Welcome to the Kenneth Spencer Research Library blog! As the special collections and archives library at the University of Kansas, Spencer is home to remarkable and diverse collections of rare and unique items. Explore the blog to learn about the work we do and the materials we collect.
This blog may contain archived web content. This blog may link to catalog records which no longer exist as of a software change in 2026.
This week, on October 15 & 16, KU’s Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction hosts their annual Sturgeon Symposium, showcasing work in the speculative fiction field from around the world. This year their theme is “Changing Words, Changing Worlds: SF as a Literature of Resistance”, and in honor of that, we’re highlighting an author from our Science Fiction Collections who challenged the genre’s ideas of gender.
In 1977, the science fiction community was turned upside down when award-winning author James Tiptree Jr. was revealed to be a woman, Alice Bradley Sheldon, known to her friends as Alli.
“The Secret of James Tiptree Jr.” letter from Tiptree/Sheldon to Robert Mills, undated [circa October 1974]. Call Number: MS 307, Box 23, Folder 2. Click image to enlarge.
Alli led a fascinating and complicated life – much of which she drew from when creating the background for Tiptree. She was the only child of two high society, globetrotting adventurers from Chicago. Alli began her career as a professional painter & art critic, before joining the US Army during World War II and going into air force intelligence. After the war, she was with the CIA for several years until leaving to pursue a PhD in experimental psychology.
Only in 1967 did she begin her pen-name journey as science fiction author James Tiptree Jr., publishing her first short story in Analog magazine in 1968. She went on to become a prolific and renowned author until her death in 1987, where she took her husband’s life and then her own, in alleged suicide pact.
Here at Spencer Research Library, we hold the original letters from Tiptree/Sheldon to her agent, Robert Mills, as well as a wide collection of her work as published in magazines, anthologies, and standalone volumes. Visit our North Gallery exhibit space throughout the month of October to learn more about Tiptree/Sheldon, see some of her original letters with her iconic blue-ribbon typewriter ink, and read her work. And join us in participating in the 2026 Sturgeon Symposium!
Last month, the J. Wayne and Elsie M. Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction hosted the fourth annual Sturgeon Symposium, “Expanding Speculative Horizons,” to showcase contemporary speculative fiction scholarship and writing and to present the Theodore Sturgeon Award. I was able to attend the first day of the Symposium and began thinking about the relationship between the Kenneth Spencer Research Library and the speculative fiction community.
KSRL holds a variety of speculative fiction collections in Special Collections, and my colleagues in the manuscripts processing department have had the joy of working on these collections. I’ve chosen a small slice of this material—four of Spencer’s collections—to spotlight here to the variety that exits in speculative fiction.
Theodore Sturgeon (MS 303, MS 254), the namesake of the Symposium and Award, was a speculative writer who wrote ten novels, including More than Human (1953), but is perhaps best remembered for his many short stories. Sturgeon’s speculative fiction often explored social issues and pushed back on societal norms; his 1953 short story “The World Well Lost” won the Gaylactic Spectrum “Hall of Fame” award in 2000, for example. Sturgeon’s writings covered a variety of genres, and several other speculative fiction creatives can be found in this collection, including Octavia Butler; Ray Bradbury; Judith Merril; Roy Thomas, a Marvel Comics editor and author; and Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, to name a few.
Theodore Sturgeon’s typewriter. Papers of Theodore Sturgeon. Call #: MS 359, box 2
Mary Rosenblum (MS 362) was a finalist for the Theodore Sturgeon award in 1998 with “The Good Juror,” a story she co-authored with James Sarafin, and was also a finalist for the Nebula Award in 2008 for her novelette “Night Wind.”[1] But what interested me about the Rosenblum collection was how Rosenblum explored speculative fiction horizons through an environmental lens. In her novel Drylands, Rosenblum wrote about the dangers of climate change and the exploitation of resources in a post-apocalyptic setting. While speculative fiction is no stranger to exploring alternate histories and cautionary futures, Rosenblum’s Drylands was one I had never heard of before. It had been a Locus First Novel Award nominee, and I was pleasantly surprised to find her collection while researching KSRL’s speculative fiction holdings.
Opening page of “Second Chance” by Mary Rosenblum, annotated with editorial and copyediting marks. Mary Rosenblum papers, Call #: MS 362, Box 2, Folder 19.
Spencer Library doesn’t just have speculative fiction writers; much of Terry Lee’s original speculative fiction artwork can also be found here (MS 391). Lee is a KU graduate and a former font designer for Hallmark. He won a Chesley Award in 1988 for his cover artwork for the January 1987 issue of Amazing Stories.
Acrylic painting by Terry Lee for “Aymara” by Lucius Shepard, which served as the cover illustration for the August 1986 issue of Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. Terry Lee papers. Call #: MS Qa 56, Box 1, Folder 5.
Finally, Spencer holds the papers of William F. Wu (MS 367). Wu is a speculative fiction writer whose works have been published in Amazing Stories, Analog, and Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, amongst others, and has been nominated for the Nebula, World Fantasy, and Hugo awards. Wu’s academic interest in Asian American representation in popular culture led to him writing The Yellow Peril: Chinese Americans in American Fiction, 1850-1940 (1982), which had its origins as his doctoral dissertation. From convention materials to correspondence to comic books, William Wu’s collection provides researchers with a wealth of speculative fiction materials.
Outline (left) and draft for Perihelion (right) by William F. Wu, the sixth book in the Isaac Asimov’s Robot City (1988). Asimov’s introduction for the volume appears at the top of the draft. William F. Wu papers. Call # MS 367, Box 13, Folders 12 and 13.
Speculative fiction continues to be an ever-evolving field of literature, with new and exciting visions and interpretations of reality arriving each year. I’m already excited for next year’s Sturgeon Symposium and Theodore Sturgeon Award presentation. But in the meantime, there’s still other speculative fiction horizons to explore at Spencer Research Library!
Want to explore further? Check out these other speculative fiction collections:
Kij Johnson papers, MS 377, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas.
John Kessel papers, MS 358, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas.
Round Robin collection, MS P769, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas.
A. E. van Vogt Collection, MS 322, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas.
Molly Bauer Manuscripts Processor
[1] The winner of the 2008 Nebula Award in the novelette category was another writer whose papers reside at Spencer Research Library, John Kessel. He won for his novelette “Pride and Prometheus.”
This is the latest installment in a series of posts introducing readers to student employees who make important contributions to the work of Spencer Research Library. Today’s profile features Ceres Botkin, a Public Services student assistant.
Please provide some brief biographical information about yourself.
My name is Ceres Botkin (they/them) and I’ve been working in Public Services at Spencer since the spring of my freshman year in 2022. I am currently completing the fifth and final year of my undergraduate program, and I will graduate with degrees in mathematics, physics, and computer science. I hope after graduation to either go to graduate school in physics or library science.
What does your job at Spencer entail?
I work in the Public Services department, which entails helping library patrons find and access library materials germane to their research interests. This involves being familiar with the collections and the several strengths of our library. I’ve also worked with several curators on numerous projects from sorting and cataloging donations to helping with research for temporary exhibits.
In addition, I have also helped out in other departments as needed. For example, I have worked in Conservation Services with construction of glass plate housings along with making Mylar book jackets. I have also helped in the cataloging department by aiding the process of integrating newly cataloged material into the wider library collection.
Why did you want to work at Spencer Research Library?
My previous on-campus job involved staffing the front desk of a residence hall between the hours of 3am and 7am. I wanted a job that felt more fulfilling and had better hours. In addition, I had a friend who worked at Spencer who enjoyed the work.
When my friend recommended the position to me, I was reminded of my previous desire when I was a teenager to work at my local public library. The library held a special place in my heart, as I would frequent it over the summers as a third place to go that was separate from my home and school. I would meet up with friends and do research for upcoming debate tournaments there. I always thought it would be nice to give back to my community by also working at a library and supporting one of the few remaining institutions in the U.S. that provides free resources, education, and entertainment.
What has been most interesting to you about your work?
I would definitely say that sorting and cataloging donations is the most interesting part of my job. My first project working at the library, in fact, was sorting 20th-century Star Trek zines. Zine culture is very interesting, and it was wonderful to peek into another world. In addition, it was really cool to see all of the various pieces of art and read the stories that were contained inside.
The front cover of the third issue of Likely Impossibilities: A Star Trek Zine, August 1987. Call Number: ASF FANZINE 31. Click image to enlarge.
The last page and inside back cover of the tenth issue of the Stark Trek fanzine Alnitah, March 1979. Call Number: ASF FANZINE 132. Click image to enlarge.
In addition, I love exploring the different collections and talking with the curators about how we started some of them. For instance, the Literary Ephemera collection in Special Collections is always fascinating to browse because it is mostly comprised of outsider art and poetry. They’re not only interesting to read in a vacuum, but they also provide interesting commentaries on the times they were created in.
What are you studying, and what do you hope to do in your future career? Has your work at Spencer changed how you look at your studies or your future career plans in any way?
As mentioned previously, I am currently studying mathematics, physics, and computer science. Originally I planned on going into graduate school in order to pursue a Ph.D. in physics, but working at the library has made me consider going into library work as well. It would be interesting to get a master’s degree in library science and work at a library after graduation. In addition, I have also considered using my computer science degree and going into the field of digital archives – archiving material which is only digital. For example, I was considering working at the Internet Archive, which houses numerous websites, books, recordings, videos, and software.
What piece of advice would you offer other students thinking about working at Spencer Research Library?
Never assume that any resources available to you will always be available to you. First get familiar with what resources are provided by your local community, government, and university. Second, never stop fighting for those resources. In the context of the library, never stop fighting for the open access of information, funding, and a place to study and relax without having to pay first. Also please donate to your local library if you are in a position to do so.
Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created this series to provide a lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique items at Spencer. “That’s Distinctive!” is meant to show that the library has something for everyone regardless of interest. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, you can leave a comment at the bottom of this page. All collections, including those highlighted on the blog, are available for members of the public to explore in the Reading Room during regular hours.
For one final installment of spooky October, I am sharing an item from the library’s science fiction holdings within Special Collections. This week I am highlighting select covers of Famous Monsters of Filmland. Published from 1958 to 1983, the magazine “offered brief articles, well-illustrated with publicity stills and graphic artwork, on horror movies from the silent era to the current date of publication, their stars and filmmakers.” Editor Forest J. Ackerman was a leading figure in science fiction and horror fandom as well as a science fiction writer and editor. The back of issue #158 of the magazine includes “home movies so ghastly you will be astonished,” “deluxe latex rubber whole head masks,” and lists of books and other magazines being printed at the time. One article is titled “You Scream as They Leap from the Screen Horror from the Third Dimension,” and it covers the use of 3-D in films and television. Per Wikipedia, the success of Famous Monsters of Filmland “inspired the creation of many other similar publications, including Castle of Frankenstein, Cinefantastique, Fangoria, The Monster Times, and Video Watchdog.” Some full issues of the magazine can be found on the Famous Monsters of Filmland website.
The covers shown today highlight films such as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, King Kong, Mr. Sardonicus, and Superman. I’m pretty sure I stumbled upon this collection by literally searching for “monsters” in the KU Libraries online catalog when looking for items to highlight in October. When the students brought the issues to me, there was quite a selection to choose from, which always makes my decision harder. Generally, in cases like that, I choose at random what to show.
It is always sad for me to see October come to a close. With the end of spooky season, I hope the items I have chosen to highlight this year have helped share more insights to the collections Spencer houses.
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Front covers of Famous Monsters of Filmland from (top to bottom) May 1976, July 1976, September 1978, and March 1979. Call Number: ASF CURR D82. Click images to enlarge.
Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created the series because I genuinely believe there is something in our collections for everyone, whether you’re writing a paper or just want to have a look. “That’s Distinctive!” will provide a more lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique materials at Spencer – including items that many people may not realize the library holds. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page.
For our science fiction lovers out there, this week we highlight Amazing Stories by Hugo Gernsback. According to Wikipedia, Amazing Stories is an American science fiction magazine that was first published in 1926. The magazine was the first of its kind in being solely devoted to science fiction, which helped launch a new genre of pulp fiction. Gernsback’s contributions to the genre as a publisher were so significant that he is sometimes called “The Father of Science Fiction.” Annual awards presented at the World Science Fiction Convention are named the “Hugos,” in his honor.
Here at Spencer, we have many copies of Amazing Storiesfrom throughout its long publishing history. This week we include just a small sample of early covers from the library’s large collection. The magazines offer a fun array of cover scenes that can be fun to flip through along with the contents of the magazines as well.
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The front covers of Amazing Stories, October 1926 (top) and February 1929 (bottom). You can see on the latter cover that Gernsback referred to the genre as “scientifiction” rather than “science fiction.” Call Number: ASF CURR D3. Click images to enlarge.
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The front covers of Amazing Stories, August (top) and November (bottom) 1958. Call Number: ASF CURR B23. Click images to enlarge.
