiwat]

At 35,000 volumes, that donation certainly makes the Calgary collection larger than the MIT Science Fiction Society's collection. The MITSFS Collection has approximately 25,000 volumes, and is growing. I guess when the Gibson Donation is processed and shelved, it would take away the MITSFS's status as the world's largest open-shelved science fiction collection.

The size of the Gibson Donation is quite astonishing. The MITSFS Collection supposedly has 90% of all english-language science fiction ever published, and we have deals with the publishing companies to get a copy of every new SF book that comes out - often before the bookstores get them. I guess the Calgary donation has a lot of stuff that we totally overlooked (the Saturday Evening Post stuff), or else a lot of foreign language stuff (MITSFS isn't so strong on Japanese science fiction manga, for instance). If anybody is ever up in Cambridge, check the opening times, and stop by.

Patiwat Panurach
patiwat@sloan.mit.edu

Re:digitize?

[topham]

There is a compression/file format called MrSID. It is very impressive. My mother access a website which has scanned copies of Census data from the 1800's, etc. These are huge archives, but the files are only about 150K per page (or less!). These are high-resolution scans. I was very impressed.

Now the GPS/mapping software I use supports it, but I have no way to create MrSID files, or I would.

Photos of the collection, etc.

[MarvinMouse]

U of Calgary has a great press release @

http://www.fp.ucalgary.ca/unicomm/news/gibson/

with photos of the collection and more. it's really cool, actually.

How to donate to the Gibson collection

[Darcelle]

Here is the reply I received from the Archives on how to donate $$ for restoration of the collection: Your request for information about donating to restoration of our new collection was passed to me. I must say your offer is really very much appreciated. As you might have read or heard, we are grateful and thrilled to have this important collection, but our work and costs to catalogue and preserve it has just begun. The University can cover some costs, but we depend on donations from concerned and interested people such as yourself in order to do the major work. A donation in any amount will help us ensure that this collection is properly preserved and made accessible for future generations, and you can be proud of contributing to that. You can send a cheque to myself at the address below, and it should be made out to "University of Calgary", then mark on the front somewhere, "Gibson Collection". We will process it and then in due course, we'll send you a tax receipt. If you need any more information, please be sure to contact me at any of the addresses on this email. I will be away for a couple of weeks, but my emails and phone will tell you how to contact my Associate, Lauren Spencer, if you need to. The address for mailing is: Blane Hogue Director of Development, Information Resources Room 750, MacKimmie Library University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W. CALGARY T2N 1N4 Thanks again for your interest. Sincerely, -- Blane Hogue Director of Development, Information Resources University of Calgary

This William Gibson's Identity

[AndrewFG]

Hi - apologies for previous cut-short post; the man in question was William Robert (Bob) Gibson, a long time resident of Calgary, Alberta. He collected SF & F material, starting in the mid 1920s until he couldn't anymore, some time in 1999 or 2000. He died on Jan 8, 2001. There is lots more information at http://www.fp.ucalgary.ca/unicomm/news/gibson/