On June 14, 2023, City Tech Foundation Executive Director Beth Farryn Levine and Brooklyn Waterfront Research Center Director and English Professor Richard Hanley visited the City Tech Science Fiction Collection while Jason Ellis and Wanett Clyde were moving eight new boxes of donated material from Charlie Seelig into the Archives and Special Collections.
On Monday, May 8, Prof. Jason Ellis brought his ENG3790 Information Architecture students in the Professional and Technical Writing Program to the City Tech Science Fiction Collection to learn about how IA principles were employed to quickly make it accessible using DIY strategies. Also, the students gathered metadata from recently donated and shelved material for the collection’s finding aid. Many thanks to the students who were able to contribute to this invaluable City Tech research and teaching resource: Khaled Akam, Tiana Beatty, Kahini Chauhan, Jaida Clouden, Sphear Forde, Sandy Fougeres, Ronald Hinds, Khemraj Persaud, and Nikka Rosenstein.
In the previous post, we finally were able to relocate all of the materials donated to the City Tech Science Fiction Collection during the pandemic into the Library’s Archives space. On Thursday, April 20, 2023, Prof. Jason Ellis was able to shelve the material thanks to the efforts of Prof. Wanett Clyde and the librarian staff to open 30 shelves for the additional material.
The first step involved cleaning each shelf of accumulated dust and letting it dry before shelving any material.
Then, each box was opened in turn and its contents shelved in the stacks. The primary objective was to get the materials out of the boxes and onto the shelves, because some of the boxes had been damaged during shipping and the materials were exposed and/or smashed together. With limited time and uncertainty about how much material there was of each type, a strategy was adopted to put like materials together: hard cover fiction, paperback fiction, and periodicals/fanzines/ephemera. Later, a photographic inventory will be made of each shelf and each item will be entered into the finding aid.
Thank you again to Charlie Seelig, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, City Tech Professor Lucas Bernard and his father Kenneth Bernard, the experimental playwright and English professor whose materials were donated, and Emeritus Professor of English at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and former president of the Science Fiction Research Association David Mead!
On Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, Professor and Collections Management Librarian Wanett Clyde and English Department Professor Jason Ellis moved donated materials acquired during the first phase of the pandemic into the City Tech Science Fiction Collection’s space in the Archives and Special Collections of the Ursula C. Schwerin Library.
During the pandemic, we received a lot of new material for the City Tech Science Fiction Collection, including magazines, novels, collections, academic journals, and monographs. These materials were donated by Charlie Seelig (~20 boxes of EVERYTHING), Analog Science Fiction and Fact (~4 boxes of magazines from their old office space), City Tech Professor Lucas Bernard (2 boxes of material that belonged to his father Kenneth Bernard, the experimental playwright and English professor), and Emeritus Professor of English at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and former president of the Science Fiction Research Association David Mead (1 box of Jack Vance materials), The Special Collections and Archives in the City Tech Library unfortunately were unable to open enough shelf space for these materials, so Wanett and Jason stored everything in their offices–with most of it being in Jason’s office (see below).
This semester, however, Wanett was able to work with library staff to open up additional shelf space in the archives for the donated materials (in the photo below, the background stacks are the City Tech Science Fiction Collection).
On Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, Jason coordinated with Wanett to begin moving the materials one cart load at a time into the archives.
It took about two-and-a-half-hours to move 22 boxes of material into the archives. The first few cart loads were successful–an elevator ride from the fifth floor of Namm to the fourth floor, and then walk to the fourth floor of the Library Building to take the service elevator up to the fifth floor of the Library Building and a short walk to the archives room. Unfortunately, the service elevator died before the last load was delivered, so Jason toted those 40 pound boxes one at a time on the last leg of the journey. Now, all of the material has been relocated to the archives room.
The next phase of integrating the materials will involve unboxing and shelving like materials on the available shelf space, which will be followed by a photographic inventory of each shelf and inventorying the items into the finding aid, which as we know from past experience, will take the most time and energy. However, Jason has plans to bring his Professional and Technical Writing students in his Spring 2023 Information Architecture class to the archives to perform some of the inventorying work as part of a discussion of database construction, categorization, and metadata.
Mark Noonan, my colleague in the English Department at City Tech, is running an NEH Summer Institute on the topic, “City of Print: New York and the Periodical Press.” I’ll be contributing to the Digital Methods Workshop on Wednesday, June 24 with my experience working on the City Tech Science Fiction Collection and using digital tools to make archival materials available to students and researchers. See the link below for all the sessions and apply to join us in Brooklyn!
City of Print: New York and the Periodical Press
(NEH SUMMER INSTITUTE)
(June 21 – July 3, 2020)
New York City College of Technology-CUNY will host a two-week NEH Summer Institute for college and university faculty in the summer of 2020 (June 21 – July 3).
For more information visit:
http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/cityofprint/
Applications to participate will be accepted via our online application system until March 1, 2020.
The Institute will focus on periodicals, place, and the history of publishing in New York. As an institute participant, you will take part in discussions led by cultural historians, archivists, and experts in the fields of American literature, art and urban history, and periodical studies; participate in hands-on sessions in the periodicals collection of the New-York Historical Society; visit sites important to the rise of New York’s periodical press, such as Newspaper Row, Gramercy Park, the New York Seaport, the East Village, and the Algonquin Hotel; and attend Digital Humanities workshops.
You will also be asked to read a rich body of scholarship and consider new interdisciplinary approaches for researching and teaching periodicals that take into account the important site of their production, as well as relevant cultural, technological, aesthetic, and historical considerations. Sessions will be held across New York City including New York City College of Technology, the Brooklyn Historical Society, The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Pace University, and the New-York Historical Society.
We encourage applicants from any field who are interested in the subject matter. Scholars and teachers specializing in periodical studies, journalism, urban history, art history, American studies, literature, and/or cultural studies will find the Institute especially attractive.
Independent scholars, scholars engaged in museum work or full-time graduate studies are also urged to apply.
L to R: Jason Ellis, Emily Hockaday, and Trevor Quachri in front of the Library’s large display case.
On December 3, 2019, Prof. Jason Ellis, Analog Science Fiction and Fact Editor Trevor Quachri, and Analog Managing Editor Emily Hockaday installed library exhibits in support of the upcoming 4th Annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium on Thursday, Dec. 12 [watch videos of the symposium here].
Librarian Morris Hounion and the City Tech Library’s Exhibit Committee were kind enough to offer us all four entrance displays–the large display outside the library and the three smaller displays inside the library’s entrance.
The exhibits were a collaboration between City Tech and Analog Science Fiction and Fact. City Tech Student Design Intern Julie Bradford created the symposium poster, Prof. Ellis designed posters on the City Tech Science Fiction Collection and the history of the City Tech Science Fiction Symposium, Analog designed posters highlighting the symposium speakers, a timeline of the magazine’s long history, and Analog supplied the cover artwork that fills in the background of each display case. Artifacts in each case were pulled from the City Tech Science Fiction Collection, including the Jan. 1934 issue of Astounding.
Main Display case highlighting the 4th Annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium in celebration of 90 years of Analog SF.
Display case highlighting the published work of speakers at the 4th annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium.
Display case highlighting the history of the annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium.
Display case highlighting the City Tech Science Fiction Collection.
Prof. Jason W. Ellis appeared on the May 30, 2019 episode of Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s StarTalk Radio program on “Creating Science Fiction, with Gale Anne Hurd.” Representing City Tech and the City Tech Science Fiction Collection, Prof. Ellis shared his expertise on science fiction and its cultural influence in a wide-ranging discussion connecting popular ideas about science and technology, SF’s influence on the popular imagination, and SF’s overlapping roles as entertainment, social commentary, and imaginative inspiration. Listen to the episode embedded below or available on the StarTalk website here.
https://soundcloud.com/startalk/creating-science-fiction-with
The StarTalk Radio Website describes the episode as:
The Terminator, The Walking Dead, Aliens, and a lot more. Those are just some of the producing credits for this weekâs main guest on StarTalk Radio. Neil deGrasse Tyson sits down with producer-extraordinaire Gale Anne Hurd to explore what it takes to bring great science fiction to life. Neil is joined by comic co-host Chuck Nice, science fiction expert Jason Ellis, PhD, and volcanologist Janine Krippner, PhD.
Because science fiction comes in many different forms and through many different avenues, there are many ways to get into it. Youâll learn how Galeâs childhood love of Marvel comic books and science fiction novels translated into a career âmaking what she likes to see.â She tells us how she served as a science fiction consultant to her local library to make sure their stock was up to date. Jason shares why not being able to see Star Wars in the theater sparked a rebellious love for science fiction.
Youâll hear about the history of science fiction and how it combines the STEM fields and the humanities. We debate if science fiction informs the future of every technological invention. Youâll find out about a lawsuit H.G Wells brought upon military figureheads because he claimed they stole his idea from one of his science fiction stories. Explore using science fiction as social commentary. Discover more about the famous kiss between Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura, and how William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols purposely flubbed takes to make sure it stayed in the episode.
We take a deep dive into Danteâs Peak as volcanologist Janine Krippner stops by to share her take on the film. She explains why she thinks itâs still the best volcano movie even with its flaws. Gale gives us a behind-the-scenes look on how she fought for even more scientific realism to be in the film but encountered pushback from the studio. Neil also confronts Gale on the famous scientific inaccuracies of Armageddon. Chuck shares his love for The Expanse, we discuss Interstellar, and Neil tells us about his involvement in The Europa Report.
Lastly, youâll also find out the differences between creating science fiction for television and film. According to Hugo Gernsback, the father of science fiction, sci-fi should be 75% romance and 25% science â is that still the goal? All that, plus, Jason caps it off with a story on how he was criticizing the film Sunshine right in front of director Danny Boyleâs family.
The Third Annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium was an amazing success! Here are videos from the symposium’s presentations and discussions from Nov. 27, 2018. Watch them all on YouTube via this playlist, or watch them as embedded videos below.
9:00am-9:20am
Continental Breakfast and Opening Remarks
Location: Academic Complex A105
Justin Vazquez-Poritz, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, New York City College of Technology
Jason W. Ellis, New York City College of Technology
9:20am-10:35am
Session 1: Affect and Experimentation
Location: Academic Complex A105
Moderator: Jason W. Ellis
Leigh Gold, âThe Legacy of Frankenstein: Science, Mourning, and the Ethics of Experimentationâ
Lucas Kwong, âThe Island Of Dr. Moreau, Fantastic Ambivalence, and the Victorian âScience Of Religionâ
Robert LestĂłn, âBetween Intervals: A Soundscape for all Us Monstersâ
10:45am-12:00am
Session 2: Identity and Genre
Location: Academic Complex A105
Moderator: Jill Belli
Anastasia Klimchynskaya, âFrankenstein, Or, the Modern Fantastic: Rationalizing Wonder and the Birth of Science Fictionâ
Paul Levinson, âGolem, Frankenstein, and Westworldâ
Joy Sanchez-Taylor, âGenetic Engineering and non-Western Modernity in Paolo Bacigalupiâs The Windup Girl and Larissa Laiâs Salt Fish Girlâ
1:15pm-2:30pm
Session 3: American Culture and Media
Location: Academic Complex A105
Moderator: A. Lavelle Porter
Aaron Barlow, ââFraunkensteenâ: Whatâs No Longer Scary Becomes Funny or, How American Popular Culture Appropriates Art and Expands the Commonsâ
Marleen S. Barr, âTrumppunk Or Science Fiction Resists the Monster Inhabiting the White Houseâ
Sharon Packer, âJessica Jones (Superhero), Women & Alcohol Use Disordersâ
2:40pm-3:40pm
Student Round Table: âShaping the Future: A Student Roundtable on Octavia Butlerâs Parable of the Sowerâ
Location: Academic Complex A105
Moderator: A. Lavelle Porter
Panelists: Zawad Ahmed
Marvin Blain
Kartikye Ghai
Devinnesha Ryan
4:00pm-4:50pm
Frankenstein Panel: Mary Shelleyâs Novelâs Influence on Scientists and Technologists
Location: Academic Complex A105
Moderator: Justin Vazquez-Poritz
Panelists:
Heidi Boisvert, Entertainment Technology Department
Robert MacDougall, Social Sciences Department
Ashwin Satyanarayana, Computer Systems Technology Department
Jeremy Seto, Biological Sciences Department
5:00pm-6:00pm
Closing and Tour of the City Tech Science Fiction Collection
Location: City Tech Library L543
Remarks by Jason W. Ellis
On Oct. 12, 2018, Emily Hockaday, Associate Editor at Analog and Asimov’s, received a tour of the City Tech Science Fiction Collection by Prof. Jason Ellis and Collections Management Librarian Wanett Clyde. With Analog’s 90th anniversary approaching in 2020, Ms. Hockaday was interested in learning more about our holdings of Analog, which includes most issues from 1934 to 2006.
During the visit, Ms. Hockaday shared Analog’s new social media outreach, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and she encouraged City Tech student writers to enter the annual Dell Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing, which can be a tremendous recognition of one’s work and open doors to further opportunities.
On August 6-8, Prof. Jason W. Ellis continued to inventory the shelved novels of the City Tech Science Fiction Collection. Since the last inventory session, he spent 20 hours at home typing in the author, title, and publisher information for the remaining novels based on the photographic inventory that he made after the collection had been originally shelved. While some titles were incomplete but could be gleaned through database research at the ISFDB or Worldcat, other titles were obscured in the photographic inventory, so these had to be seen in person. For all of the remaining titles, the publication date or copyright date (depending on what information the publisher was inclined to include) had to be found in each open book. This meant that even though all originally shelved novels are recorded by author’s name, title, and publisher, the publication date and any other relevant information (edition, marginalia, inscriptions, etc.) have to be recorded in person. During the nine hours in the archives this week, Prof. Ellis recorded the dates from 26 shelves of books bringing the total shelves remaining to be recorded to about 30. This should be accomplished during the coming academic year.
Also during this time, Prof. Ellis gave a tour of the collection to David B. Smith, Dean of the School of Professional Studies, and he met City Tech’s new Collections Management Librarian, Wanett Clyde.
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