O R A L   H I S T O R Y   A S S O C I A T I O N                                         

     Rob Butler is a librarian who hopes eventually to go into archive work.  He is a long-time science fiction fan and an officer of the Science Fiction Oral History Association, and he has assumed the position of resident recording technician for SFOHA's midwest activities. This series consists of tapes he has made at conventions or at SFOHA local meetings. 

     Both Sides. Hal Clement, interviewed for SFOHA by Howard DeVore at the SF convention ConTraption, held in Troy, Michigan, April 22, 1995. Clement disucsses the little that is known about his Canadian ancestors, covers his own personal history; early influences and reading; beginning writing; education; military career in the Air Force (World War II and after); teaching career; histories of individual stories. 

     Both Sides. Dean McLaughlin, interviewed for SFOHA by Lloyd Biggle, Jr. at an SFOHA meeting, Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 11, 1995. McLaughlin discusses his literary career, individual stories, influences on his writing, and takes questions from the audience. 

     Both Sides. Panel: "The Aging of Fandom." Discussion by four veteran fans, Ray Beam, Tom Sadler, Buck Coulson, Stephen Bridge. Held at the convention InConjunction, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 6, 1996. Each member discusses his background in SF Fandom. Among the changes between old fans and conventions and those of today is the switch of fan interest from books only to TV and movies. Readers have been left behind, especially by the loss of the SF magazines, which have gone from a couple of dozen to a few survivors.  In the early days, fandom was a mail activity; fans didn't know other fans personally because they never saw them. There were few conventions. The increase in number and size of conventions is another significant change, and fandom is changed as a result. Older fans tend to long for the good old days. 

 

     Side A Only. Panel: "Meet First Fandom."  Held at the convention, InConjunction, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 6, 1996. Long-time science fiction fans discuss the fan organization, "First Fandom," the group of fans whose involvement in science fiction fandom dates back to the 1930s. Ray Beam, Mel Schmidt, Joe Martino, and Sam Moskowitz take part. Other members of First Fandom who are present describe how they became involved with it. The recorder malfunctioned at the beginning; long blank spots before problem was resolved.  Then sound (starting with Sam Moskowitz discussing early history of fandom) good to end. Valuable information for SF fan history.

Side B. Blank. 

     Side A Only. "The Richard Knaak Hour." Richard Knaak, the convention's Professional Writer Guest of Honor, reads from the 2nd chapter of his novel, Dutchman, and then answers questions from the audience. InConjunction, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 6, 1996.

     Side B. Blank. 

     Side A Only. Presentation of First Fandom's 1996 Posthumous Award, one of two annual awards the organization makes. The recipient was the science fiction author Henry Kuttner. Ray Beam, First Fandom president participates. Sam Moskowitz discusses Kuttner's career. Short ceremony, less than 25 minutes. InConjunction, Indianapolis, July 6, 1996.

Side B. Blank. 
 

     Side A Only. Lloyd Biggle, Jr., interviewed by Rob Butler at a meeting of the Science Fiction Oral History Association held at the Little Professor Bookstore, Ann Arbor, Michigan, on September 23, 1995. Biggle discusses various aspects of his career: Early music study; first writing; discovery of science fiction (when be was in his thirties); working with John Campbell; origins of the Science Fiction Oral History Association and oral history activities; how his books are researched.

Side B. Blank.


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