Early Science Fiction in the John C. Rezmerski Science Fiction Collection

Gustavus Library is proud to host the John C. Rezmerski Science Fiction Collection, which includes over 2,000 books, periodicals, and other materials donated to the library by the late poet, editor, and Gustavus professor John Calvin Rezmerski (1942 – 2016). In this blog post and display, the first in a series, we’re highlighting early science fiction in the Rezmerski collection from pioneers like Mary Shelley, Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Hugo Gernsback to Golden Age greats like Leigh Brackett, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and C.L. Moore.

John Calvin Rezmerski (1942-2016) was a well-known Minnesota poet who taught classes in literature, journalism, poetry, creative writing, and linguistics at Gustavus Adolphus College for 35 years. Professor Rezmerski, or “Rez” as he was called by friends, was the author and editor of over 20 books, chapbooks, and anthologies, and was well-known as a performer at numerous events in Minnesota and around the world. Professor Rezmerski was also highly active both as a collector of science fiction and as an author of science fiction-inspired poetry as part of the group Lady Poetesses from Hell.

The John C. Rezmerski Science Fiction Collection consists of over 2,000 books, periodicals, and other materials either donated to Gustavus Library by John Rezmerski or added later in his memory. The Rezmerski Collection reflects over five decades of collecting activity, with particular strengths in paperbacks of the Golden Age and New Wave periods and print runs of science fiction periodicals from the 1970s to the present day.

The Rezmerski Collection continues to grow, however, and the entire collection can be searched in our catalog using the search term nt:Rezmerski.

Check out vintage science fiction cover art on some Rezmerski paperbacks by clicking on the images in the gallery on the right, or if you want a closer look, come visit our Early Science Fiction display to check out some classics of the genre!