SFF, BSFA, etc.

[watervole]

This is a poll that does actually serve some purpose, and may be useful to a friend of mine.  Note that the questions are deliberately vague.  I didn't want to have a list of items to match against each organisation as that's a leading question.  I want to see how much the average SF reader knows without any prompting.[Poll #1439063][Poll #1439063]

Comments

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

SFF has two meaning to me as a librarian, it also means Science Fiction and Fantasy in the library speak I learned. Even though I know the meanings of the abreviations as you mean them I have no idea what they do, please will you tell us.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Yes, I originally answered "yes" on SFF because I was assuming Science Fiction and Fantasy; when I saw from the later questions that watervole was talking about the Science Fiction Foundation I changed the answer to "no", because although I think I've heard of it I wouldn't have remembered it.

I know about the BSFA because, although I was never a member, I used to help produce one of their zines.

[julesjones]

Ditto -- it might be worth changing that question to make it clearer that the correct expansion is *not* "science fiction and fantasy".

[jon-a-five.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I thought it was Sci Fi & Fantasy too.

[sophiedb.livejournal.com]

The main reason that I answered "yes" to the first two questions is that the last two confirmed that I had guessed correctly.. which isn't exactly a case of knowing what the acronyms stand for, I suppose :)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

I'd have assumed SFF in this context was a short form of SF&F -- I've never heard of either organisation.

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

SFF support learning around, and promotion of SF. They publish Foundation, an academic journal, which contains papers on SF, they offer bursaries and other funding to support SF based events, and they hold their own events along similar lines. They are a charity, and are associated with the Liverpool SF archives.

As I understand it, the BSFA is a kind of fan club for SF. They host events and encourage interaction with SF writers, and publish a number of magazines which are mailed to their readership. I understand it's a lot less highbrow than the output of the SFF.

[communicator.livejournal.com]

half my f-list are in BSFA it seems

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

I ticked yes to knowing what SFF means, but the second question about them proves I was wrong - I thought it meant Science Fiction and Fantasy...

[alexmc.livejournal.com]

> Do you know what the British Science Fiction Association does?

Ah, well, there in lies a tale. Do you mean what it was set up to do? or what it actually does? Or what it attempts to do?


:-)

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Why not try for all three!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that I only know BSFA through Eastercons.

[sugoll.livejournal.com]

By SFF, I thought you meant SFF.Net, which I guess is not the case.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

The BSFA - British Science Fiction Association - is a club for SF-types. Publishes various critical fanzines (Vector,Matrix etc). Runs annual awards voted for by members. Runs meetings (in London).

The SFF - the Science Fiction Foundation - is basically a library/research publisher. Currently situated in Liverpool Uni, where its library forms a research tool for an SF course. Publishes the academic journal Foundation and occasionally research collections. Has a full time academic administrator/librarian/lecturer/researcher.

Both are often present at British SF conventions flogging second-hand book, publications, and, in the case of the BSFA, conning people into having a go on their tombola and putting books into your hands that you would not have read in a million year.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Along with quite a few others, I thought that SFF meant Science Fiction and Fantasy so I ticked yes, and then I realised by your fourth question that it meant something different in this poll.

[novawulfen.livejournal.com]

I didn't know anything about either, until I read the second half. I've left my responses as "no" though, as I didn't know before I saw this....

:)

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Twenty years ago I was a member the BSFA, and up to speed on what both organizations were doing; but I said "vaguely" for both, as I'm now very out of touch and have no idea if they're still up to the same old.

[rockwell-666.livejournal.com]

I was pretty sure I knew what the initials stood for, but I only very vaguely know what they do from having picked up bits and pieces at Cons.

[esmeraldus-neo.livejournal.com]

SFF publishes books, also...one of them was Guilty of Literature. They also hold a Masterclass in their science fiction archive every spring. That's another function, the archive--which is extensive.

[pennski.livejournal.com]

Woo hoo! I have a contribution in "Guilty of Literature". I'd forgotten that was originally SFF.

[rockwell-666.livejournal.com]

/me goes to bookshelf and picks up copy of Guilty of Literature and peeks inside...

Well bugger me, so they do :-)

[dan-golem.livejournal.com]

BSFA - membership organisation for anyone interested in SF. Publishes regular newsletters with news, reviews and criticism. Holds meetings in London usually with author interview.

SFF publishes Foundation, critical magazine and other publications, supports SF library at Liverpool Uni and other good stuff.