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Larry Shaver: WVU, Class of 1974; Founding Donor of Asimov Collection

Larry Shaver, Michael Ridderbusch, Harold Forbes, and John Cuthbert discuss Asimov donation.
Alumnus Larry Shaver donates his collection of Isaac Asimov books and memorabilia to the WVU Libraries. Shaver (left) is pictured with Michael Ridderbusch, archives curator, Harold Forbes, former rare books curator, now retired, and John Cuthbert, director, West Virginia and Regional History Center.

Larry Shaver, an alumnus and self-avowed sci-fi fan, donated his extensive Isaac Asimov collection containing approximately 600 books, games, audio recordings, videos, and wall charts to the WVU Libraries. Shaver, a Fairmont native and 1974 graduate of WVU, developed an interest in Asimov when he spotted one of the author's paperbacks in a Pittsburgh bookstore more than 30 years ago. He quickly finished the book and began looking for more titles by Asimov. After reading 100 of his books, Shaver set the goal of reading all 600 of Asimov's books.

"Putting them together, I've had the pleasure of reading every one," Larry Shaver said. "But as the collection grew, it seemed such a waste to keep them on my shelf."

"I didn't intend to build a collection, I just intended to read his books," Shaver said. "The best way to determine if you already read a book is to have it on the rack."

It was about 10 years ago that Shaver accomplished his first goal and set his next challenge as replacing the paperback with better editions. Since then, first editions account for nearly 75 percent of the collection, and 20 of the first editions are signed. Shaver also orchestrated Asimov's wife, Janet, to inscribe a first-edition of the late author's autobiography, It's Been a Good Life, to WVU.

Shaver, now an air traffic control instructor at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma, credits Asimov for stirring his interest in academics. He said Asimov incorporated an easy-to-understand writing style to explain fairly complicated topics, like the sciences.

"I didn't know those things were so interesting. I thought they were things to be avoided," Shaver said. "I think he earned the title of the Great Explainer. He explained it to me, and now he'll explain it to other people."

Carlos Patterson: Asimov Donor

Carlos Patterson, Stewart Plein, and John Cuthbert pose with Asimov donation.
Carlos Patterson, right, with John Cuthbert, Director, West Virginia and Regional History Center, and Stewart Plein, Curator, Rare Books, accepting Patterson's 2014 Asimov donation.

Carlos Patterson read his first Isaac Asimov book when he was a teenager. He loved the clear and easy to read way Asimov wrote, plus he really enjoyed his science fiction short stories and novels. Though he has not read all 600 of Asimov's books, he has read all of his science fiction. While collecting all those science fiction titles, Carlos decided to also collect at least one copy of each book Asimov wrote. This led to a complete collection of Asimov's published books, plus acquisition of other Asimov memorabilia. While doing some financial planning, Carlos asked his children if they would like to inherit his collection, but they were not interested. He searched for a library that might be interested and in 2006 found that West Virginia University would be happy to receive his collection. Thus, he then donated nearly 200 books to WVU and committed to bequeath all of his collection at his death. However, over the years he has donated many more titles and memorabilia.

Carlos was born in Panama City, Panama in 1947. His mother and he migrated to New Orleans, Louisiana when he was two years old, following his aunt and uncle, who was in the US Navy. He attended Holy Cross High School in New Orleans and graduated in 1968 from Saint Edwards University in Austin, Texas. In 1974 he earned a Masters in Social Work and in 1975 a Masters of Public Administration from University of California, Los Angeles. He retired in 2005 as a manager of the Homeless Program in the California Department of Housing and Community Development after 22 years of state service in various departments and agencies.

Lawrence Miller: Asimov Donor

Larry Miller

Lawrence “Larry” Miller became fascinated first by Isaac Asimov’s science writing, and then Piers Anthony’s “science-based science fiction” before discovering Asimov’s science fiction. The development of his collection, centered around the work of Asimov and other science fiction writers, spanned approximately four decades from the ’70s to the ’00s. His collection includes 125 books, 45 comics, and more than 100 pieces of the personal correspondence he maintained with both Asimov and Anthony. Miller gifted his collection to WVU Libraries in 2022.

Miller started writing and drawing his own Superman stories at age 5 in 1939–40, which laid the foundation for a lifetime of loving art and storytelling. He attended the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, a private art college, from 1954 to 1957. After graduating, Miller succeeded in pursuing a career in design in New York City. He worked as an art director for the ad agency Doyle Dane Bernbach and the design firm Lippincott & Margulies. He also ran the freelance placement firm Freelancenter and taught typography at Parsons School of Design.

Both Miller and Asimov valued innovation and artistry in regard to each of their crafts. Miller was inspired by Isaac Asimov, who seemed to never stop writing as he authored more than 600 books throughout his lifetime. “Creativity, whether for a story, a logo, or an ad headline, is a muscle,” Miller said. “Keep it strong. Keep it limber. Lift creative weights. How much can you power-lift?”