Comments on: The Chester D Cuthbert Collection: Reeling In The Years

By: Randy

Randy — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:19:14 +0000

Talitha: very nice to hear from you. I’m trying to secure a figure for the final, approximate number of titles your Grandpa donated to our collection. And you are correct, we were the only institutional library on the prairies prepared to handle a donation of this size, and also, your Grandpa didn’t want a repeat of what happened to Bob Stimpson’s collection, which Bob left in his will to the U of Winnipeg, which eventually sold his collection rather than keep it.

You are welcome to visit us anytime to view your Grandpa’s collection. Most of it is currently in our offsite storage facility.

- Randy

By: Talitha Cuthbert

Talitha Cuthbert — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:53:51 +0000

I know this is now old news, but I was looking around to see if I could find a final number on the volume of Grampa’s collection and noticed that some people have questioned why his collection had not indeed gone to a Manitoba library.

My understanding on the matter was that the U of A was the only library that had the space, means, and proper conditions to take on a collection of this magnitude (especially with probably all of the items being considerably older than I am and somewhat fragile).

I have yet to visit the collection since it has moved over a couple of provinces (still one province away from me!), but often conjure up the smell and feel of Grampa’s beloved books. Thanks again, Randy, for your hard work to give these loved ones a safe home.

By: the pod bay door / It’s Been A Long Time…

the pod bay door / It’s Been A Long Time… — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:24:39 +0000

[...] the sf- and fantasy-content of his extensive book collection, which we at the University of Albert had obtained on donation in October 2007. I helped spread the word about Chester’s passing to appropriate outlets, such as Mike [...]

By: Runte

Runte — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 18:58:02 +0000

Thank god! I had heard the Chester’s collection had been sold and broken up (obviously confused with the Stimpson donation) so was greatly relieved that collection went to UofA.

I can’t understand why the Stimpson collection was sold if UofA offered to process it – obviously reflects the distain still felt towards SF in some academic quarters.

By: Andy Sawyer

Andy Sawyer — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 08:52:03 +0000

Hi Randy,
It’s splendid to hear of this — yet another major collection of sf. I wish you and your colleagues well in processing and cataloguing the collection — and I hope I can get over to Canada to see it sometime! Please let me know how you’re getting on with it, best wishes, Andy (Science Fiction Foundation Collection, Liverpool)

By: Michael C Reichardt

Michael C Reichardt — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:51:12 +0000

Again Son, we are very proud of your latest effort toward library science, the transferring of the Cuthbert Collection to UA and it was nice to se you again,keeping in touch, LOL DAD