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MIT Science Fiction Society
The MIT Science Fiction Society (or MITSFS) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a student organization which maintains and administers a large publicly accessible library of science fiction, fantasy, and science fantasy books and magazines.
In 1950, the club was instrumental in microfilming Astounding Science Fiction, leading to it becoming a recognized student organization in 1951. In 1961, Anthony R. Lewis became Librarian, and the library growth began in earnest. With the Stratton Student Center opening in 1965, the Society moved out of the old Walker Memorial building to the new building. At about the same time, Erwin Strauss compiled a science fiction index for periodicals from 1951 to 1955, called The MIT Science Fiction Society's Index to the S-F Magazines 1951 - 1965. MIT rules barred the Society from publishing the book because student organizations were prohibited from commercial activity, so Strauss published it himself under the same title.
In 1965, MITSFS joined with the UMass SFS and others, including Hal Clement, in forming the "Boston Science Fiction Society", holding the first Boskone convention. In 1967, NESFA arose from the ashes of that group, and brought the WorldCon to Boston in 1971. In the mid-1970s, the MIT Libraries started partially funding acquisition of newly published books.
In 1972, the widow of respected Golden Age editor John W. Campbell donated her husband's personal set of Astounding Science Fiction. Campbell had almost finished an MIT physics degree, but transferred to Duke University to avoid a German language requirement, and then pursued a lifetime career in writing and editing science fiction.
Guest speakers at meetings of the Society have included Hugo Gernsback (whose 1963 address to the Society has been published as "Prophets of Doom"), Frederik Pohl, John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Hal Clement, and Larry Niven, and more recently John Scalzi and Charles Stross. The Society was instrumental in the first Boskone science fiction convention, in NESFA founding, and in the Noreascon in 1971, among others. The World Science Fiction Society, which sponsors the Hugo awards, is still located in Cambridge.
Some past members include Durk Pearson, Rick Norwood, Al Kuhfeld, Bill Sarill, Whit Diffie, Geoffrey A. Landis, Erwin Strauss, and Guy Consolmagno. The Society has been mentioned in Laurence M. Janifer's The Counterfeit Heinlein: A Gerald Knave Science Fiction Adventure.
Science fiction is an important literary genre to many members of the MIT community. The first computer game, Spacewar!, was developed at Project MAC by Steve Russell, Martin "Shag" Graetz, Wayne Wiitanen, and other fans of the Lensman series.
The Society is informal in its operations, but has developed an elaborate pseudo-hierarchy with officer titles such as "Skinner", "Lord High Embezzler", and "Onseck". However, actual theft and vandalism are regarded as serious crimes, and strict security rules have developed to protect the collection, such as requiring that all backpacks, permanent markers, and pens be left at the library entrance.
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MIT Science Fiction Society
The MIT Science Fiction Society (or MITSFS) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a student organization which maintains and administers a large publicly accessible library of science fiction, fantasy, and science fantasy books and magazines.
In 1950, the club was instrumental in microfilming Astounding Science Fiction, leading to it becoming a recognized student organization in 1951. In 1961, Anthony R. Lewis became Librarian, and the library growth began in earnest. With the Stratton Student Center opening in 1965, the Society moved out of the old Walker Memorial building to the new building. At about the same time, Erwin Strauss compiled a science fiction index for periodicals from 1951 to 1955, called The MIT Science Fiction Society's Index to the S-F Magazines 1951 - 1965. MIT rules barred the Society from publishing the book because student organizations were prohibited from commercial activity, so Strauss published it himself under the same title.
In 1965, MITSFS joined with the UMass SFS and others, including Hal Clement, in forming the "Boston Science Fiction Society", holding the first Boskone convention. In 1967, NESFA arose from the ashes of that group, and brought the WorldCon to Boston in 1971. In the mid-1970s, the MIT Libraries started partially funding acquisition of newly published books.
In 1972, the widow of respected Golden Age editor John W. Campbell donated her husband's personal set of Astounding Science Fiction. Campbell had almost finished an MIT physics degree, but transferred to Duke University to avoid a German language requirement, and then pursued a lifetime career in writing and editing science fiction.
Guest speakers at meetings of the Society have included Hugo Gernsback (whose 1963 address to the Society has been published as "Prophets of Doom"), Frederik Pohl, John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Hal Clement, and Larry Niven, and more recently John Scalzi and Charles Stross. The Society was instrumental in the first Boskone science fiction convention, in NESFA founding, and in the Noreascon in 1971, among others. The World Science Fiction Society, which sponsors the Hugo awards, is still located in Cambridge.
Some past members include Durk Pearson, Rick Norwood, Al Kuhfeld, Bill Sarill, Whit Diffie, Geoffrey A. Landis, Erwin Strauss, and Guy Consolmagno. The Society has been mentioned in Laurence M. Janifer's The Counterfeit Heinlein: A Gerald Knave Science Fiction Adventure.
Science fiction is an important literary genre to many members of the MIT community. The first computer game, Spacewar!, was developed at Project MAC by Steve Russell, Martin "Shag" Graetz, Wayne Wiitanen, and other fans of the Lensman series.
The Society is informal in its operations, but has developed an elaborate pseudo-hierarchy with officer titles such as "Skinner", "Lord High Embezzler", and "Onseck". However, actual theft and vandalism are regarded as serious crimes, and strict security rules have developed to protect the collection, such as requiring that all backpacks, permanent markers, and pens be left at the library entrance.