Heads of special collections of pulp magazines, the medium for popular fiction prior to the introduction of mass market paperbacks in 1939, were surveyed to help analyze and address the problems facing these collections. A survey mailed to special collections administrators gathered background information from the four largest collections (University of California at Los Angeles, Library of Congress, University of Louisville, and San Francisco Academy of Comic Art) as well as from heads of collections at 12 other universities and 1 public library. Science fiction, detective fiction, and hero pulps are identified as the three genres of main pulp interest. Characteristics and histories of the pulp collections are noted, problems are identified, and remedies are suggested. A list of references is included. (THC)