Smith Library has two Special Collections devoted to a single author. The first is the Thomas Wolfe Collection, collected and donated by Dr. Herbert Schiller. It consists of 152 items, representing 137 titles, including Thomas Wolfe’s work, critical analyses of his work, biography, and memorabilia.
The second collection is the Isaac Asimov Collection, collected and donated by Dr. John L. Hubisz, a Physicist who most recently taught at NC State. Isaac Asimov, born in Russia, immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 3. He was a Professor of Biochemistry who, during his life, wrote 40 novels, 382 short stories, 280 nonfiction titles, and edited approximately 147 other books.
Our collection consists of 1343 items representing 524 titles. Many are items he either wrote, or edited, though we do have some critical analyses of his work, some biographical titles, and some memorabilia. In our collection, 624 of those items are issues from 3 different Science Fiction magazine titles he edited. The remaining 719 items we have include titles in various disciplines. 45 items are in the Social Sciences. 211 items are in Math, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, and Life Sciences. 15 items are in Medicine. 7 items are in the Arts. 413 items are in Literature. And 19 items are in History. 176 are First Editions.
Most of his fiction is in the realm of Science fiction or Fantasy fiction; most of his Science is an explanation of pop Science. He wrote for children, as well as adults. Some unusual works of his include: an Annotated Paradise Lost, an Annotated Don Juan, an Annotated Gulliver’s Travels, a Guide to Shakespeare, and a Guide to the Bible.
Both of these collections are non-circulating collections. You may see them, but only at Smith Library.
–Michael Ingram, Technical Services & Systems Librarian