City Research Online

Abstract

Although several notable collections of fanfiction exist in libraries such as the Sandy Hereld Fanzine Collection at Texas A&M University(http://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/149935), and the digital fanzine archives at the University of Iowa(http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/resources/fandomresources/), the attention given to the systematic selection, acquisition, indexing, preservation and sharing of fanworks is not as notable in the UK as it might be, given the popularity of fandom, the volume of creative works that exists, and the rate at which new texts are produced. This paper presents the results of an investigation into the extent to which fanfiction is collected and managed by UK libraries, and attempts to ascertain the reasons underlying collection policy in local, public, special, academic and national institutions.This report is based on a review of recent literature, an analysis of the collection policies of a selection of UK libraries, and a brief survey of the views of Library & Information Science students. The empirical work was carried out in Spring 2016. Results show that there is indeed, a little known and lesser understood ‘dark side’ to fanfiction, in regard to how it is understood and valued, which feeds an invisible, black hole in our cultural he

Publication Type:	Article
Publisher Keywords:	Fan fiction; Fanzines; Fanworks; UK libraries; Archives; Collection policy
Subjects:	Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > Z665 Library Science. Information Science Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > Z719 Libraries (General)
Departments:	School of Communication & Creativity > Media, Culture & Creative Industries > Library & Information Science
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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