If you’ve ever been at a science fiction or fantasy convention late at night, you’ve heard people singing ballads based on their favorite stories and characters. That’s the magic of filking, and at last a university library will be collecting materials related to this time-honored custom.
Top image: Danger Woman, Disabled but Able to Rock.
Texas A&M University’s Cushing Library — which hosts a George R.R. Martin exhibition called “Deeper Than Swords” until Feb. 7 — is adding “filk-related materials” to its science fiction collection, according to a press release. Which adds:
Science fiction conventions, as well as designated filk conventions,
have various filk programming that includes concerts and late night filk
circles, where music is performed and shared, as well as panels about
music and fandom. Most filk conventions put out songbooks with songs
submitted by members of the community to share with attending members.The
Cushing Library filk collection will showcase examples of these
songbooks, as well as audio, video, digital recordings and fanzines and
fanvids— which demonstrate the interest and affection for particular
aspects of both literary and broadcast science fiction and fantasy
media. The collection seeks to preserve the popular legacy of science
fiction and fantasy by documenting and acquiring various fanworks.
Cushing Library is also a depository for many books and materials of
famous science fiction and fantasy authors, from the likes of George R.
R. Martin to Joe Lansdale, Elizabeth Moon and Ray Bradbury, among
others.The collection features a diverse mixture of materials,
including the personal science fiction and fantasy library of Anne
McCaffrey, and thousands of science fiction and fantasy-related
monographs in hardcover and paperback, which date from the 17th century
to the present. The extensive periodicals collection contains over 90
percent of the American science fiction pulp magazines published prior
to 1980.
More details, including how to donate your own filk-related materials, at the link. [TAMU]
