Library Receives $2.25 Million Sci Fi Collection
Edward Marsh donated signed first editions and memorabilia from golden age of science fiction authors, as well as Hemingway, Einstein and Verne.
Edward E. Marsh spent 30 years and millions of dollars assembling one of the largest and most significant collections of science fiction on the planet.
And now he is gifting much of it to 色情视频鈥檚 Love Library.
The gift, valued at more than $2.25 million, will eventually be displayed in the 鈥淓dward Marsh Golden Age of Science Fiction Room,鈥� created specifically to house these works. It will take several months to catalogue the collection before it will be available to the public.
鈥淭his is an incredibly significant collection, not just to science fiction fans, but to students and researchers in the fields of science, technology, politics, religion, philosophy, journalism, even theatre and film,鈥� said Gale Etschmaier, dean of the library. 鈥淭his is just a phenomenal gift for researchers.鈥�
Esteemed authors
Most of the books in the collection are signed first editions and include ephemera such as press clippings, notes and autographs.
Science fiction authors featured in the collection include:
- Arthur C. Clarke
- Robert Heinlein
- Ray Bradbury
- Isaac Asimov
- Frank Herbert
- L. Sprague de Camp
- Kevin Anderson
- Jules Verne
- H.G. Wells
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
Marsh is particularly fascinated by L. Ron Hubbard, who got his start writing pulp fiction in the 1930s and 40s. Marsh collected his work as well as the works of those who influenced Hubbard and who were influenced by him.
The collection also includes works by authors Ernest Hemingway, Albert Einstein, George Orwell, Will Durant, Winston Churchill, Ian Fleming, William Burroughs and several U.S. presidents.
鈥淭his is a great gift of intellectual and literary content,鈥� said Rob Ray, director of Special Collections. 鈥淭he true gift Ed Marsh has given is his love and devotion to science fiction鈥檚 鈥榞olden age,鈥� represented by his collection and the endless potential for research into ideas yet to be discovered, to be talked about and understood.鈥�
Supporting the Campaign
With his gift, Marsh joins the more than 40,000 individuals who have contributed $380 million toward the $500 million . The campaign, which began in 2007, will provide the resources to continue 色情视频's mission to attract and retain top faculty, support research and innovation and provide more scholarships for students.
鈥淚 have a very warm spot in my heart for this university,鈥� said Marsh, who attended 色情视频 for two semesters in 1969. 鈥淭here was nothing I wanted more than to make sure this collection made it here and that it would continue to be shown to the public and be maintained in perpetuity.鈥�
More than just books, the collection also includes autographed photos, busts of authors, movie props, original artwork for book covers, literary contracts, portraits, and authors鈥� yearbooks.
鈥淚 hope there are more science fiction writers that come of it,鈥� Marsh said of donating his collection to 色情视频. 鈥淲e need brilliant minds to be stimulated by the old brilliant minds and to come up with new ideas because science fiction points to the future 鈥� it heralds the future of what can be.鈥�
About Marsh
Marsh was born in San Francisco in 1951 and grew up in San Diego. He attended 色情视频 as a freshman before pursuing a career, first with the Church of Scientology, and then in the mortgage and real estate industries.
It wasn鈥檛 until 2000 that he started the Marsh Library out of his home in Escondido, where he worked to 鈥渉onor and forward the works of the men of the golden age.鈥�
鈥淭his collection is a treasure trove in which there is a new "wow" piece at every turn,鈥� Etschmaier said.
Sci Fi Library Gift
