From 1979 to 2013, authors, scholars, and fans from around the world convened at UC Riverside for the annual Eaton Conference on Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature. After being dormant for more than a decade, the UCR Library’s Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy is bringing back that tradition.

The revival began with an all-day online Eaton Symposium on Jan. 8 in which librarians, scholars, fans, authors, and editors discussed a variety of topics relating to the collection and the wider world of science fiction and fantasy. These panel discussions are now available to watch on UCR Library’s YouTube channel.

It will continue in-person on campus with the Eaton Conference on April 4 and 5. Offering two days of panels, readings, and presentations, the conference theme is “Reimagining the Archive” for science fiction studies. The keynote will be presented by Malik Gaines, a UC San Diego professor, and Alexandro Segade, a UC Davis professor, on their musical and video project “Star Choir,” which drew inspiration from legendary science fiction author Octavia Butler. Both events represent the Eaton Collection’s legacy of celebrating science fiction and fantasy and exploring its impact now.

“With the Eaton Symposium, we wanted to look at the past, present, and future,” said Phoenix Alexander, UCR’s Jay Kay Klein and Doris Klein Science Fiction Librarian. “It was important for me to bring in not just people from the fandom community and scholars, but I really wanted to engage contemporary writers who are at the forefront of the genre now. It’s really an exciting time for science fiction and it made sense to bring the Eaton Collection to the center and have folks come together in celebration of the state of the field.”

The symposium included award-winning duo Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due, who have written science fiction, fantasy, and horror novels and television, discussing the current state of the genre. Other panels explored the history and legacy of the Eaton Collection, how it’s used by faculty and students, and what it means to scholars and fans of the field. One panel focused on how California, from its landscapes to culture, inspires and shapes science fiction.

Participants also spoke about how the Eaton Collection has been a valuable resource, whether as a place to do research, find rare material, or preserve important pieces of science fiction history.

“I’m really in awe of the Eaton Collection,” said Heath Row, a Los Angeles fanzine author and editor who has helped the Eaton acquire several collections.

The April conference is being organized by Associate Professor of English andré carrington and graduate students Loren Barbour, K Persinger, Liza Wemakor, and Chelsea Yuipco through UCR’s Speculative Fictions and Cultures of Science (SFCS) program. Founded in 2013 as an academic unit complementing the Eaton Collection, the unique program offers a designated emphasis at the graduate level and an undergraduate minor.

“In reimagining the Eaton Conference, we aim to leverage UC Riverside’s reputation in the field and foster collaboration with a new network of experienced and emerging scholars and artists,” said carrington, who serves as director of the SFCS program. “Supporting emergent talent is an ongoing act of care that this version of the conference will prioritize as it addresses ongoing disparities in the field, and across academia, and reimagines the future of speculative fiction.”