PRESERVING PULP
Alumnus Entrusts his Pulp Fiction Collection to SUNY at Buffalo
It happened to four-time UB alumnus George Kelley long ago when he went away to summer camp. George’s mother took his absence as the perfect opportunity to tackle the clutter that predominated his adolescent bedroom. When George got home, he was devastated to find that, in her zeal, his mom had tossed his entire comic book collection. “I was crushed. And then I just couldn’t go back to comic books. I had to move on to paperbacks…and I became much neater, so my mom wouldn’t throw them away.” A lesson for us all.
That incident, though painful for George, became a boon for UB when George made the decision in 1994 to donate his extensive pulp fiction collection to the UB Libraries. “I earned three master’s degrees and a PhD from UB, so I feel like I should pay back all the amazing things UB gave me. I’ve had a great life.”
Now more than 30,000 editions strong, the priceless collection is a resource for enthusiasts as well as academics studying the emerging field of fandom. “As an academic research library, we’re fortunate to be the stewards of these amazing materials,” says Evviva Weinraub Lajoie, Vice Provost for University Libraries. “Its study can inform us about American attitudes and concerns of the mid-20th century, the evolution of publishing, the sociology of fan subculture, and other insights.”
To some, pulp fiction cover art is as sought after as the stories inside. In fact, Kelley says, sometimes the compelling—and usually provocative—scenes on the cover had nothing to do with the story line. “It didn’t matter. The art sold the book.” Kelley’s favorite pulp fiction artist, Robert McGinnis, is responsible for illustrating more than 1,200 covers and 40 movie posters, including a number in the Kelley collection. “I consider [books with McGinnis art] to be sculptures. Today people collect them, but they might not even read the book, they just want it for the cover.”
Wood pulp, the cheap and accessible paper the books were printed on, is notoriously fragile. To ensure the collection’s long-term survival, George has also made a commitment to UB for the materials to undergo a deacidification process. “A collection like this needs meticulous attention,” says Ron Gaczewski, preservation officer and head of the Libraries Services Center “Thankfully, George stored each book in a Ziploc bag, which was fortuitous. It’s not a solution in and of itself, but it helped,” Gaczewski said. “We’re so are grateful that he is also supporting the additional preservation work as well.”
We asked George about the collection and his commitment to UB during a recent visit to campus.
You’re a passionate collector. How did that happen?
GK: My love of reading came from my parents and our weekly trips to the library to borrow books. As an adult, when I was traveling as a consultant, I would visit used bookstores and read them while I waited for my flight. Instead of getting rid of them, I saved them, and it grew from there.
I also think some people have the collecting gene. It seems like it’s mostly men, and it includes me. You can’t imagine the happiness you feel when you find a really good rare book. You just feel exhilarated. It’s fabulous.
Is pulp fiction a thing of the past?
GK: Absolutely not. Modern day science fiction, detective stories and romance novels are extensions of pulp fiction from decades ago. A good modern example is 50 Shades of Gray (by E.L. James).
As an expert, do you get asked to speak about pulp fiction or your collection?
GK: Yes, particularly at science fiction conventions and mystery conventions. In fact, I just moderated a panel at Bouchercon 50 (the World Mystery Convention), about paperbacks and paperback collecting. The audience was thrilled to hear about UB preserving this stuff, because the books were meant to be disposable, like newspapers.
Pulp fiction and fandom are emerging areas of academic study. What do you think it says about our society or our culture? What do these books reveal?
GK: I think for a lot of people today there’s too much reality. So people want a fantasy. It’s escapism. I like to escape into humor, but humor’s hard because not everybody thinks the same thing is funny. But a vampire’s a vampire’s a vampire, so that makes it pretty simple.
Why did you decide to donate your collection, and why SUNY at Buffalo?
GK: Well, I stored the books in my basement because the weight of it would have collapsed the floors upstairs. And finally, one day when my wife couldn’t get to the washer and dryer, she said, ‘You have to choose between clean clothes and the books.’ So, I contacted UB, and fortunately you were interested.
This collection brings me joy, and it brings me more joy to know that UB has it, and that you’re taking care of it for the next generation. Because people are going to look at this and marvel, because there won’t be anything else like it. Everything’s changed in publishing, art, illustration. Now, everything’s digital. Everything’s video. So, I think it’s important to understand what came before.
What are your hopes for this collection?
GK: Ideally, since you’ve got all the source material, I want to see it maintained and accessible for future generations.
When George isn’t at home reading, you may find him hunting for books to add to his collection. Most often he frequents The Book Corner, in Niagara Falls, and Old Editions, in North Tonawanda…which, he admits, is “dangerously close” to his house.
So many books, so little time. Just looking at the photograph makes me drool, George.
Jerry, this article will appear in the next SUNY at Buffalo alumni magazine as well as some of SUNY at Buffalo’s web sites. They’ve done a job promoting the Kelley Collection! And, this photo is just the tip of the massive iceberg of books!
That’s really very impressive, George, and good on you for donating them. I can’t really read the titles but I’m sure there are lots of books there that I’d love to have. And those bookcases!! WHOA! You frequently say “I’ve got a copy of xxx around here somewhere”. Now I’m sure you do.
Michael, thank you for your kind words. Yes, I have a lot of books! The coronavirus pandemic has provided the perfect opportunity to sort and organize the books in my basement. I go down and work on sorting things out for an hour or two every day. If this continues for a couple more years, I might get it all done.
You cannot beat The Kelley Collection. Let’s hope they always preserve it as it is.
Jeff, I’ve made some monetary donations to insure The Kelley Collection is well preserved for years ahead.
In all its glory!
Patti, this is just a tiny faction of what SUNY at Buffalo now owns and protects.
A benevolent gesture and a wonderful interview, George! While we never had a book collection as comprehensive or valuable as yours, John and I have gradually been culling our books since Hurricane Katrina. We donated a lot to the Friends of the Library book sale and I gave about 300 books to a coworker who was converting her spare room into a home library. But I have so many “keepers” that I just can’t part with. Cluttered shelves it is!
I do hope UB is able to successfully preserve the books. A couple of days ago, Victoria grabbed my paperback copy of Evelyn Waugh’s DECLINE AND FALL, which I’d probably purchased in the early 1980s (it had my maiden name scrawled on the inside cover) and after reading a few pages she cried, “Mom, it’s falling apart!”
Deb, the interview here is just a fragment of the hour interview Barbara Byers conducted with me a few months ago before the coronavirus hit. The Librarians at SUNY at Buffalo love the books in The Kelley Collection as much as I do. And I’m funding their efforts to preserve the books for years to come.
I used the Deb Method to sharply reduce my library before we sold our house and moved to a smaller (apartment) space last year. Some copies to friends, others to library sales and collections. Kept those that mostly have nostalgic value or would be expensive to replace (cf Arkham House editions). Of course, there are some books, now gone, that I wish on reflection that I’d kept!
Fred, I’ve experienced that feeling of regret about getting rid of some books, too. But, the good thing about donating 30,000 of my books to SUNY at Buffalo is that I can visit them anytime I want!
That’s amazing. What are the books under the Hardy Boys near the bottom? the odd one on the top looks like it might be a djless phoebe atwood taylor. The ones below it look like maybe a UK series?
I know what you mean about the thrill of the chase. I remember fondly our booking expedition after the 2nd Toronto Bcon. Sadly, any paperback exchanges still standing don’t carry old books any longer even those with $2.50 price tags are too new. I remember the 50’s and 60’s when Mom & Pop grocery stores had a spinner rack of pbs. Wish I’d been aware enough to invest in some.
I just gave about 3 1/2 dozen books(arcs) to 2 friends since our library was closed. One of whom was desperate as she finished the books she had from the library at the first of this month.
Maggie, what sharp eyes you have! Ellen Nehr’s favorite 3-Name writer, Phoebe Atwood Taylor, is there with some UK kids series (I might have found them in Canada). I can’t wait for our Library to open. They were scheduled to have a Library Book Sale at the end of April. I have a bunch of boxes of books, CDs, and DVDs to donate to them. I also have a few boxes of rare paperbacks for SUNY at Buffalo whenever they reopen, too. I’m trying to find Good Homes for most of my books.
I know what Maggie means. When I started working in Greenwich Village in the early ’70s, there was not only the Strand, but a few of the old bookstores were still open on lower Fourth Avenue. Every once in a while I would spend my lunch hour browsing one of the stores. They were narrow but very deep. I remember buying a lot of old Erle Stanley Gardner hardback non-series books as well as early Perry Masons. Once I came across a cache of old John Dickson Carr and Carter Dickson books in the Strand. These were first editions – granted, not in the greatest shape – fro the ’30s. I wish I had the money to buy them all then. I took a few (I remember the collaboration with John Rhode being one), but when I went back the next day the rest were gone.
Jeff, while I was in Madison, Wisconsin I came across a huge stack of MANHUNT magazines in pristine condition in a local used bookstore. But, I didn’t have enough money on me (and I foolishly left my credit card at home). I dashed home and scooped up some cash, but by the time I got back to the bookstore they were gone. Regrets, I’ve had a few…
I know the feeling I’m on my last book on cd sigh the others I have (that I own) I’ve already listened to.
ps Alice Titlton is the pseudonym of Phoebe Atwood Taylor, and those are sooo good. When I did the big purge I kept those If I could catch up on books to review, I’d re read them
Maggie, I’ve been steadily reading my review copies, too. I’m almost caught up!
Our library used book store will not take ARCs.
Rick, I pass ARCs on to friends.
What a great article, George! And the bookshelves look positively pristine. I can’t imagine a mother would even consider throwing this collection out.
My paperbacks are also shelved and reasonably organized; they’re not in plastic though.
I remember how shocked I was at my first Bouchercon in Milwaukee in 1981. Otto Penzler lectured attendees that they should buy two copies of each book – one to read and one to be preserved. Mine were all just to read.
Cap’n Bob did impress me with his philosophy of buying dupes for upgrades and books to share. I still do that.
Beth, for some “special” books, I follow Otto Penzler’s advice. Diane constantly urges me to keep my books organized. And, she’s a big advocate of my “de-acquistioning” of books, CDs, and DVDs. If there’s a “silver lining” to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s that the opportunities to sort, organize, and weed my home collection abound!
Beth, my late friend Bob Adey in England (who probably had even more books than George) was a big believer in buying whatever was available and upgrading later. I’d be looking for a copy of a particular book, and Bob might have four or five copies on the shelves in his garage. They’d be in different condition, with or without dust jacket, etc. I know Art and Bruce were there many times looking through his massive offerings.
Jeff, I passed on a lot of great books because of condition.
Nice, George. Lots of interesting things on those shelves, including a lot of things I’d consider newer. And I see some For books there. I had the whole set, I should have sent them to you, they were pristine. Am I mistaken, or are mysteries and sf combined?
That was supposed to be “Gor” books
Rick, these are just books on the “to be sorted and processed” shelves…basically New Arrivals to the Kelley Home Collection.
Be sure you have one room artfully arranged with books as a background in case CNN comes Zoom calling to get your views on Trump.
Michael, I think I could top many of those background bookshelves with ease! CNN, bring it on!
Really nice collection, George!
And I’ve always thought that mine was the best, ok, I started later with collecting US books so I only got around 10 000 SF books (including a few Fantasy) plus 2000 SF magazines/anthologies.
I even have some hardcovers – invested that money mainly when I could get a book signed by the author. Just for reading a hardcover is overkill imho.
Since no one in my family is interested in them (and nobody has enough room) I’m thinking about selling them, but in Corona times …
Wolf, I passed on hardcovers for years. Foolish me! Now, I think I have more hardcovers than paperbacks.
Wolf I’ve heard from bookseller friends who sell on line that business is booming. With libraries closed many people are buying “stock” (not expensive collectibles) so they can have something to read. This is the US of course, not sure how it’s going in europe
That was so great to read.
One of the things I wish I could do is get you, Richard Robinson, and my sadly deceased friend Jerry Schattenberg together and just sit and listen to you guys talk about books. The three of you, from what I know of you and Richard online, have the same genes and I’ve learned so much from all of you.
I would just sit back, drink in hand, and soak up the book conversation.
Carl, but we would have to Social Distance! I know exactly what you mean. One of the thrills of going to BOUCHERCONs was listening to Bill Crider, Art Scott, Bruce Taylor, Steve Stilwell, Hal Rice, Richard Moore, Ellen Nehrm, and Beth Fedyn talk about books and movies. A graduate education in Popular Culture!
I used to go on Wednesday nights to the local comic shop to hang out with my buddy Jeff at his part-time job, which is where I met Jerry, and we would stand there from 4:00 (when I got there) until 8:00, when the shop closed, and just talk about classic science fiction and movies and how book collecting used to work. Eventually Jerry started bringing in flats filled with books, mostly paperbacks and first edition hard covers, and he would teach me about how to recognize editions, how to tell if something had been repaired, why he liked the authors he did, etc. It was a wonderful time.
Carl, we used to have used bookstores and knowledgable owners here, too. But many of those used bookstores have closed. There are only two used bookstores in the my area that I will visit when things open up here. The International Bridges aren’t going to open up until June 21st so I won’t be visiting any Canadian bookstores until then.
That’s an awesome interview, Dr. Kelley! I love the fact that you put the effort into maintaining something that was meant to be thrown away. In our modern culture of disposability, it’s nice to see things being valued beyond the short term. I hope that you and your family are doing well and staying safe!
Lauren, good to hear from you! Yes, the Kelley Family is safe and healthy. Say “Hi!” to Patrick and stay well!