SF FAQ
University of Iowa Libraries' Science Fiction Fanzines Digital Collection: frequently asked questions
Where did the fanzines come from?
The collection was assembled by Martin M. (Mike) Horvat, a science fiction enthusiast who collected fan magazines, or fanzines, over a period of several decades. In December 2004, he sold his collection to the University of Iowa Libraries, where it's now housed in the Special Collections department. For more information, see the Libraries' collection guide: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/MSC/ToMsC800/MsC791/MsC791_horvatfanzines.htm
How many fanzines do you have?
The initial estimate was 250,000 items, including duplicates currently being weeded from the collection. The actual number of unique items is yet to be determined.
When were the fanzines published?
The bulk of the collection dates from the 1960s to the 1990s, but there are some materials from the 1940s and 1950s.
I'm looking for a particular title and issue number -- can you tell me if it's held in your library? / How can I order copies of article(s) listed in the fanzines? / How can I make a research appointment?
Reference questions about the fanzines may be directed to the UI Libraries' Special Collections Department: lib-spec@uiowa.edu
Are you digitizing all of the fanzines?
Currently DLS is digitizing only the covers and table of contents pages of a subset of titles, selected by UI faculty members as the most influential and representative of the genre. Since traditional library cataloging isn't feasible due to the volume and the specialized nature of the materials, the digital collection is being created to act as a finding tool. Images of the covers and table of content pages are being combined with metadata records and text files rendered with optical character recognition (OCR) software, with the goal of creating a searchable database enabling scholars to focus their research efforts.
How can I receive updates about the digitization project?
Please send an e-mail message to lib-digital@uiowa.edu with the subject heading "Science Fiction Fanzines Digital Collection." We'll add you to our electronic mailing list and notify you when the project is online.
