The Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasies is one of the world’s largest collections of science fiction and fantasy genre materials. It has a collection of over 100,000 print books, over 300,000 periodicals, magazines and fanzines according to its librarian, Dr. Phoenix Alexander. From materials of various authors to special historical objects, one can visit Rivera Library on weekdays to see the collection inspired by fandom, nerd and science fiction culture.
At the heart of its operation is the current Jay Kay and Doris Klein Science Fiction Librarian, Dr. Phoenix Alexander. In an interview with The Highlander, Dr. Alexander reflects on his decision to become the collection’s librarian; he labels himself as a “massive nerd.” His first passion in fashion design didn’t pan out in school, and he chose to go into literature in Yale, aiming to become a professor. The library there attracted him and Dr. Alexander started to volunteer at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, exploring the multiple departments: copywriting, exhibits and conservation.
As he experienced curatorship and the relationships between curators and donors during his time at Yale, Dr. Alexander offered his learned perspective as a librarian: “[if] you want to make sure your papers or your life’s work are going somewhere, wherever it is, you want to make sure that the people looking after it are responsible, receptive, take it seriously and are respectful.”
The collection originated from 1969 donor J. Lloyd Eaton, a collector of science fiction. He started the collection with a sizable donation of around 50,000 materials. According to Dr. Alexander, Professor George Slusser was the first curator and decided to further build up the collection and teach with it, bringing together writers and academics to use its materials. This led to the collection’s inauguration at the Eaton conference, a biennial conference that brought together people of the science fiction community to utilize and celebrate its work. The last Eaton Conference was held in 2013.
In addition to Slusser’s contributions in advancing the collection, Dr. Alexander further noted that its location in Southern California, and proximity to Californian artists and writers, to also be important in the collection’s development. With many materials donated from a wide array of sources, a vast network has been established and the Eaton Collection has grown as more attention was brought to it.
Regarding the current strengths of the collection, Dr. Alexander says “We have pretty much any science fiction novel in the 20th century. However obscure [it is], we most likely have a copy of it.” The future plans of the collection’s expansion entail acquiring mid-20th century works and earlier science fiction written by women authors as well.
Additionally, he notes that he is always on the lookout for contemporary additions from LGBTQ+ and people of color who authored works and papers, “making our collection representative of the field now because science fiction, like many industries, has typically closed the door to marginalized folks.” He ends the thought by stating that “science fiction is for everyone … I think it can bring so much joy and connect with so many people. So I want the collection to reflect that going forward.”
Regarding current plans to expand the collection, Dr. Alexander states that he regularly expands the collection by buying materials every month. “Every month I grab a bunch [of materials] and buy it, basically. But we always want to know what students are reading, what professors are reading, what folks are teaching with, and see if it is anything speculative or fantastical.” Emails are sent out to the Speculative Fiction and Cultures of Science (SFCS) program to guide the expansion plans. Assessments of the collection are undertaken to gauge the strengths of the collection and see in what areas should there be more material.
Dr. Alexander also cited his relationships built in going to conferences to expand his network. He mentions a spreadsheet where he and colleagues list works that they feel should be bought, usually consisting of material that had just come out. He also acknowledges that he knows that “a lot of students love anime and manga in particular” and mentions how the collection sports a large amount of non-English material.
Dr. Alexander thinks the collection is important because “it’s a snapshot of fandom in the 20th century, and how science and technology have inspired people’s imaginations to write and create and to converse about how the world is developing. I think science fiction has such a unique relation to human culture because, whether you’re a fan of it or not, we’re constantly living in innovation and technology whether it’s today in 2023 or 1873.”
Science fiction and fantasy are chosen as the genres of the collection because, as Dr. Alexander explains, there are many important elements of the genres in our culture. There is a common pipeline of the fan community to creators, emphasizing a strong connection between the audience and the author. He mentions how throughout the history of science fiction, it had not been a serious academic subject until recently, noting now that “science fiction and nerd culture in general has become so ubiquitous in contemporary culture … Not just from the fan side, but now in academia.”
Word of the collection has spread externally and internally. Outside of the university, Dr. Phoenix attributes spreading awareness of the collection to his “legwork,” attending conferences and events such as Worldcon and WisCon. Within the school, professors are reached out to and suggested to use the collection as teaching materials.
The Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasies is open on weekdays from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. After registering to make an account, students can request the material they would like to view on the website. Requesting items 24 hours in advance is recommended as the reading room can get busy. After requesting, students check in at the front desk and will be allocated a seat in the reading room and staff will bring the requested material to you. While viewing your requested material, it cannot be taken home for its protection.
According to Dr. Alexander, the collection is always looking out for new selections. Dr. Alexander emphasizes that the genre of science fiction and fantasy is flexible and encourages all to put in their suggestions. Students and faculty can get involved by submitting suggestions for what materials should join the Eaton collection. This can be accomplished by emailing Dr. Alexander (phoenix.alexander@ucr.edu).
