George Kelley Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection
The George Kelley Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection is a collection of over 30,000 pulp magazine and paperback fiction works that is housed in the Special Collections unit, in the University at Buffalo Libraries at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Noted as one of the best preserved collections of pulp material and paperbacks in modern times, it was donated to UB Libraries in 1994 by Dr. George Kelley, a professor at Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York.[1]
The collection spans genres from adventure, crime and horror to Westerns, fantasy and science fiction, including books, pulp magazines, fanzines and other literature. According to UB Libraries, there are hundreds of paperbacks from the 1940s, thousands from the 1950s and 1960s and more from the 1970s and 1980s. Many of these are paperback originals which have never appeared in hardcover editions.[2]
George Kelley
Kelley, an alumnus of SUNY at Buffalo, donated the collection to the Lockwood Memorial Library in 1994.[3] Kelley received a doctorate of philosophy from SUNY at Buffalo in 1996, and has received master's degrees from UB in business administration, library science, and English. He is currently a professor of Business Administration at Erie Community College.[4] After being an avid collector of comic books in his youth, Kelley began collecting paperback books and fiction magazines in his late youth and continued to do so until the 1990s. A majority of his collection was amassed during the 1970s when he would frequent used book stores on his work-related travels across the country.[1] Kelley was keen on preserving his collection throughout the years, storing the works in Ziploc bags.[5]
Dr. Thomas and Margarete Shaw
In addition to Kelley's collection, Dr. Thomas Shaw and his wife, Margarete Shaw, have also contributed a large number of gifts and books to the collection.[6] The Shaws’ contribution to the collection is entirely composed of fantasy and science-fiction based works and magazines.
Notable authors
[note 1]
- Edward S. Aarons
- Poul Anderson
- Isaac Asimov
- James Axler[note 2]
- J. G. Ballard
- Ray Bradbury
- Marion Zimmer Bradley
- Dan Brennan
- Carter Brown
- Lolah Burford
- William S. Burroughs
- James M. Cain
- Lou Cameron[note 3]
- Henry Cecil
- Raymond Chandler
- Arthur C. Clarke
- Bill Crider
- Samuel R. Delany
- Philip K. Dick
- Gordon R. Dickson
- Andre Dubus
- David Eddings
- George A. Effinger
- Harlan Ellison
- Jack Finney
- Erle Stanley Gardner
- Edward Gorman
- Bill Granger
- Charles L. Grant
- Zane Grey
- Dashiell Hammett
- John Hardesty
- J. D. Hardin[note 4]
- Matt Harding
- Stephen King/Richard Bachman[note 5]
- Joe R. Lansdale
- Richard Laymon
- Ursula K. Le Guin
- Richard Levinson
- Jake Logan [note 6]
- Jack London
- H. P. Lovecraft
- John D. MacDonald
- Ed McBain
- William Moore ?
- David Morrell
- Harry Patterson
- Richard Patterson
- Don Pendleton
- Bill Pronzini
- Ellery Queen
- Joanna Russ
- Jon Sharpe
- Robert Silverberg
- Clifford Simak
- David C. Smith
- Mickey Spillane
- Clay Tanner
- Ross Thomas
- Jim Thompson
- Tereska Torrès
- E.C. Tubb
- Gore Vidal
- Lionel White
- Gene Wolfe
- Ed Wood
- Cornell Woolrich
- Timothy Zahn
- Roger Zelazny
Relevance of collection
Academically, the George Kelly Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection stands as a vast resource of cultural information that is reflected in the discourse of the works and their imagery, especially sub-culture's social attitudes and behaviors, as well as evolving gender roles and identities in mid-20th century America.[1] [7] Further, some works published first in paperback form in the George Kelley Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection have been noted for their alternative lifestyle storylines and content, suggesting an informative understanding of the gay and lesbian world, providing literature oriented towards homosexuality around the 1950s.[8]
For many of the works in the collection, their documentation via the University at Buffalo's library system represents the first time the works have been acknowledged in a national or universal library system (WorldCat)[7]
Some have appraised the collection's value into the millions of US dollars.[1][7]
Popular culture
The most valuable book in the collection, according to George Kelley, is an original copy of Junkie by William S. Burroughs, with a value estimated at around US $2500.[7] Junkie is often cited as the seminal literature on heroin addiction in America.
According to Dr. George Kelley, his passion for collecting paperbacks and fiction magazines emerged in his adolescence after his mother had disposed of his personal collection of over 1000 comic books while he was away at camp.[7] Dr. George Kelley admits that he decided to donate the collection to University at Buffalo, after receiving an ultimatum from his wife who told him: "I can't get to the washer and dryer because of all the shelving. Do you want clean clothes...or books?" Dr. Kelley chose clean clothes.[9] Every work in the collection continues to be housed in the original Ziploc bag it was placed in when Dr. George Kelley added them to the collection.
A work from the collection,The Guilty Are Afraid by James Hadley Chase, had the honor of being the 37th million record to the WorldCat database, in June 1997.[10]
The collection is currently located in a closed stacks area of the Lockwood Memorial Library at the University at Buffalo, awaiting space being made available for its future permanent home at the Special Collections Unit at Capen Libraries. The collection is available for access to the general public.
A discovery seminar, instructed by Judy Adams-Volpe, the former director of communications for the UB Libraries, offered UB students the opportunity to explore the collection in depth. Through the functions of the seminar, many of the works' plots have been summarized into an online database (plot summary database), as well as cover-art scans of several of the collections' more notable covers.
See also
- Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
- Fred Waring Cartoon Collection
- Michigan State University Comic Art Collection
Notes
- ^ Some of this information was derived from the main UB Libraries website, which lists authors and in some cases, pseudonyms. Pseudonyms are noted, and links to their respective author/publishing firm have been provided, if available.
- ^ pseudonym for publishing franchise, see linked article
- ^ See Classics Illustrated - Artists
- ^ see Donald Bain - Hardin Western Series
- ^ Stephen King can be found in the collection under Richard Bachman, a pseudonym. Reportedly the Kelley collection contains an elusive English version of one of his books
- ^ See Slocum Westerns
References
- ^ a b c d "UBT: Pulp Fiction". Retrieved 2008-11-11.
- ^ "Overview of Collection". Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ "The George Kelley Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection". Retrieved 2008-10-28.
- ^ "About George Kelley". Retrieved 2008-10-28.
- ^ "Origins of Collection". Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ "About this Collection". Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ a b c d e "Man's love of pulp fiction nets remarkable collection". CNN.com. Associated Press. 2000-06-06. Archived from the original on 2000-06-20.
- ^ Brian Lampkin (March 2000). "Valuable Sleaze: A Treasure Trove of Pulp Fiction". Literature. Buffalo Spree. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
- ^ "It's Out of This World". Vol. 26, no. 12. UB Reporter. 1994-12-01. p. 12.
- ^ Patricia Donovan (1998-02-19). "Libraries staff marks a WorldCat milestone". UB Reporter. News Services Editor. p. 5.
External links
- George Kelley Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection main site - University at Buffalo Libraries
- George Kelley's blog
- Detective/Mystery plot summary database - pulp fiction collection
- v
- t
- e
- Ace Mystery
- Amazing Stories
- Amazing Stories Annual
- Amazing Stories Quarterly
- A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine
- Astonishing Stories
- Astounding Stories
- Captain Future
- Captain Hazzard
- Captain Zero
- Comet
- Cosmic Stories
- Doc Savage
- Doctor Death
- Dusty Ayres and His Battle Birds
- Dynamic Science Fiction
- Dynamic Science Stories
- Famous Fantastic Mysteries
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Novels
- Fantastic Story Quarterly
- Fantasy
- Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine
- Future Science Fiction
- G-8 and His Battle Aces
- Ghost Stories
- Jungle Stories
- Marvel Science Stories
- Mind Magic
- Miracle Science and Fantasy Stories
- New Worlds
- The Octopus
- Operator #5
- Oriental Stories
- Other Worlds
- Out of This World Adventures
- Planet Stories
- Science Fiction
- Science-Fiction Plus
- Science Fiction Quarterly
- Scientific Detective Monthly
- The Scorpion
- Secret Agent X
- Space Stories
- The Spider
- Startling Stories
- Stirring Science Stories
- Strange Stories
- Strange Tales
- Super Science Stories
- Tales of Magic and Mystery
- Tales of Wonder
- 10 Story Fantasy
- Terence X. O'Leary's War Birds
- The Thrill Book
- Tops in Science Fiction
- Two Complete Science-Adventure Books
- Uncanny Stories
- Uncanny Tales (Canadian)
- Unknown
- Vargo Statten Science Fiction Magazine
- Weird Tales
- The Witch's Tales
- Wonder Stories
- Wonder Story Annual
- History of US science fiction and fantasy magazines to 1950
- George Kelley Paperback and Pulp Fiction Collection
43°00′03″N 78°47′22″W / 43.0008°N 78.7895°W / 43.0008; -78.7895