Anonymous Donor Gifts Incredible Science Fiction Collection to City Tech

Bookshelves

Photo of the collection. Courtesy of the donor.

In January 2016, an anonymous donor with a large, completist collection of Science Fiction magazines (focusing on the 1950s to the present but going as far back as theĀ 1930s and 1940s), novels, and criticism approached Prof. Alan Lovegreen about the possibility of City Tech accepting the collection as a gift.

Bookshelves

Photo of the collection. Courtesy of the donor.

Alan askedĀ Prof. Jason Ellis to collaborateĀ on a proposal to City Tech to fund the relocation of the collection to Brooklyn and making the collection available through the City Tech Library’s Archives and Special Collections.

Bookshelves

Photo of the collection. Courtesy of the donor.

After gaining the support of Chief Librarian Maura Smale, Archivist Keith Muchowski, and Librarian Anne Leonard, and presenting theirĀ proposal to English Chair Nina Bannett, Interim Dean of Arts and SciencesĀ Justin Vazquez-Poritz, Provost Bonne August, and Special Assistant to the President Stephen Soiffer, Alan and Jason made a formal proposal to the City Tech Foundation for funding of the project.

The City Tech Foundation graciouslyĀ approved and funded the proposed relocation of the donor’s generous gift of the Science Fiction collection to City Tech. Alan then began coordinating with the donor and a moving company to bring the books to Brooklyn, and in turn, with City Tech’s Buildings and Grounds to move the books into the Namm Building. The City Tech Library began preparing space inside their Archives and Special Collections to accommodate the donated collection.

In addition to the City Tech Foundation providing generous funding for the relocation of the collection to Brooklyn, NY, DeanĀ Justin Vazquez-Poritz provided additional funding for the purchase of needed archival materials and boxes, which were delivered to the City Tech Library’s Archives and Special Collections.

Bookshelves

Photo of the collection. Courtesy of the donor.

The photos to the left, courtesy of the donor, capture in broad strokes the extent of the collection as it was before being prepared for relocation from the donor’s location to Brooklyn, NY.

 

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