The University of Liverpool's Science Fiction collection has been awarded Designated status by Arts Council England, recognising its outstanding national and international significance.
The designation highlights the collection's cultural and research value. It is the largest repository of science fiction materials in Europe and one of the most significant collections of its kind anywhere in the world. The award places it alongside a select group of museum, library and archive collections considered to be of exceptional importance.
Managed by Libraries, Museums & Galleries (LMG) and cared for by the Special Collections & Archives at the Sydney Jones Library, the Science Fiction Collection is a major resource for researchers, students, writers and fans of the genre. It brings together thousands of books, journals, manuscripts, archives and rare publications, charting the evolution of science fiction from the nineteenth century to the present day.
The recognition marks an important milestone for the University and reflects decades of work to build, preserve and make accessible a collection that has helped establish Liverpool as a leading centre for science fiction research.
Today, the collection includes more than 35,000 books and 2,500 periodical titles, spanning everything from early speculative fiction to contemporary science fiction. It also holds the papers and manuscripts of some of the genre's most influential authors, including John Wyndham, Olaf Stapledon, John Brunner, Eric Frank Russell and Brian Aldiss.
Joanne Fitton, Deputy Director of Libraries, Museums and Galleries at the University of Liverpool, said: "We're absolutely delighted that the Science Fiction Collection has received Designated status. It's a fantastic recognition of the dedication and expertise of colleagues who have developed and cared for the collection over many years.
"The collection attracts researchers and visitors from around the world and supports pioneering research, teaching and public engagement. This award recognises not only the collection's importance, but also the role it plays in inspiring new generations of readers, writers and researchers."
The collection sits at the heart of the University's internationally recognised expertise in science fiction studies and provides a unique resource for students on the University's MA in English Literature: Science Fiction Studies. Its extensive archives provide students and researchers with direct access to rare books, manuscripts and literary papers, helping to make Liverpool a leading centre for the study of the genre.
The collection continues to inspire new audiences through exhibitions such as Lightbulb moments at the University of Liverpool's Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M), which draws extensively on material held in the Science Fiction Collection.
Featuring manuscripts, personal papers from the desk of pioneering science fiction author and academic Olaf Stapledon. Rather than focusing on imagined futuristic technologies, the exhibition explores the real people, ideas and archives behind some of the genre's most influential works, including Stapledon's groundbreaking novel Last and First Men (1930).
The exhibition demonstrates the richness of the collections recognised through Arts Council England's Designation Scheme and highlights the University's role in preserving and sharing this important literary heritage.
Liverpool-based science fiction author Stephen Baxter, who supported the University's application to Arts Council England, said: "I have come strongly to believe that the collections are a significant historical cultural asset in themselves, and are enriched by being developed and held at the University, and in Liverpool itself, with its diverse culture and history, with its engagement with that history - and indeed the future.
"The Science Fiction Collections at Liverpool has been built up as a tremendous archive which will surely be invaluable for future scholars seeking to understand our achievements - and our dreams, and how they were created."
The award further strengthens the University's reputation as a home for nationally important collections and helps ensure that this internationally significant archive will continue to support research, learning and public engagement for years to come.
Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said: "Science fiction is one of the most impactful and enduring cultural movements, spawning huge fanbases, blockbuster books and films, and even its own Klingonian language! I am proud to see the Science Fiction Collection - the largest catalogued collection in Europe - recognised for its excellence. Congratulations to all involved on their Designation award."
To find out more about the collection visit libguides.liverpool.ac.uk/library/sca/home
