Introduction to the Arthur C. Clarke Library
Arthur Charles Clarke CBE FRAS was a science fiction writer, scientist, humanist and polymath whose fiction and non-fiction alike thought through—and sometimes answered—the largest questions facing humanity.
A trained physicist and mathematician, Clarke was the rare science fiction writer who combined rigorous science with a sense of wonder, and even spirituality; his short stories and novels are invested in the metaphysical implications of technological innovation.
The University of Liverpool Library's Special Collections and Archives houses the largest catalogued collection of science fiction in Europe, and acquired Clarke's personal library in December 2019. Comprising over one hundred boxes, the library includes printed materials, notebooks, photographs, films, objects and other ephemera related to Clarke's life and career. Clarke was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University in 1995.
While the material is not fully catalogued, we are pleased to showcase some of the highlights of the collection in this virtual exhibition. For more information on our other collections, visit SCA's Science Fiction Hub here.