MIT Science Fiction Society

In 1965, MITSFS joined with the UMass SFS[1] and others, including Hal Clement,[2] in forming the "Boston Science Fiction Society", holding the first Boskone convention.

[3] In 1972, the widow of respected Golden Age editor John W. Campbell donated her husband's personal set of Astounding Science Fiction.

[4] Campbell had almost finished an MIT physics degree, but transferred to Duke University to avoid a German language requirement, and then pursued a lifetime career in writing and editing science fiction.

Some past members include Durk Pearson, Rick Norwood, Al Kuhfeld, Bill Sarill, Whit Diffie, Geoffrey A. Landis, Erwin Strauss, and Guy Consolmagno.

[6] The first computer game, Spacewar!, was developed at Project MAC by Steve Russell, Martin "Shag" Graetz, Wayne Wiitanen, and other fans of the Lensman series.

[6] The Society is informal in its operations, but has developed an elaborate pseudo-hierarchy with officer titles such as "Skinner", "Lord High Embezzler", and "Onseck".

[7][3] However, actual theft and vandalism are regarded as serious crimes, and strict security rules have developed to protect the collection, such as requiring that all backpacks, permanent markers, and pens be left at the library entrance.

As a consequence, all the remaining dead tree materials (books, magazines, fanzines, and Society records) were to be packed up and sent for professional freeze-drying preservation and storage while the building was repaired and renovated (in particular, for the abatement of damaged asbestos tiles).