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More News October 28, 2019

On Saturday, Oct. 26, supporters of the UCR Library's Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy gathered to celebrate the collection's 50th anniversary.

The Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy is one of the world's largest, richest, and deepest collections of science fiction, fantasy, horror, utopian literature and related genres. The collection originated with the personal library of Dr. J. Lloyd Eaton, consisting of about 7,500 hardback editions of science fiction, fantasy and horror from the Nineteenth to the mid-Twentieth centuries, which was acquired by the UCR Library in 1969.

“The Library team realized that the 50th anniversary of the Eaton Collection would be an ideal opportunity to reach out to all our Eaton stakeholders and show our appreciation for their support,” Derrick said. “We welcomed distinguished authors whose work resides in this collection, and one noted science fiction scholar came from as far away as the Caribbean to participate.”

University Librarian Steven Mandeville-Gamble greeted guests as they arrived at Rivera Library, along with Assistant University Librarian for Content and Discovery Tiffany Moxham, Director of Distinctive Collections Cherry Williams, Special Collections Processing Archivist Andrew Lippert, Associate Director of Development Jernine McBride, and Senior Director of Development Clyde Derrick.

Mandeville-Gamble gave welcoming remarks, followed by Interim Provost Thomas M. Smith.

The program featured a panel discussion on "Graduate Research and the Eaton Collection at UCR," moderated by Dr. Sherryl Vint, professor of Media and Cultural Studies. Speakers included UC Riverside graduate students Taylor Evans, Brandy Lewis and Josh Pearson.

Pearson noted the fanzines, in particular. “One of the things that really struck me is that the practices and modes of engagement that were fostered in Science Fiction -- the forms of fandom, the forms of community developed in the kinds of fanzines that are enshrined upstairs in the Eaton -- have come to permeate not only American culture in general, but particularly American youth culture,” he explained. “Some of the most important ways that my students are making meaning in the world with Science Fictional images have their origin in some of the things that are collected upstairs. Returning to those and thinking hard about them is a way of thinking hard about some of the most crucial questions that we’re thinking about as educators right now.”

Festivities concluded with Williams and Lippert taking guests on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Eaton Collection in the Special Collections and University Archives department, located on the fourth floor of Rivera Library.

If you are a UCR alumni or community stakeholders who enjoys science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other types of speculative fiction, please consider supporting the Eaton Science Fiction and Fantasy Fund. To learn more, please contact Jernine McBride Williams, Associate Director of Development for the UCR Library.

More News September 24, 2018

“Mark Glassy and Frankenstein: Men of Many Parts” features UCR alumnus’ passion for science and science fiction. His SF collectibles will be on exhibit through Dec. 14.

Over the decades Mark Glassy has collected more than 100,000 science fiction items.

Visitors to his home office are greeted by B-9, the Robot from “Lost in Space.” Glassy, a 1978 UC Riverside graduate-turned-cancer research scientist spends most of his evenings sculpting figurines that capture scenes from his favorite science fiction films.

His  creations and a small selection of his collectibles became a special exhibit titled “Mark Glassy and Frankenstein: Men of Many Parts” at UCR’s Tomás Rivera Library’s Special Collections and University Archives in honor of the 200^th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

The 12-week exhibit on the fourth floor of the Rivera Library will feature guided tours with Glassy. In October and November he’ll offer six guided tours, including one on Halloween. Visitors who arrive at the Special Collections and University Archives will hear how his fandom for science fiction grew over the decades and will also learn how his sculptures evolve from an idea to an actual piece of art. Included in the exhibit are sculptures, comic books, posters, and other Science Fiction and Horror collectables that reflect Glassy’s life-long passion.

Exhibit events also include UCR Professor of English and Director of Speculative Fictions and Cultures of Science program Sheryl Vint, who will lead a conversation with German author and journalist Dietmar Dath, on Oct. 15. Dath is currently working on a Frankenstein screenplay.

All events are free and open to the public, but RSVPs are recommended, as space is limited:

• Guided Tours with Mark Glassy: frankenstein-tours.eventbrite.com
• Dietmar Dath with Sheryl Vint: dath-vint.eventbrite.com

Glassy’s connection to UCR goes back to 1975 when he started his doctoral research in biochemistry. He said UCR granted him both support and independence while he spent endless hours in the lab, designing his own experiments and researching B-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that supports the immune system by fighting off germs and diseases. For the past 37 years he’s been working at UC San Diego, most recently taking a role as a visiting scholar at UCSD’s Moores Cancer Center. Throughout those decades, Glassy has developed pritumumab, a pharmaceutical drug designed to cure brain cancer. His drug has been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for review, he said.

UCR’s education helped steer his career. When Glassy heard UCR Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox speak during a San Diego reception two years ago, he was impressed with UCR’s growth, diversity, its mission to support first-generation students, while simultaneously supporting faculty who conduct world-class research.  

Glassy’s two passions: finding a cure for brain cancer and delving into Science Fiction, lead him to his home office every day. There, he either writes articles for the scientific journal he founded, Human Antibodies, watches films that inspire his art, or sits in an old elementary school desk, surrounded by wire and stainless steel molding tools, small paint bottles, and jars of Apoxie Sculpt clay.

“In terms of the research environment, I cannot separate the two, science and science fiction. It’s impossible for me. When I’m at the lab, I’m still making analogies and metaphors,” said Glassy, who has authored three books.

Shelves line the office walls, holding thousands of little mementos of decades of Science Fiction history: triceratops, R2-D2, Stormtrooper masks, Pez candy dispensers, a Superman comic book collection from the 1950s, an 1831 edition of Frankenstein the novel, and a human-sized Creature from the “Black Lagoon.”

“It’s me. Look around, it’s me,” said Glassy, 66. “No matter how hectic, how stressful my day has been, when I walk into my room, it all washes away. I can’t help but smile.”

Featuring Glassy’s works and collection brings to the exhibit “the things that make him a ‘Mad Doctor,’” said JJ Jacobson, UCR’s Jay Kay and Doris Klein Science Fiction librarian. Jacobson is one of two exhibit curators. Glassy’s anti-cancer drug addresses brain tumors, the “the way one of his beloved comic book heroes cleans out a secret lab full of supervillains,” Jacobson said.

“Mark has the kind of vision, passion, energy, and concentration that make it really fortunate for the rest of us is that he’s not the kind of Mad Doctor who wants to rule the world. Instead, he’s mad for science fiction, comic books, and horror movies; absolutely mad about the range and power of the human imagination, and, of course, really mad at cancer,” Jacobson said. “There are many collectors out there who love Frankenstein, there are many model makers who do wonderful work, but what sets the material in ‘Men of Many Parts’ apart is all that combined with Mark’s incredible eye for detail, the scientific understanding with which he views the popular culture of monsters, and his extraordinarily wacky sense of humor.”

- Written by Sandra Baltazar Martinez

More News December 17, 2019

Special Collections & University Archives employees are constantly working to process recently acquired collections and make those materials ready for use by students, faculty, and researchers.

Each quarter, we will provide a list of the UCR Library's newly processed archival and primary source collections. Check out this list to see if there are any items that fit your research area, or share with a friend!

Below you'll find brief descriptions and links to the finding aids or collection guides for each new collection. To use any of these materials, simply click the "Request Items" button at the top to submit a request, and log in with our Special Collections Request System. For more on conducting research in Special Collections, see this page.

SCUA will be open to the public during winter quarter 2020 on weekdays from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Check here for closures or other changes to our regular hours.

For questions, email specialcollections@ucr.edu.

Newly Processed Collections - Winter 2020​

Poul and Karen Anderson papers (MS 040)

This collection consists of the personal and professional papers of science fiction and fantasy authors Poul and Karen Anderson. These materials document the writing and publishing process and their involvement with the science fiction community and other organizations such as the Society for Creative Anachronism and Sherlockiana groups. Items in the collection include correspondence, manuscript drafts, notes, diaries, personal records, artwork, memorabilia and ephemera from various conventions and events.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8sn0gm2/

 

Lillian Bonham papers (MS 012)

Lillian Bonham was an artist and the second wife of bohemian actor, poet, and social critic Sadakichi Hartmann. Bonham’s papers primarily include her personal diaries, starting as a teenager in rural New Jersey through her adult life with Hartmann in Colorado and southern California, as well as correspondence and art. These materials are a wonderful snapshot into everyday life at the end of the 19^th century and a glimpse into the bohemian culture of the early 20^th century.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8z03g6t/

 

African Student Programs (UA 388)

This collection contains press clippings, fliers, and other material documenting the African American student experience at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and the subsequent role of UCR African Student Programs.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c87d2w0b/

 

Native American Student Programs (UA 011)

This collection contains fliers, pamphlets, and other material regarding Native American Student Programs (NASP) at the University of California, Riverside which serves students of Native American descent and heritage. Primarily contains information about NASP related events.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0b69r91j/

 

Associated Students of UCR records (UA 354)

This collection contains documents, publications and other material on the Associated Students of the University of California at Riverside (ASUCR), an undergraduate student government body. The bulk of the collection consists of information on amendments to the ASUCR Election Code and the constitution and bylaws of ASUCR

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c80z78p3/

 

Jan Erickson collection of oral history interviews (UA 144)

 This collection includes typed transcripts, audiocassettes, and videocassettes from an oral history project conducted betweeen 1992 and 2002 by Jan Erickson, former Administrative Assistant to Chancellor Raymond L. Orbach. The interviews include facts and historical details pertaining to key individuals associated with the campus in an aim to depict the evolution of the University of California, Riverside.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8qv3nb4/

 

Alumni and former students collection (UA 332)

This collection contains articles, a business card, and other material on alumni and former students of the University of California, Riverside. Mostly contains information on Commander John Kirk Ferguson, USN (Ret.).

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c81z49s1/

 

Terry Carr collection on Science Fiction Fandom (MS 359)

This collection contains fliers, correspondence, fanzines, newspaper clippings, ballots, materials related to the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA, and other material on Science Fiction fandom collected by Terry Carr.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8mk6k8v/

 

Jaymee Goh papers (MS 427)

The collection contains drafts, notes and other materials related to works of science fiction and fantasy written by author Jaymee Goh, including drafts from her works created at the 2016 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing Workshop.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8sn0gdc/

 

Science Fiction Poetry Association Records (MS 307)

This collection contains publications, ballots, and other material from the Science Fiction Poetry Association. Includes issues of Star*Line and the Rhysling Anthology.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt15803548/

 

Charles W. McLaughlin photographs (MS 125)

This collection contains the negatives of Charles W. McLaughlin's photographic work documenting the Inland Empire of Southern California (San Bernardino and Riverside counties). The photographs span more than a sixty year period showing the region's development from a rural/agricultural area to a more urban one. Most of the subject matter is landscapes, architecture, and people within the San Bernardino mountains, but areas and landmarks outside of the Inland Empire are included as well. The collection covers material from about 1850 to 1984.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt8d5nf563/

• Read more about George E. Slusser Papers

• Read more about Jerry Pournelle Papers

• Read more about Ben Bova Papers

• Read more about Fred Patten Papers

• Read more about Past Workshops & Events

More News April 28, 2017

When UCR alumnus Dr. Mark Glassy heard that the library was putting together an exhibit to honor the 200^th anniversary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, he couldn’t wait to get involved.

Our Jay Kay and Doris Klein Librarian for Science Fiction, JJ Jacobson and her co-curator, graduate student Miranda Butler had been curating the scholarly exhibit for about six months when Glassy reached out to express interest in collaboration.

“Miranda is a grad student in the English department and the SFCS (Speculative Fiction and Cultures of Science) program, and she knows amazing amounts of things about gothic literature,” Jacobson explained. But Glassy brings something very different to the table: a life-long love affair with monster memorabilia and science fiction.

Glassy invited Butler, Jacobson, and Cherry Williams, UCR Library’s Director of Distinctive Collections, to view his extensive personal collection of models, comic books, and other memorabilia. Jacobson nicknamed Glassy’s home “the monster model mansion,” a nod to the title of his former website, The Doctor’s Model Mansion.

Glassy himself sculpted many of the pieces in his collection, and therefore they are one-of-a-kind. “Mark is willing to lend us some of his models for the exhibit and/or an accompanying display,” Jacobson stated enthusiastically.

“It’s such an honor to be with somebody while they show you what their passion is, what they’ve collected over the course of a lifetime,” Williams commented.

Their collaboration has been a meeting of the minds for several people who truly love the genre. “He’s really, really smart about Frankenstein as an enduring icon,” Jacobson said of Glassy. Their conversations sometimes spark new tangents, she added, which inspire an entirely new vein of research for exhibit content.

“He loves that we want to talk to him seriously about science fiction. All of us are taking our geekdom and our love of science fiction and using it to do something amazing in the world,” Jacobson added. “Mark is a big-time cancer hero, and Miranda is an incredibly insightful and promising graduate student. We know here at UCR that a love of science fiction can coexist with a serious intellectual life. Other parts of the world can be a little slower to catch up.”

The “200 Years of Frankenstein” exhibit is scheduled to begin in September 2018, in Special Collections on the fourth floor of Rivera Library.

Cancer researcher by day, and science fiction enthusiast by night. See more of UCR alumnus Dr. Glassy’s collection here: www.glassyscifiarchive.com